Or at least some of these elements that must be a part of 21st century social reality. The following list represents ideas extracted from research for what is needed to build organizations such as volunteer groups of singers, incorporating the realities of the 21st century social environment. Choral excellence in programming, musicianship, pedagogy, and performance are assumed before even reading this list. But, once assumed and as you plan, you can live without some of these ideas, but you can't thrive without others:
- Create an environment where singers are happier when there are other singers wanting to join you. Make it cool enough that people will want to invite friends.
- Generate joy, don't just satisfy a need. Work for an upbeat ambiance-fun, humor, and positive attitudes.
- Plan on remarkable and varied experiences, not remarkable spin.
- Match expenses to cash flow–don't run out of money.
- Create scarcity but act with abundance.
- Tell a story, erect a mythology, walk the walk. Create a value-driven mission giving an opportunity to transform society.
- Let your singers know they are sought for their talent. Let it be clear that they are valued, individually.
- Continue to access the needs of your singers through surveys and other need-gathering tools.
- Give a high efficient return on the singer's investment of time, energy, and resources.
- Welcome and encourage diversity in membership.
- Give participants opportunities for personal creativity expression.
- Give participants some aspect of leadership within the community-power to influence the pace, content, and direction of the organization's life.
- Don't assume passive growth-give concrete moments for skill, talent, and knowledge growth.
- Make the world smaller through your organization-enlarge the social circle for your singers.
- Develop astute and trustworthy managers and leaders with succession in mind.
- Work to have a visual appeal for everything you do.
Marie Grass Amenta says