To mix things up a little and get back to my library/theatre roots here's a paper I wrote last year on Tom Patterson's responsible leadership in the founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
Introduction
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival (located in Stratford, Ontario) was established in 1953 under the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008; Jones, 2005; Edinborough, 1995). The creation of this theatre festival completely altered the town of Stratford, revived its struggling economy and allowed for more sustainable development to occur (Jackson, 1978). Henri Fayol famously wrote a model entitled: the Five Managerial Functions that discusses the qualities a manger needs to have to successfully oversee a project. These five functions are: planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding and controlling (Fells, 2000). The development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson will be examined through the lens of Fayol’s model. In doing this, this paper will demonstrate how Tom Patterson’s responsible leadership led to the creation of North America’s largest classical repertory theatre in a rural community that had little hope for the future (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008; Jackson, 1978). His leadership is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference and alter the future of a community; even in a small, rural and economically depressed region (Jackson, 1978).
This paper will begin by discussing a brief history of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Tom Patterson’s role in it’s founding. This will be done to give the audience a general understanding of the Festival and the great role Paterson played in its creation. After this, Henri Fayol and his Five Managerial Functions will be reviewed. Then Patterson’s role in the Festival’s founding will be critically examined using Fayol’s model. First, the town of Stratford before the establishment of the Festival will be discussed. After this, how Patterson fulfilled each tenant of Fayol’s model through the development and creation of the Stratford Festival will be analyzed. Lastly, the lasting impact of Tom Patterson’s leadership on the town of Stratford will be examined and used to demonstrate how the actions of one man, can forever change the future of many.
This paper is written from my own perspective, and thus contains a large bias. This bias must be acknowledged to give the reader a sense of my own predispositions coming into this paper. I am an advocate for the arts, particularly theatre, and The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is one of my favourite theatres in the world. I believe that the development of arts centres can bring positive social benefits to a community while also creating economic gains. I feel that the founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival has had many positive economic and social affects on Stratford, and Canada as a whole.
Introduction to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Tom Patterson
Today the Stratford Shakespeare Festival is recognized as one of Canada’s most renowned cultural institutions (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). As of 2008, the Festival employed 1,000 staff, had an annual budget of over $50 million dollars, a six month season, and attracted on average over 500,000 visitors per year (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008). However, when Tom Patterson first raised ideas of creating a Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 1951, the project was perceived as bizarre and impossible by many (Jackson, 1978). If it were not for the dedication and leadership of Tom Patterson, the idea of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival would never have gotten off the ground. As stated by Richard Monette (one of the festival’s past artistic directors) “without Tom Patterson, there would be no Stratford Festival of Canada…his was an extraordinary vision at an extraordinary time” (Jones, 2005). The responsible leadership of Tom Patterson, resulting in the creation of one of Canada’s most recognized theatres will be examined using Henri Fayol’s Five Managerial Functions.
Introduction to Henri Fayol and his Five Managerial Functions
Henri Fayol was a French engineer and industrialist, whose most famous theory is widely considered to be his Five Managerial Functions (In Business, 2009). Fayol was the first European theorist to write on management as a process (In Business, 2009). The Five Managerial Functions were published in French in 1916, but did not become widely distributed in North America until an English translation was released in 1949 (Spatig, 2009). Some criticized the theories, stating that they ignore the human element in management. However, additional research demonstrated that Fayol’s theories are extremely relevant today as they do provide observations related to initiative and human needs, and relate to foundational themes in management and leadership theory today (Spatig, 2009).
