How can you communicate the importance of balancing artistic and commercial goals to your team?

...tell your team; "Commerce follows the Arts; not the other way around." You can't rush perfection or poke nature without an equal and opposite reaction. Balance comes from controlling your own.

I let the band members know my experience and that band meetings are crucial. This is the first step in making sure the band is on the same page. At this point our agenda is made clear. We talk about our experiences from past live shows This creates the right ambience so members can freely can effectively explain and emphasize to each other the importance of keeping in mind why we do live shows. Make the audience become comfortable, sell our music and hone our skills.

Participation of the entire team is the essential prerequisite for an understanding that economic and artistic goals can only be achieved together. This also means informing team members very honestly about the financial situation right from the start and about the financial goals you want to achieve. In a second step, let all team members participate in the economic success of the production. If the artistic result is good, the production often becomes a success in terms of ticket revenue. If the result exceeds the economic goals, each employee shares the surplus equally.

Involved in that first step is the fact that everyone is involved in the decision making process. Step-by-step instructions for involving your band members in every part of the process by prioritizing clear and open communication: I try to establish a consistent means of communication that works for all band members, such as a group messaging app or a shared online document. We set regular band meetings. I like to ensure that everyone is involved in some aspect of the process and I show appreciation for each band member's involvement at every step of the process.

Negotiating and compromising effectively can be challenging and I like to prepare for this by gathering information. I like to use the gathered info to determine what outcomes we want to achieve from the negotiation. I have already gathered information about the event’s interests, needs, and possible alternatives so that the band can understand their perspective. I also ask the band to remember, negotiation and compromise require flexibility and willingness to find common ground. By following these steps and being proactive, you can navigate negotiations smartly and achieve optimal outcomes.

In creative companies teams tend to go through cycles of expansion and contraction as new productions and work-streams flow through. This can be challenging for maintaining company morale, confidence and a sense of achievement, as colleagues come and go. Therefore, it's especially important to communicate regularly across the whole company so that they know not only the central strategic goals, but also progress and updates against project specific outcomes. This allows the whole team to celebrate successes and understand areas that might be subject to change or influenced by outside factors. Good communication builds trust, respect and commitment.