by Amy Hou | Aug 18, 2016 | Mentoring, Networking, Starting Out
Sue Bell Yank is an arts organizer and writes about social practice in contemporary art. She has worked on the Watts House Project and was formerly the Assistant Director of Academic Programs at the Hammer Museum and the Director for Online Education at the Oprah Winfrey Network. She is currently the Director of Communications and Outreach at 18th Street Arts Center in Los Angeles.
Early on in my career in the arts, I worked at a small non-profit art gallery in Culver City for minimum wage, a couple of days a week. I was going to graduate school at the time, mostly to meet more people in the city and figure out where my place could be. One of my favorite professors was a New York transplant who had decided to make a go of it out west and start one of the most ambitious non-profit gallery programs in the city.
Working for her was not always easy – life is scrappy in a tiny arts non-profit. But the close quarters (literally – we were all squeezed into about 2 cubic yards of space in the “office”) gave me a front-row seat to how an arts organization can be run, and it was the best education I could have gotten. Artists screamed, curators cried, we laughed and drank (sometimes), we gossiped, and tried our very best to produce important contemporary art exhibitions.
But what she ultimately gave me was much more valuable than the 10 dollars an hour I was making. She was connected to a web of artists, students, and arts workers, and unconditionally generous with her contacts. Seeing any possible sparks of interest and commonality, she set about inserting me into this network so I could create threads of my own. One of these introductions was to Edgar Arceneaux, who was embarking on an ambitious community-engaged art project called Watts House Project, which combined arts, social justice, and community participation. Working on that project and all of its complications allowed me to find my place in the art world (supporting the work of socially-engaged artists), my own personal mission (access to arts education for all), and my next job at the Hammer Museum.
To be clear, I wish that I had been paid more, and I always have advocated (mostly unsuccessfully) for paying interns a living wage. However, it’s a sad reality that work in the arts thrives on unpaid or minimum wage entry level positions (a reality I have been complicit in), and this prevents many people who can’t otherwise afford to work for so little from rising up. But non-profits working on incredibly tight budgets have little choice – oftentimes free intern labor means the difference between creating world-class programs and closing up shop. So we trade on cultural capital – connections, community, reputation – in order to gain more clout and opportunity later in our careers.
Cultural capital worked for me, even through those lean years, because of the privileged position I was working from. I vowed I would mentor other young people rising up, connect them, and give them as much advice as I could – but also to advocate for more equity in the arts. I got the opportunity to do that at the Hammer, where much of my job included working with UCLA students as interns and Hammer Student Association members. It’s been one of my greatest pleasures to watch former students infiltrate the rest of the art world, spreading far and wide. Much of this was due to their own ingenuity and drive, but also to the professional opportunities they got at the Hammer. I also wrote more recommendation letters than I can count.
Early on, most of the questions I got were about how to meet people in the art world, how to get connected, how to get opportunities. But recently those questions have shifted a bit. As I grow older, the women I mentor have also grown older – in their mid to late twenties rather than just out of college. And these women are much more concerned about sustainability. How can a job in the art world actually pay enough money to live? How do I balance wanting to have children with a demanding career that more often than not invades your personal life?
I’m not sure what to tell them. The truth is, arts jobs do not pay well. I’m not sure they ever will. And things are not easy for a working mother of two young children in a field where trendsetters have little regard for the need to pick up your children from daycare, feed them, and kiss them goodnight.
The wonderful thing about the arts, though, is that in LA at least, it can be a rich community. There are ways to raise concerns with key members of your community and advocate for change. Many artists and arts administrators I have worked with are caring, thoughtful, social justice-minded people who are all in this together. They wrack their brains and argue about things like education equity, community cohesion, gentrification, gift-based economies…because oftentimes, the best art is about questioning the status quo and considering questions of equity. When I worked a brief stint in the entertainment industry, I missed that. I took a large pay cut to return to the arts, and I’m so much happier amongst my people. The line from the Metric song Other Side kept running through my head:
All we want is to feel like all we got didn’t cost us everything, even if we never win.”
I traded actual capital for social capital, and there found my way again. Forming, maintaining, and sharing a strong web of relationships, finding your community and your mission, and then advocating for yourself and your family in the midst of it is key to making it all work. Another wise former boss of mine told me to “Find your people, and bring new people in.” In any world, that’s possible.
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by Madeline Bell | May 16, 2016 | Motherhood, Starting Out, Women in the Workplace, Work-Family Balance
One of the questions I am frequently asked by younger women is, “how can I advance my career and plan a family at the same time?” Since I work among a large group a women physicians who have spent years in school, training and nurturing their careers, this is a typical topic. It’s very challenging for these career-driven women to start thinking about planning a family. Frankly, I don’t recall ever having been asked this question by a man. It’s usually women, often very sheepishly, who ask me how they should approach the decision. I always give them the same answer; if you make a list of pros and cons, the cons will almost always win.
