Detail from Rene Magritte, Golconda
Vision
A vision is one of the most important areas that artists inhabit and helps create their success. A vision comes from within. It is the creative insight from an artist who is energised, passionate and purposeful about creating their work.
Successful artists are masters in creating visions. They are able to build an experience for their audience, whether it’s a stand out performance or a work of art from their inner connection to passion and purpose. Their vision becomes a journey towards creating a significant work that inspires them and their audience. For example a musician will see their performance unfold in front of them each day. They practice and keep perfecting their performance towards the concert date. In this time they become the music. The same with artists from visual artists to actors, they become the work they are creating.
How would an organisation stand out if their CEO and senior management could fully inhabit a vision? Then develop creative ways to articulate their vision to their workforce. Using inspiration, passion and purpose, plus stories that bring to life the picture of their vision.
This is where artists can teach the business world how to firstly create a vision for their organisation that excites and inspires their workforce. To do this artists need to be able to articulate the birthing and development of a vision. Especially how essential it is to have an inner passion and purpose that drives the vision to completion. So how do artists articulate this to business people?
- They need to show organisations how to, get in touch with their inner feelings, passions, heart, and soul. Whatever you want to call that part of us. The part that drives artists to create outstanding performances and works.
- They then need to find ways to articulate simply the unfolding of the process that takes them along the path to create their work or performance.
- Then the steps they move along to create the finished work whether visual or performing arts.
Artists also need to understand that many times they underestimate their deep creative talents. That, these gifts which are part of their being can be taught to business people.
So what is it that helps bring this vision to life?
Leadership
Artists have to perform and work with groups of individuals towards a finished production or piece of work. They need to be able to articulate their vision, find words to bring to life their production, performance or event. And importantly connect this vision with authentic heart, passion and purpose to inspire others.
A successful artist has to be a leader. Whether they are working solo or with a team. An artist has to be able to inspire those who are part of their production or exhibition. If they are unable to do this their audience or gallery owner will have an unfulfilled experience
Successful artists know how to use their passion regarding their work to inspire others. And the skill is for them to translate this feeling and creative leadership into business language. Many times it is about making certain that the picture of the process is fully described in a language that business people can understand. This knowledge is gold and can contribute towards workplace harmony. It is important that artists also understand how to communicate with business organisations; this is where they can develop financial partnerships.
Mindset
The need for self-belief in performing and producing to a critical audience is never ending. There can be no room for a mindset that does not believe in the work that is being created. Successful artists go within and gain support from their inner resources. And many times will re-live successful past events to stop the inner critic taking over their mind. In doing this an artist is required to let go of the critical part of the brain that could prevent them creating exciting work. The same applies to a corporate. To be able to let go of the critical mind is one of the core methods needed for success whether in the arts or business world.
Working on the edge
Whether they are playing with a jazz group or working with materials, artists many times have to go with the flow. Business people can learn how to trust their gut instincts, try new concepts ideas ways of thinking to create more powerful products. Imagine how organisations would become more energised if they spent a few hours every week looking at challenges and finding solutions that were different, maybe a little quirky. What could this do to the sense of innovation with the workplace?
I believe that successful artists have much to offer the business world. Especially to be able to leave these organisations feeling reinvigorated, alive and inspired.
