Leadership Mastery Journal Post

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John C. Maxwell are both books that detail how one gains power, becomes a leader, and what to do once in a leadership position. Greene and Maxwell both offer advice and strategies for attaining leadership positions, however, where Greene emphasizes manipulation, seduction, and charm Maxwell emphasizes building integrity and serving the interests of those you are leading. Their messages often appear to be at odds, and I believe my leadership style is more like what Maxwell describes in his book.

First, my approach to problem-solving is very similar to what Maxwell outlines in chapter 5. Maxwell talks about pragmatism and changing his perspective on problem-solving saying, “I have had to let go of my need to be right and focus on the greater need to do right.” (Maxwell, 2018, p. 102). He also describes good leaders as problem solvers who always believe they can find an appropriate solution. This is very much how I approach problems in my professional life. Working in hospitality I have had to deal with customers and their concerns face to face. I always knew that I could find an answer for a person’s problem, in fact, I knew I had to. I never wanted to leave a guest or customer feeling like there was no resolution for their concerns. At the same time, I did not assume that my first thought was always right. I find it important to ask questions to get a complete picture of a problem, and I always instructed my staff to do the same.

This leads me to Maxwell’s discussion on attitude, another area that fits me well. According to him the best leaders create a “can-do environment”, they express gratitude for small things even when facing adversity, and when faced with failure they learn from their shortcomings (Maxwell, 2018). These are values that I was raised on, and I strive to uphold them in my professional life. Maxwell’s idea of leadership is centered around self-discipline, good character, and building up those who follow you. Considering all this, my personality and style of leadership more closely align with the concepts described by Maxwell, not Greene. I am first and foremost a people person and enjoy the idea of uplifting the people that I meet.

References

Greene, R. (2000). The 48 Laws of Power. Penguin Books.

Maxwell. (2018). Developing the Leader Within You 2.0. HarperCollins Leadership.

Journal Post: Project and Team Management

Over the 4 weeks of this course, I have realized how little I knew or had considered about what goes into project management. I had not realized how well studied, in-depth, and extensive the project management industry was. I have learned about the different methodologies used to ensure a successful project, manage a team, and about the plethora of tools available for use in properly structuring a project. By going through the process of creating my own comprehensive project management plan, I was able to see how these tools and methods can be applied to areas that interest me specifically.

Studying project management in detail made me consider projects I have been a part of in the past. I wondered how well I performed my role as a part of those teams. What project management principles was I putting into practice without even realizing it? What concepts and tools did I wish I were aware of and if I could go back which would I implement? Very rarely did I stop to consider the personalities of those I was working with and how specifically that might impact how we communicated.

Now that I have been introduced to professional project management methods, there are many I am sure I will be able to implement in the future. The importance of satisfying customer and stakeholder needs has never been lost on me. In future projects and in my career, I will be sure to define a clear baseline for quality assurance and control. I hope to build a career in managing live music events. Knowing that there are also tools I can use to construct detailed budgets and resource lists will be very helpful for every stage of managing events like festivals and concerts. These are just a few examples of the many project management concepts I will be able to utilize in my professional and person life!

Journal Post: Business Storytelling and Brand Development

I was excited to take the Business Storytelling and Brand Development course because I know the effect branding has on consumers. A strong brand builds loyal customers, who identify with products and will choose those products over ones offered by less favorable brands. My goal at the start of the course was to learn more about the branding process, what makes a strong brand, and how I could apply those concepts to my own branding. Over the 4 weeks of the class, I learned a great deal about branding that I had never considered. For example, the importance of firmly establishing a brand identity.

Building the brand needs to start from the question “Why?”. The reason the brand provides the service it does and how that sets them apart is ultimately what attracts customers to the service or product. From there a Unique Value Proposition is formed. It is also important to clearly define the brand’s customer segments clearly. This is the specific group or market of people that the brand’s products will be intended for. This provides the customer details about the overall brand experience, the benefit the brand offers, and how it is different from competitors. These details tie into the storytelling that brands use to craft their brand experience, target their customer segments, and to advertise their services.

I am looking forward to applying what I’ve learned to my own personal brand and professional endeavors moving forward. Now I have a good blueprint for what goes into building a brand. I’ll be able to use storytelling to achieve goals and connect with target markets. Throughout the course I have been introduced to tools such as the PEST analysis, Brand Strategy Canvas, and Brand Identity Prism. Using these I can clearly map out the market for my brand, its specific goals, and overall experience of my brand. I’m looking forward to using the knowledge and skills I have gained in the Business Storytelling and Brand Development course!

Journal Post: Entertainment Business Finance

I came into the Entertainment Business Finance course excited to learn about the kind of financial decisions businesses must make. I minored in Economics during my undergraduate studies, so I was already familiar with concepts like opportunity cost and discount rates. However, I primarily studied then from a macroeconomic perspective. I appreciated being able to look at these concepts from the perspective of an individual business and to see how they affect business decisions.

