Leadership DevelopmentPartners
in Performance delivers competency-based professional development
initiatives for artists and artistic directors, executives and senior
staff, and trustees of arts and cultural organizations. Specific
competencies include effective communications for leaders, managing
change, aligning vision and strategy, and building sustainable
collaborations. Prairie Arts Management Institute On
two occasions in the past six years, Partners in Performance has
developed organizational effectiveness for this annual management and
leadership development initiative serving the Dakotas, Wisconsin and
Minnesota. "Wow, I was thinking this would be easy,
he really made us work, yet it was fun too. We never get the chance to
work like this together...I left wanting more."
Seminar Participant
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & St. Louis Symphony Orchestra In
2005-2006, Partners in Performance developed and facilitated a
six-month curriculum on leadership and leadership communications for 20
musicians of these two leading regional orchestras. The focus of the
work, leading without authority, focused specifically on the challenges
facing orchestra musicians who are taking a greater responsibility for
the leadership of their organizations. "Having
John McCann conduct a "Leading without Authority" workshop was
tremendously powerful. The experience truly changed my life--forever."
Seminar Participant
Bush Foundation In
2007, Partners in Performance presented a two-day seminar on personal
leadership effectiveness for 25 executive and artistic leaders of
mid-size arts and cultural organizations engaged in the Bush Foundation
Regional Arts Development Program. "This session was
real. I was asked to be very honest about myself and my skills and
preferences. I will not approach my job as a leader the same way
again."
Seminar Participant
Planning From
comprehensive strategic planning, to organizational restructuring, to
mergers and strategic alliances, John McCann has engaged with more than
100 clients to develop a safe and focused environment within which
decisions of great consequence are made. One of the core strengths of
the firm is its ability to bring the numerous constituents (artists,
executives, trustees, community partners and supporters) into a
purposeful dialogue around current challenges and future possibilities. The Cleveland Orchestra As
The Cleveland Orchestra, one of the world's leading arts institutions,
increases it's residential presence in cities around the world (Vienna,
Salzburg, Miami), the firm was contracted to help develop the vision,
mission statement, and near term goals for the Orchestra's new
residency in Miami. "John McCann facilitated The
Cleveland Orchestra's Miami Residency strategic planning process with
great skill. Working closely with board leadership, community
representatives and staff he synthesized complex issues and guided our
organization in developing a clearly stated vision, core values and
goals that will be the cornerstone of our planning for the next years."
Sandi MacDonald, Miami Residency Director
Nashville Symphony In
2008, this Grammy award-winning orchestra, now the nation's ninth
largest, contracted with John McCann to design and facilitate the
development of it's most recent strategic plan. Planning included a
community-wide visioning process and the launch of a major arts
education initiative. "John helped us design a
process that engaged our entire Nashville family in setting the long
term vision for the Symphony. His guidance focused on assuring that it
was our plan in the end, one that had the commitment of all
stakeholders---internal and external. With that commitment and our
strategic plan in place we are now poised for sustained growth. It was
a terrific process."
Alan Valentine, President and CEO, Nashville Symphony
Arkansas Repertory Theatre Over
the past decade, John McCann has assisted the Arkansas Repertory
Theatre with two significant strategic planning processes. These
efforts have led to major organizational restructuring, facilities
acquisition, and an increase in the Repertory's presence across the
state of Arkansas. FacilitationWhen the quality of the conversation matters, Partners in Performance is recognized nationally for its broad experience and strong commitment to effective meeting design, inquiry-based models of engagement, and the achievement of meaningful results. Tribeca Film Institute/Renew Media During 2007-2008, Partners in Performance moderated the merger discussions between Renew Media and the Tribeca Film Institute. The process resulted in the merger of the two organizations in June of 2008. "I have recently worked with John on two challenging projects. In one, he was asked to facilitate meetings leading to a merger of two non-profits. It worked. They merged. in the second, he managed a convening of arts leaders reviewing a new arts institution. It worked too. They contributed great insights and ideas. To sum up my experience, working with John works."
Alberta Arthurs, Vice Chair, Tribeca Film Institute
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) In 2006-2007, Partners in Performance designed and facilitated a series of four sessions of the seven-member national Panel of Experts. This panel was formed to review and recommend products and services for the prestigious AARP Seal of Approval program. University of Chicago Cultural Policy Center During 2005 and 2006 Partners in Performance assisted with the design and facilitated a series of national discussions to determine the impact of the nation's investment on the built environment for arts and culture on artists and arts organizations nationally. "At a two-day closed conference with a wide spectrum of participants, John skillfully led everyone through the thicket, avoiding the many pitfalls, and we arrived successfully at the end with a major research proposal that has now been funded. We simply could not have accomplished this without him." Daniel Carroll Joynes, Executive Director, Cultural Policy Center, University of Chicago
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Practice Areas