Command & compassion: Is it a fool’s mix or the right blend for a production Venture?

[Remoteness]

Command and compassion... The subject title says it all.
Is it the right mixture or a truly bad idea?

When you have the authority to make things so, is there (any) room for empathy and kindness?
Should it be your concern or should your domination of the production enterprise rule?
Can you get what you need (want) accomplished with a combination of control and consideration?

[bishopthomas]

Yes. No. Maybe. Both. There comes a time when you may just have to be an asshole to get your point across. I'm always willing to go out of my way to make sure bands are comfortable, I talk to them with respect, and I stand back and take their primadonna attitudes when they want to give it. But there have been a few times when I just had to tell them what was up. Not long ago I had to turn on the asshole when bands where trying to setup during other's time at soundcheck. They had been told not to bring anything on stage, but as the headliner soundchecked they kept piling amps and keyboards on the stage.

Another instance a volunteer group was playing a radio show and one of the members was trying to play stage manager, even though my coworker and I were running the show. We had at most 6 minutes to change out groups and this guy kept talking to the previous artist on stage. I finally had to tell him to take it to the green room.

Those are the only two instances in the last year or so that I have had to be an asshole to get my point across. Some people just don't respond to rational though; they have to be scolded.

[bjornson]

I always lead as I would want others to lead me. No exceptions.
You always better results treating people with respectful firm discipline.
Asshole results are short lived. Compassionate leadership builds long term relationships. This is a small world we live in. Word gets around.
An old production manager once told me, You'll pass the same people going down that you met on your way up. Seen it happen.
Then again I've always been a bit of a "glass half full" idealist...
YMMV

[bishopthomas]

I agree. I may have been hard on myself saying I was an asshole. "Respectful firm discipline" is a great term. In both of my examples the culprits told me at the end of the night that they really enjoyed working with me and looked forward to next time. I made sure that the feeling was mutual and there were absolutely no hard feelings. This is a business for thick skinned people and I don't think anyone takes things personally when tasks must be completed. I know I don't. If I screw up then I expect to be told, and I usually appreciate it and learn from the experience.

[Remoteness]

What do you folks think about this mindset when it comes to your production venture?

[Legacy]

Hi All,

Great thread - thanks Steve. I've found that a lot of the more experienced musicians i've worked with know how they want to sound and pretty much how they actually DO sound. If I go in and get the sound as close to what I have in my head / hear in the room and then open it up to input from them I often learn a lot - and often make a better recording. I think I've learned more about recording acoustic instruments from the musician's in the last few years than anywhere else.

This by no means suggests that you shouldn't go in confident and authoritative. Often with classical musicians they rightfully expect / demand that you really know your stuff. And also there have to be limits to what I'm willing to try since experience has taught me a thing or two.

I've had times where the musician actually suggested a mic placement or mic choice (and they were right) and many where they suggested changes that were a bad idea but they were still hearing something they wanted different and through adjectives I was able to translate it into a technical change.

When there's time I like the collaborative relationship in all areas I've found so far (don't tell my wife ). I also try to carefully choose who is on my team whenever possible....

Maybe its that when in a potentially adversarial situation whether with artists or other production folks a little offering of respect can diffuse things most of the time. If it doesn't then its time to get the chain of command hammered out quick.

-Silas