Time value of money was another concept I had been introduced to during previous studies. During this course I was able to see how the time value of money affects financial decisions, especially when trying to determine potential investments. Our text gave a detailed analysis of the different scenarios that require time value calculations. It explains the different approaches to financial decisions involving lump sums and annuities. This is information I can utilize when considering my own investments.

In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to have the opportunity to learn so many concepts that I could apply to my own personal finances as well as any future business ventures. I believe this is the first course I have taken where an in-depth example of how mortgage rates and payments can be structured was presented to me. It is obvious how applicable that would be to anyone and how valuable that information is. I also enjoyed all the information on different investment options and their related calculations. Researching the financial statements of different companies was a great way to gain insight into the operations of notable entertainment brands. By applying business ratios, I was able to look at these businesses from an investment standpoint and make informed conclusions about their viability. I am certain I’ll be able to apply the concepts I learned throughout this course to my personal and business finances.

Journal Post: Digital Marketing

Before starting the Digital Marketing course, I came up with three main goals for the class. They were to: discover methods for increasing my online presence, explore different tools and strategies used for marketing, and to developing more understanding of how marketing affects events and artist management. Through my coursework and research, I was able to meet and even exceed these goals. I’ve been introduced to tools that I’m sure I’ll be able to utilize for my future business ventures.

Maintaining an online presence is paramount to almost any entertainment professional, marketing campaign, or business now. Through my coursework I’ve learned key practices for accomplishing this and how easily they can be used. By building websites and producing content with search engine optimization in mind businesses can improve their ranking in the results of searches of potential customers. Checking how frequently keywords are searched or used by competitors can help tailor the content of your own website. Utilizing these keywords further improves optimization. Having several links to other sites is another way to improve SEO, as these links act as validators of your site. These practices alongside just building a site that is easy for viewers to use and producing relevant content go a long way to improving a site’s standing with search engines.

In addition to learning how SEO is used in marketing I learned the importance of choosing different marketing channels. The potential reach and demographic of different channels can vary greatly. It is important to choose channels that fit well with your brand and that are utilized by your target markets to maximize the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Brands that market effectively, especially in the entertainment industry, will cater their content to the specific channel they are engaging with. Using the different features of channels to promote a uniform message across platforms is important to an ongoing marketing campaign. I’ll continue to put these marketing practices to use in my professional endeavors.

Journal Post: Negotiation and Deal Making

Before taking the Negotiation and Deal-Making course, I really did not know much about negotiation tactics or how deals were concluded. Like many other people my perception of negotiations came from popular media. In movies and television, it is very common to see characters fall prey to strong arm negotiation tactics or become victims of bad contract deals. I believed that more often than not in business someone on one end of a deal would have to be taken advantage of, in order for the other person to be successful. Through my studies and research for this course I have learned what concepts and practices actually make negotiations successful.

Through my coursework I learned about the importance of preventing negative emotions during negotiation. Simple ideas such as making sure to respect the other party’s negotiation status, relating to them as a person, establishing connections, and preserving a person’s autonomy can build a strong relationship and prevent negotiations form breaking down. Negotiation methods such as positional bargaining don’t capitalize on these tactics and prevent us from focusing on the interests of the parties involved. This can lead to a no deal situation or a compromise that doesn’t truly satisfy everyone’s needs. Understanding someone’s underlying interests or the real reasons for their particular bargaining position can go a long way toward reaching a deal that is mutually beneficial for everyone.

In addition to the structure of negotiations and these methods for making them successful I learned about several options for settling disputes. Using alternative dispute resolution methods, like mediation or arbitration, can prevent costly and time-consuming lawsuits. These methods keep sensitive information like contract or project details out of the public eye. Using these alternatives to litigation can also help preserve important working relationships which are especially important on the entertainment industry.

Journal Post: Product and Artist Management

Because I am someone pursuing a career in the live music industry, I was very excited for the Product and Artist Management course. I enjoyed learning more about the relationship between an artist and manager, how that relationship came be successful, and how it can be abused. Through our coursework and reading I learned about what it takes to be an artist manager and what they are responsible for. In addition, I learned valuable information about choosing and negotiating with a manager such as industry standard rates, contract clauses, specific services, and the other members of an artist’s team that will help make them a success. An artist manager’s job entails making their artist a success, preparing them for the peak of their entertainment career as well as planning for when that career dies down. After all, no entertainment career lasts forever and having an exit strategy or a plan for the next stage of the artist’s career is essential.

It is important for any product or artist manager to be able to identify their audience as well. To be successful and marketable you must know who your products will appeal to. Managers identify their audiences by determining what niche markets their artists and products fall into. Being aware of specific demographical data is key to the success of products as well. We can collect data on the behaviors of groups of people, their spending habits, the music they listen to most, their lifestyle interests and more. Lastly, we can use this data to estimate the success of or required inventory for our products. By analyzing demographical data, we can determine the reach of our products down to our specific target market share. I’ll be able to utilize this knowledge in all my future busines endeavors.