When looking at the situation from a purely logical point of view, it’s true, the decision to start a family appears to lose. Here’s how your list will shape up: children increase the family budget with daycare, cost of food and clothing, etc., having children increases your time commitment away from work and there’s less time to care for yourself. While all of this may be true, it doesn’t mean that if you want children you should avoid it. What is immeasurable and fights against the logic is the unconditional love that comes from a child and the joy of watching them explore the world around them. Having children while advancing your career is not for everyone, but it can be done. There are many examples of women, like me, who have done just that.
In order to launch yourself on the journey, you need to throw away the list of pros and cons. First, focus on developing your support systems. It’s critical that you create a good partnership with your co-parent, making sure you communicate what you expect from each other, and that you are both set up to take an active role. Next, set out to create your broader support network that may include grandparents (if you’re lucky) other family members, neighbors, other working mothers and day-care providers. A note here: ease up on pressuring yourself on the daycare situation. I know that many women feel guilty about leaving their children with someone else and struggle over making sure every detail is perfect when making this choice. Remember this: your child’s future college application is not dependent on their daycare situation. All you need to do is find a loving, supportive and safe environment for your child.
It’s no surprise that having children changes everything. In order to feel like you can balance everything you will likely need to create a new routine in your life, one that makes space for quality time in the evenings and weekends for your children. My kids were always the last to go to bed in my neighborhood. I kept them up just a bit later so that we could play, read or just sit and talk about the day. There is no one right way to create a work-family balance, you have to decide what works for YOU and your family. Lastly, if you do decide to take a break from work, it’s very important that you find ways to keep your skills current and stay involved in developing your career. Read publications about what’s happening in your field, make time to have coffee with colleagues, and socialize with other moms — think of it as a networking opportunity!
by Amy Hou | May 2, 2016 | Leadership, Leading Teams, Mentoring, Professional Growth, Starting Out
Over the past month, I have spoken to three people about their future career options. Each was seeking career advancement and an executive title. In each case, I told them that chasing a title is not actually the best way to advance. Of course, that seems easy for me to say with the title of President and CEO. But hear me out…
When I probed about their interest in title progression, I heard them make comments such as, “I want to have credibility and I want a seat at the table.” I continue to hear this from others that I have mentored over the years. They hold the misconception, as many do, that a title will buy them leadership credibility and followership. But the title is not the ticket to leadership. There are other qualities that shape a leader and that, most importantly, generate followership.
One of those qualities is possessing influencing skills. These are skills which help you understand how influence works in your organization and how you can use that influence to better carry out your leadership goals.
More than a title, aspiring and current leaders need to understand that gaining followership from influencing people is critical to success. So, what does that look like? How does one gain influence? First, one must identify the stakeholders. These are the people that are impacted by a certain decision. Once you’ve identified them, spend time with them. Share your viewpoint on a situation and ask them to identify others that may help you to lead in a certain direction.
An effective leader does not say “Do this!” and expect it to be automatically done. An effective leader creates a map of who needs to be involved, who will be impacted, and who is in a position to help me lead.
Even with the title of President and CEO, I use my influencing skills to lead far more than my title. It is with influencing skills that one actually get things done.
by Amy Hou | Mar 5, 2016 | Mentoring, Networking, Professional Growth, Starting Out, Women in the Workplace
I belong to a group of women leaders who meet once a year with the goal of providing mutual personal and professional support and advice. In this post, I want to talk about how this group functions and how important and meaningful it has been for me.
There are two rules to this club: 1) What gets said in the group stays within the group, and 2) If a member gets in touch with you during the year, you must respond within 24 hours, even if just to say, “I’m away but will get back to you on this date.”
The group was established around thirty years ago by women leaders in the pharma industry. They saw their male counterparts going on golf outings and fly fishing trips with each other and decided to start a personal/professional support tradition of their own.
At the annual meeting, usually held at a resort, each person gets time in front of the rest of the group to make a presentation about what is happening in her life professionally and personally (because these are so often interconnected). After the presentation, discussion is opened up to the group, who may provide insight and advice on either topic. There are also some impromptu regional meetings, in addition to the regular annual one.
What has struck me every year with these remarkable women is that everyone has a personal journey, and it can be incredibly powerful for us as professionals to support that journey. This is the true purpose of affinity and networking groups — they’re not just forums for shrewdly angling for a better position or a higher salary. They’re for generating understanding, for thinking of new ways to approach challenges, and for listening to advice from like minded people.
If you don’t have an affinity or networking group within your organization, see if you can develop one. It’s not hard! Focus on activities that engender professional and personal support and mentoring. Address the idea of confidentiality. Put a little bit of structure around it. In my group, nominations for new members must come from three existing members. This means that anyone entering the group most likely relates well to its goals and culture; they’re well-accomplished and have reached a certain level in order to be there. Be aware of and seek out diverse backgrounds in your members. Elect leadership to the group; consider collecting dues and hiring an event organizer for big meetings.
