There Are Intangible Rewards

by:

Joe Patti

A few years back, I followed my examining the idea of Quality in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance with a question that still percolates in my mind. I had wondered if valuing feedback over a specific grade might be a predictor of an inclination toward non-profit work.

I had based my question on the idea floated that there was a single survey question that could predict customer satisfaction.

I had wondered if there was any research career counselors used that might point even tangentially in this direction.

I also wondered if grades and test scores were de-emphasized in schools in favor of feedback, would we see a shift in the national culture of the U.S. that resulted in less political antagonism and fewer banking scandals as the importance of conspicuous evidence of “winning” diminished.

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Author
Joe Patti

I have been writing Butts in the Seats (BitS) on topics of arts and cultural administration since 2004 (yikes!). Given the ever evolving concerns facing the sector, I have yet to exhaust the available subject matter. In addition to BitS, I am a founding contributor to the ArtsHacker (artshacker.com) website where I focus on topics related to boards, law, governance, policy and practice.

I am also an evangelist for the effort to Build Public Will For Arts and Culture being helmed by Arts Midwest and the Metropolitan Group (details).

My most recent role is as Theater Manager at the Rialto in Loveland, CO.

Among the things I am most proud are having produced an opera in the Hawaiian language and a dance drama about Hawaii's snow goddess Poli'ahu while working as a Theater Manager in Hawaii. Though there are many more highlights than there is space here to list.

Quality Endures

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