Fayol’s five managerial functions are: forecasting and planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding, and controlling (Fells, 2000). Each of these functions are elements that a responsible leader must fulfill to must successfully complete a project (Fells, 2000). Tom Patterson fulfilled all five aspects of Fayol’s model in the development and creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Each tenant of the model will be used to examine the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
Stratford- Before the Shakespeare Festival
In 1951 Stratford was a city in decline. Its importance as a railway hub was something of the past, its three main industries were stagnant, and its few hotels and motels were sustained by only by their taverns (Jackson, 1978). Furthermore, the city had developed a poor image based on a 1933 strike among furniture workers and chicken pluckers that became so large that the army had to be called in to stop the unruliness (City of Stratford, 2010). The idea of establishing a theatre festival in this small town with a population of about 20,000 seemed almost bizarre (Edinborough, 1955). Many wondered why people would travel out of the city to visit this small backwoods town, which was not on a main road between major cities or even on route to another tourist destination (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Jackson, 1978). Furthermore, theatre in Canada as a nation was not yet an established idea, as prior to the Festival’s founding only one theatre existed in all of Canada, and no professional company operated there on a regular basis (Edinborough, 1954). Therefore, the idea of establishing a Shakespearean festival in Stratford seemed outlandish at best (Jones, 2005). And yet Tom Patterson saw what Stratford could become. He did not see a dying rural town, but saw his hometown as it could be. As an idyllic town flourishing with life, beauty, and a rural charm and an enthusiasm that could make anything happen (Jones, 2005). It was Patterson’s enthusiasm for, and commitment to revitalizing his town that spurred the Festival to the success that it was destined to become (Jones, 2005; Patterson and Gould, 1999).
Planning and Forecasting
Planning and forecasting involves examining the future and making plans to deal with what lies ahead (Fells, 2000). When making a plan, a manager must consider available resources, current and future trends and the larger picture the organization is a part of (Fells, 2000). Forecasting and planning also involves making goals, and then planning what needs to be done in order to accomplish these goals. In the case of Tom Patterson, planning and forecasting involved examining how the Stratford Festival could be developed and making preliminary steps towards the completion of his goal.
One could argue that Tom Patterson began planning the Stratford Festival while he was still in high school (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Patterson and Gould, 1999). When asked by a teacher to imagine ways to revive Stratford’s struggling economy, Patterson first had the idea of developing a theatre festival based around the works of Shakespeare (Patterson and Gould, 1999). He had never received any theatre training, and did not know a great deal about Shakespeare. Yet felt that Stratford would be an ideal location to host a Shakespeare festival mainly because of the town’s name and fact that it was located along an Avon River (similar to Shakespeare’s birthplace Stratford upon Avon in England) (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Patterson and Gould, 1999). However, Patterson did little to develop this idea for many years. He went off to war and after returning found a job as a journalist in Ajax, Ontario (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Yet, Patterson’s dream of a Stratford Festival remained in the back of his mind, and in 1950 when he was sent to Winnipeg to attend the Canadian section of the America Waterworks Association Convention, he met with the Mayor of Stratford who was also attending the event. He discussed with the mayor his vision for a Stratford Festival, and how he felt it could renew the town’s economy (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). The Mayor also knew nothing of Shakespeare, but saw the idea’s potential and gave Patterson a go ahead to begin organizing the development of the Stratford Festival.
In the development of the Stratford Festival, very little preliminary planning actually occurred. Patterson, had an idea of what could be done to revitalize the economy of Stratford, and took the opportunity to present this idea when possible. Through networking with the Mayor, he was able to move forward from dreaming about the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival to organizing its creation. More planning and forecasting occurred throughout the development of the Stratford Festival, and as more information was learned plans were rearranged and altered. It is important for a responsible leader to continue planning and revising plans throughout a project, in order to ensure that one’s plan is up to date and accounts for all known information.
Organizing
Organizing involves examining resources, and structuring work so that it can be accomplished. This includes: creating a plan and executing it, aligning objectives with resources, taking initiative and responsibility, and being disciplined (Fells, 2000). In most cases, organizing involves delegating to employees and assigning individual duties (Fells, 2000).
In order to develop a plan and structure work in such a way that it could be accomplished, Patterson needed to spend more time in Stratford. To do this, Patterson would drive three hours from Ajax to Stratford on a daily basis to speak with potential Festival supporters and develop a plan of attack. He would then travel home, on most days not making it into bed until two or three in the morning (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). Organizing involved speaking with as many people in Stratford as possible, and developing a firm idea of how the Stratford Festival could be created (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Jones, 2005).
After coordinating with others, further organizing occurred. Mainly, this included the development of Festival Committee, and assigning tasks to each member of this committee (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008). By bringing together a large group of people interesting in the development of the Stratford Festival, Patterson was able to begin executing a firm plan of how the Stratford Festival could be developed.