Lisa Suennen over at Venture Valkyrie has written an excellent article about this group and some of the quotable quotes that came out of our meeting.
by Madeline Bell | Feb 27, 2016 | Career Change, Confidence, Professional Growth, Starting Out
When I am asked about my career journey, I often tell people that the continuous theme has been saying yes to every opportunity, even when it has been outside of my comfort zone. When someone offers you the chance to do something new, even if you’re not 100% comfortable, just say yes. Find a way to get yourself up to speed and transition to the new challenge. There are many ways you can do that, either by coaching, peer mentoring, reading relevant articles and books and networking with people who are experts. Two resources that have been particularly helpful for me have been The Leader’s Edge, an executive coaching and consulting firm that helps women expand their leadership skills, and Barbara Pachter of Pachter & Associates, one of the world’s leading experts on business etiquette and communication.
Years ago, when I was Vice President of Clinical and Family Services, I was asked to take over revenue cycle management. I did not feel confident in my knowledge of this area, and had no technical skills to rely on, but knew it was an opportunity for me to learn another side of the healthcare business. I said yes. My next step was to find people more senior to help me learn. I read a lot, talked to people in the departments that made up revenue cycle, and worked hard to get myself up to speed. Eventually, I became more confident over the course of several years. When I took on this new responsibility however, it did not come without sacrifice. I had to give up a few other departments that I was managing, and it was some of the work that I loved most about my job. But I knew that I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and so I traded that for a new challenge.
I continually give this advice to women I mentor, but I also continue to live it myself. I was recently offered the great honor of joining the Comcast Corporate Board. Although it was certainly a goal of mine to join a corporate board, I did not expect the opportunity at this point in my career. I worried that perhaps taking on this new challenge while simultaneously getting up to speed as CEO of CHOP was too much to take on. But I’ve spent my entire career in non-profits, so this is an excellent chance to get out of my comfort zone. I don’t have a background in the technology, communications, or entertainment business but I believe that by studying, talking to experts, and finding someone on the board to mentor me that I’ll be able to bring important learnings back to my organization while growing my own competencies.
Additionally, I’ve learned that leadership skills can often transcend technical and industry experience. As I was reading through Comcast materials, I started to realize many of the general concepts were similar, and began to feel like I will be able to use my skills and leadership abilities as a former COO to bring value to the board. I think often times, women don’t give themselves credit for what they bring to the table outside of technical skills. You don’t have to be proficient in something to take it on, in fact you should always be pushing yourself to do not just the things that you’re familiar with. That’s what stepping outside of your comfort zone is all about. I’m truly grateful for this next challenge, and I applaud Comcast for adding another woman to their board.
I recently suggested to a woman I’m mentoring that she identify 3 areas in her work that are intriguing to her that she doesn’t already know about. I said she should find people to talk to and learn from, and then tell them she’d be interested in any openings that may come up. It can be hard to take on more, but I’ve always found that you can find bandwidth by delegating to other people. Why trade something you are great at and may love for something you know nothing about? It’s all about gaining experience and perspective. When you’re feeling unsure, just remember that in a year or two you will know this new area, and it will be a part of who you are and what makes you effective in your job. It can be hard to know your own potential, and by stepping into area that you are not comfortable with you ultimately learn what you’re capable of, which is the ultimate confidence booster.
by Amy Hou | Jan 29, 2016 | Challenges, Confidence, Starting Out, Women in the Workplace
I was recently mentoring a very accomplished woman physician scientist participating in a one-year leadership development program for women. In the course of our discussion, she asked me if I’m ever in situations when I am the only woman in the room. I told her about a meeting when a colleague leaned over and whispered, do you realize that you’re the only woman in the room? I responded – I do now!
The point is, being the outlier in the room was not on my mind until he mentioned it. From that moment on, I was quite conscious of my difference. How does our awareness of being “the only woman” influence how we behave, not to mention lead, within groups?
During the mentoring session, this scientist mentioned to me that she is in a national group of researchers and is, you guessed it, the only woman. I asked her if she is the one taking the minutes of their discussions together, and she replied with an emphatic Yes. She told me it had been mentioned that she does the lion’s share of the work behind the scenes while the men in the group are taking more of the credit and visibility. She asked me how she could have approached this situation differently.
Group projects take a huge amount of ‘little’ tasks like minutes-taking, organizing meetups and following up with action items. I told this woman that, rather than raising her hand to a task (or several tasks), go into the meeting with a sense of leadership over the division of labor. Take action to ensure that note-taking and all the other little tasks are assigned equally among the group’s members. Anticipate what will need to be done and speak first. Remember, there are no ‘default’ note-takers.
Finally, it is good to take credit for your group’s work. Taking credit is how you acknowledge all the experience you’ve gained, both to yourself and to others. As women, we are taught to internalize certain notions of ourselves: good manners, good penmanship, humble with accomplishments, the list goes on. But self-promotion is only ugly when it isn’t earned. If your group has done a good job, then you have done a good job, and you can feel good about promoting yourself for it.
How have you approached being the only woman in the room? What are your methods for self-promotion? I’d love to hear your stories.
