Politics, slander, innuendo! Who’s qualified to lead? Who is all talk and no action? Who’s tainted by scandal? Whose decisions and reasoning are questionable? Who drinks too much? Who does too many drugs? Who visits hookers? Who takes kickbacks, which one steals, who never has the correct information and then refuses to take responsibility and back-peddles when challenged? Who leads through coercion and intimidation? Who, what, when and where? With so little time and yet so many questions, it’s amazing that anything gets accomplished… and this is just office politics.
On a gig, the politics are even more demanding. As an audio/production company, someone has to be in charge and manage the various factions of a gig, but when there is a change of guard, to whom can the company turn? Obviously, it needs to be someone who is capable of negotiating with the venues and the clients, bands, labor crew, lighting and video folks and even the caterer, but who is qualified for such a job?
Raising these questions of leadership, morality and fortitude brings to mind the current crop of senators vying for the presidential seat who are arguing their readiness for the position of commander and chief. The various platforms portray one of them touting their experience and readiness to take power on day one. Another presidential hopeful is marketing his fortitude and courage, and the third candidate is campaigning on a policy of hope and change. I ponder the question of who might be ready for the job of top dog, and just knowing the difficulties of dealing with the politics in my own little audio world, I come to the conclusion that there are probably very few people, if any, who are ready to assume the mantle of president and commander and chief of the United States of America.
It is almost impossible for me to imagine the magnitude of responsibilities associated with the aforementioned job, and the only way that I can get it into perspective is by thinking of managing or running a much smaller business such as, for example, an audio company. Believe me when I say that I am aware of the vast differences between running an audio company and being the most powerful leader in the free world, but in government, as in mixing, there are certain things that remain constant regardless of the size and complexity of the console and speakers.
If one is an outsider that is brought in to do the job, then it must be understood that there will be a period of adjustment. It takes time for one to acclimate themselves to a new situation, let alone implement change during a time when they also need to keep the company viable. Change cannot necessarily be made until one has ascertained exactly what needs to be modified and the various individuals who might help or hinder the process.
Let’s assume that an audio company has been operating in a certain manner for eight years or so and that there is a very definite dynamic between the current staff and how they get things done. Abruptly changing this on-going dynamic could possibly slow or even shut down the whole system and, if not approached in a politically adept fashion, enemies might be made who could attempt to stand in the way of any forward progress.
The responsibilities of the new manager would be to coordinate trucking, video, lighting, staging, backline and audio as well as labor. If the company has all of these departments under one roof, it certainly does not behoove one to aggravate any of the branch managers if they want to get things done… at least not initially. The cash flow for the company cannot be disrupted or the business could fail, therefore, this very same manager will need to develop a good relationship with existing clients as well as garnering new clients and seeing to it that the company has the proper equipment to deal with any situation that may arise. This very same manager also needs to establish good working relationships with other like-minded companies so that he might be able to call on them when in need. Undercutting their bids or alienating them in any way for short-term gain might turn out to be more of a detriment to the business than it is beneficial.
This new manager must have an acute political acumen and a long-term vision regarding the direction of the company, as well as the fortitude, savvy and determination to forge the way. Most of all, the new company administrator needs to be innovative as well as persuasive. This new supervisor, while unifying the diverse parts into a whole, needs to earn the respect of the old guard and is required to motivate those that might be reluctant to change. So, regardless of their experience, fortitude or vision, this new director of audio will still need to have a quick learning curve and prove themselves to all involved parties.
In many cases, it probably makes sense to give the job of management to someone from within the company, as they have put in their time and have already proven themselves. They also have the advantage of knowing their way around the company dynamic and modus operandi. The only problem that one could foresee in the event of a tried-and-true insider assuming the position of leadership is that as smooth as the transition might be, this insider may just carry on business as usual and maintain the status quo with no real vision or capacity for instituting any change or growth.
Experience certainly speaks for itself, and while there is always a learning curve, it is assumed that the veteran, knowing the ins and outs of the system, can adapt to the new position and keep the company’s momentum flowing with the least amount of disruption. On the other hand, “new blood,” while being a bit of a gamble, has the potential to institute real change and bring with them the possibility of taking the company to newer and greater heights of creativity and profit ever before imagined.
Just to be clear — except for the drugs, hookers, innuendo and intrigue — taking the helm of an existing audio and production company is not at all like running the United States of America. That said, it is also not necessarily an elected position, but as in mixing and production, while certain changes might be for the best, there are those constants that remain the same despite the size and complexity of the console and speakers, or regardless of who is driving the rig.