Journal Post: Advanced Entertainment Law

Advanced Entertainment Law was one of the courses in my program that I was most looking forward to taking. I was excited to get a more in depth look at the legal side of the entertainment industry and I have enjoyed how much I was able to learn. I’m glad to say that after reviewing my mastery journal timeline I was able to meet all my goals for the course.

My first goal was to learn more about music and live performance contracts. Through my course work I was able to review a mock contract between an artist and a manager. Using what I’ve learned I analyzed the contract to determine what my concerns would be if I had to advise the artist. In addition, watching an interview with Julee Milham, Chair Emeritus of the Entertainment Art & Sports Law Section of The Florida Bar, gave me further insight into the responsibilities of artist managers and booking agents.

Next, I was able to review several real cases involving entertainment companies and the different liabilities they could be exposed to. By analyzing the court opinions of these cases I gained insight into how companies are exposed to potential risks and how they structured their defenses in court. In addition, I learned about the types of protections offered for different intellectual properties and how to have them properly registered. Knowing the differences between what can be protected under trademarks and copyrights will be key for my business interests. Combining the knowledge of how to properly protect my creations and brand as well as what I gained from analyzing real court cases will allow me to properly secure my business in the future. Throughout the span of this course, I was able to accomplish all my initial goals and gained even more information and resources I can use in the future.

Journal Post: Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution

Before starting Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution most of my goals were focused on the music side of distribution. However, for this course we had to look at this part of the industry from the perspective of someone with content looking to be published. As someone who writes, I decided to focus my perspective on publishing a book. By doing this I was able to learn more about publishing and distribution for both of my passions, music and writing.

The first part of the course focused on traditional publishing. I learned about the difficulty involved with getting your content even viewed by publishers. The best way to go about shopping your content to publishers is to seek out a professional agent. Different agents specialize in different content, but there are many ways to research and find qualified agents. Agents who specialize in a specific space should have better connections to major publishers for the content you are looking to publish. Through my coursework and studies, I learned how to form a professional query letter I can use to contact an agent. After acquiring one I would be able to prepare documents that my agent could use to shop my work. A detailed book proposal for writing or a press kit for music would provide the information and samples publishers use to decide whether your content is marketable.

Now what if you would rather not go the traditional route and instead want to publish your content yourself? The rise of streaming has made this significantly easier for music. You can use an aggregator to get your music published on the major streaming services. I was more surprised at how many options there were for writers to self-publish. Using various print on demand services an author can have their books published and distributed for relatively little cost. This course has given me lots of insight into methods for publishing as well as a good blueprint for ways I can have my own creative content published.

Journal Post: Business Plan Development

Looking back on my goals for Business Plan Development I can say that the course fully met all of them. I was more than able to familiarize myself with the development of a business plan. Taking the entire plan and breaking it down made everything more manageable and I was able to thoroughly research any information I needed to support my business ideas. It was great seeing all the work I had done in my other courses play a part in each week’s section of the busines plan. I was able to flesh out many aspects of the plan by looking back on the research I had done for previous courses.

Another one of my goals was to review other business plans in order to gain more insight in how they are structured. The reviews in our text and the ones shown in our lectures gave me a good idea of how I would write my own. Though the plans were for many different businesses and industries they still helped me when it came time to make my own. I was able to pick out what sections were relevant for my own business and which ones I could spend less time discussing.

The last part of the course involved starting the necessary financial statements for the business plan. Using the research methods I developed over the program and the tools provided by the course I was able to create realistic estimates for startup costs, a marketing budget, and sales number through the first three years. By the end of the course, I had the makings of a legit business plan and had gained all the necessary knowledge I need to create one. This is knowledge I can and will use in my future business ventures.

Journal Post: Final Project Business Plan

This course was the culmination of everything I had worked for over the length of the entertainment business master’s program. In our final project course, I was able to put together and refine the sections of the business plan I created in the previous course. Thanks to the course materials, our instructor, and my hard work over the last 12 months I have completed a comprehensive business plan. This includes market research, management structures, financial statements, and specific details on what to offer investors in return for their funding.

In addition to the finished plan, I learned to how to make a strong elevator pitch should I have a business idea that I want to garner interest in. I was not expecting to have to make a presentation on our completed business plan, however, once I saw other student examples and completed mine, I understood how it was an important part and powerful tool of the process of pitching your business plan. I can confidently say now that I am able to craft a real business plan from beginning to end.

Having a final project that I could actually pursue as a business outside of my coursework is extremely valuable. I am grateful for that and all the other real-world tools and projects I have worked on throughout this program. I have completed in-depth marketing plan and learned about the analytical tools I can use to push a campaign and to track its progress. I have also learned about project management, its importance, the tools used in tracking productivity such as a Gant Chart. I now have knowledge about different publication and distribution methods and how I can go about publish my own creative work. I can honestly say there’s no course I have taken in the past year that I did not learn from or could not apply to the industry I plan on working in. I am very grateful and proud to have completed my mastery journey!