The art of turnaround just like any other form of art requires strict adherence to rules. Michael Kaiser provides ten rules that turnaround organizations can apply to increase productivity. However, the most appropriate rules for each organization may differ depending on the unique challenges that each organization faces. The John F. Kennedy Center is one of the turnaround organizations that is located in Washington, D.C. It has faced various challenges such as lack of enough funding and marketing strategies. However, the leaders in this organization have implemented the ten rules that were proposed by Kaiser to resolve these challenges. This paper discusses various rules that were proposed by Michael Kaiser and how they have been applied in the case of John F. Kennedy Center.
The John F. Kennedy Center looked for a competent leader with appropriate skills and a plan for the company. In the case study, various leaders in the organization participated in a thorough process to identify the appropriate candidate. The process involved interviews in which the candidate was asked to state the strategies that he would use to improve the status of the organization. Furthermore, the candidate had prior experience with art especially in turnaround art. The efforts being put by the leaders at the center fulfill the second rule by Michael Kaiser which states that a leader of a turnaround organization must have a plan. Kaiser elaborates the meaning of this statement by arguing that having a plan means stating a clear mission statement for the organization, evaluating the opportunities and threats presented by the environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, presenting the strategies that can be used to fulfill the mission of the organization and having an implementation plan as well as a financial plan. The candidate that was chosen to take over the John F. Kennedy Center presented the objectives that he would like to fulfill during his tenure in the office. He said that he would like to transform the center from a regional to a national art presenter. Furthermore, he wanted to change the programs with the aim of impressing the audience and donors.
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The second rule that the John F. Kennedy Center utilized is “marketing is more than brochures and advertisements.” This rule emphasizes the importance of appropriate marketing methods that sells the organization as well as tickets. Kaiser is challenging turnaround organizations to adopt creative marketing strategies rather that utilizing the conventional ones. The organizations that are able to use creative strategies such as mass media are a step higher than their competitors. The John F. Kennedy Center is one of such organizations. This turnaround organization managed to attract more audiences and donors using media stations. It used media conferences, advertisement and media coverage from New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today as ways of creating awareness. This way, the audience became informed about the services that the organization offers and began supporting it. Furthermore, the strategy attracted donors such as Catherine and Wayne Reynolds.
The tenth rule is applicable to all turnaround organizations including John F. Kennedy Center. It states that an organization ought to have the discipline to adhere to all the ten rules in order to succeed. Kaiser lists the ten rules namely; someone must be a leader, the leader must have a plan, you cannot save your way to health, focus on today and tomorrow, not yesterday, extend your programming planning calendar, marketing is more than brochures and advertisements, there must be one spokesman and the message must be positive, Fund-raising must focus on the larger donor but not aim too high and the board must allow itself to be reconstructed. The success of the John F. Kennedy Center can be attributed to the ability of its leaders to adhere to these rules. The case study shows the trials of the leaders to identify the appropriate leader. These efforts fulfill the first two rules. First, the individuals in this organization recognize the importance of a leader. Second, the leader must be a qualified person with a plan and a vision for the organization. The John F. Kennedy Center is also willing to fund expensive meetings between its staff and potential donors and artists. These encounters eventually bring new donors to the organization and also more artists that the center can work with. Therefore, an organization must be ready to invest in various activities as long as they are worthwhile. The leaders ought to concentrate their energy to resolve the current problems and to plan for the future. Mistakes might have taken place in the past but that is not relevant. The leaders at John F. Kennedy Center used their time to source funds for the projects that were going on and those that were to take place in future. They paid little attention to errors that had taken place in the past. They also extended their programming calendar by taking time to plan for various events before they took place. This strategy is also part of Kaiser’s rules and it enables the organization to look for donors to fund the event. In addition, it is an opportunity for the organization to contact appropriate artists and even other members of staff such as directors. The board is reconstructed in a bid to acquire more funds and also introduce new ideas that are useful for the organization. Therefore, it is evident that none of the rules that Kaiser puts forward can be ignored. However, some of these rules might be considered more important than others depending on the organization in question.
The John F. Kennedy Center is run by a president and a chairman. The current president is Deborah Rutter. She is the first female president in this organization. Prior to joining the John F. Kennedy Center, she was the president of Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Rutter studied Music and German at Stanford University. Later on, she worked with Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra as well as Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Her role at the John F. Kennedy Center is to oversee the operations at the theater, music, dance and awards that are taking place at the organization, Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra.
David Rubenstein is the current chairman of John F. Kennedy Center. He was born on August 11, 1949 at Baltimore, Maryland. He had his university education at Baltimore City College, Duke University and University of Chicago Law School. He is a renowned businessman and the co-founder of The Carlyle Group. He also heads various organizations in the United States. For instance, he is the chairman of Smithsonian Institution and the president of the Economic Club of Washington.
In conclusion, every organization needs some guidelines to attain success. Michael Kaiser provides ten rules that turnaround organizations can use to attain more success. So far, John F. Kennedy Center has implemented these rules to attain success. It is therefore important for every leader in an organization to utilize these rules especially if that organization intends to attract donors and more audience. Failure to adhere to these rules can be detrimental for a turnaround organization because it results in losses and lack of progress. Furthermore, the implementation of Kaiser’s rules gives an organization a competitive advantage over the competitors.
