Almost everyone you ask -
government, parents, young people and the music education sector itself -
believes that music changes the lives of children and young people for the
better. They believe that under-18s should have access to a broad range of
progressive music education experiences, beyond those that happen in the
classroom, as articulated in England’s National
Plan for Music Education.
Though public funding is still
being made available for this the pot is getting smaller and we are being asked
to do more with it. This means most hubs and music services must increase their
income from traded services. But how do they square their strongly held
educational values, ethics and beliefs with the commercial realities of 2013?
Trust
Over
the years many in the music education sector have been understandably squeamish
about the business sector. “Aren’t those nasty sales people just trying to sell
us things we don’t really want or need, peddling loaded opinions and trying to
mislead us?” they cry. Some companies may have tried it in the 20th century but
it would be commercial suicide in the 21st, when negative reactions travel
across the social networks at the speed of light.
In
my experience, over several decades of walking the tightrope between my own
strongly held values and working in the commercial sector, balance is achieved
by:
1. Choosing to place
the needs of clients and stakeholders before one's own commercial needs.
Without exception!
2. Choosing to obsess,
genuinely, about excellence, providing 'hero' solutions to clients' biggest
problems and continually finding new ways to exceed their expectations
Admittedly,
there may be occasions when you may feel like you're a turkey voting for
Christmas! But what that does is to develop a trusting relationship in which
both parties can benefit and excel.
Now,
in 2013, I'm being joined on this particular tightrope by increasing numbers of
music education hubs and music services that now have to earn far more of their
income from traded services than they've had to before. And many are
understandably unsure about how to achieve this balance.
From Commodity to Solution
Music
education hubs that don't examine client's needs deeply enough run the risk
that their services will be viewed simply as a commodity, because the client
won't see the value in them. This will tend to move the focus of discussions
from value to price. A symptom of this is when hubs notice that schools are
opting for the cheapest providers.
So
a hub that wants to sustain itself over the coming years must listen to
schools, young people, parents, community, Ofsted, Arts Council, partners,
local authorities or other relevant admin bodies and staff. From a deep
understanding of clients' and stakeholders' top priorities it can then design,
define, refine and then deliver the unique value that will meet those needs.
But
beware! From a commercial point of view, that value is defined by the client,
not the provider. You may have hit on a great offer but if it doesn't even make
your clients' top ten priorities, then it's unlikely to engage anyone. If your
needs analysis is too shallow or infrequent, or if it seeks only to serve
external stakeholders like Ofsted or Arts Council, then it isn’t going to help
you, either. If you really want to compete on value, not just on price, you
must provide services that become trusted solutions, not just commodities.
The Future
The
good news is that there are a number of hubs that are successfully balancing
ethics and values with the provision of outstanding and engaging traded
services that truly delight their clients and stakeholders. As more hubs seek
help to take advantage of the current dose of 21st-century change, they will
improve their chances of continuing to develop and deliver programmes that will
truly change the lives of the next generation.
Bill Martin works with
hubs, music services and business across the UK, providing strategic advice,
training and consultancy. His specialisms include leadership coaching and board
facilitation, brand and communications strategy and music CPD. Initial meetings
are free. http://billcmartin.co.uk/home/