Coordinating
The focus of coordinating is establishing relationships outside of ones work area. It involves working with people from various backgrounds effectively and efficiently to achieve ideal results (Fells, 2000). In the case of Tom Patterson, it involved contacting people involved in theatre and the arts, and bringing on board new team members who had the expertise to make his Stratford Festival dreams a reality. Without coordinating with these people, Patterson would never have been able to found the Stratford Festival, as he himself did not have the expertise to undertake this venture.
Tom Patterson’s main role in the founding of the Stratford Festival was bringing together people with the skills and expertise needed to develop a successful theatre company. After gaining the support of the town of Stratford, and forming a Stratford Festival Committee, Patterson solicited the City Council requesting $100 so he could travel to New York in an attempt to recruit the actor Sir Laurence Olivier (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Edinborough, 1954). The Council was so impressed with Patterson that they granted him $125, and although he was unsuccessful in even meeting Olivier the media coverage gained from his trip to New York opened new networking opportunities (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). Most notably, Scottish born actress Mavor Moore became involved in the Festival’s development. It was through Moore that Patterson was able to contact Tyrone Guthrie, the world famous artistic director at London’s Old Vic Theatre and ask him to join the project (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Guthrie took a chance and quickly agreed to become the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s first artistic director (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008, Patterson and Gould, 1999; Edinborough, 1954). The addition of Guthrie to the festival project spurred a great deal of action. Guthrie came to Stratford, and brought with him now famed theatre designer Tanya Moiseiwithsch (Patterson and Gould, 1999, Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Prosser, 2010). Guthrie chose to accept Patterson’s offer because, in developing a theatre from scratch he could apply new theatrical ideas that he and Moiseiwithsch had been developing. Primarily, the creation of a theatre with a unique thrust stage, similar to those used in Shakespeare’s time (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). His input in the project attracted a great deal of attention and Guthrie’s connections to the theatre world allowed the project to develop faster then previously imagined (Patterson and Gould, 1999). In addition, he was able to recruit actors including Alec Guinness and Irene Worth, along with many other Canadian actors, and soon after Guthrie’s arrival rehearsals were taking place (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Jones, 2005).
Patterson’s gaul and aptitude for networking allowed for him to develop the needed connections that would allow for the festival to occur. Patterson knew nothing of Shakespeare or theatre. But through contacting others that had an extensive knowledge of these subject areas Patterson was able to found one of the most successful Shakespearean theatre festivals in the world. Being a responsible leader means bringing together people that can help you accomplish your goals. A leader does not need to be an expert at everything involved in the project that they are leading, but they do need to recognize when to refer to others in order to achieve the best possible results.
Commanding
Commanding has at times been interpreted with negative connotations. However, it does not imply that a responsible leader should act as a dictator, but rather that they need to inspire and motivate employees to put their plan into action (Fells, 2000). Effective commanding involves creating unity, energy, initiative, and loyalty among employees in order to achieve ideal results (Fells, 2000). In Patterson’s case, commanding involved bringing together a large group of people (through coordination) and inspiring them to complete their designated tasks. It also involved reaching out to all stakeholders involved in the founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in order to gain the funding and backing needed to establish the festival.
Tom Patterson made some very effective decisions as a commander that led to the successful development of the Stratford Festival. First, when the Festival Committee was founded a charter was developed with five central goals (Jackson, 1978). This charter ensured that all people involved in the creation of the Stratford Festival were aware of the goals being accomplished, and were able to stay on track to complete the tasks required to complete these goals. Second, in addition to being a wonderful networker, Patterson proved to be a very effective fundraiser. Patterson was able to motivate the Festival Committee into action and together they were able to raise the total of $157,000 dollars needed to fund the first season. Additionally Patterson was able to inspire support from the town of Stratford itself, which resulted in $72,000 of the $157,000 raised to be from within Stratford itself (Jackson, 1978). Patterson expected excellence from his team and motivated them to expect the same from themselves, and it this is reflected in the Festival Committee’s motto: “if you make it, make it world-class” (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008: 79). This motto made the team Patterson had brought together strive for excellence in the creation of the festival. Patterson’s effective commanding was able to unite all members of the team he had brought together to complete the task they set out to do.
Controlling
Controlling is the last aspect of Fayol’s model, and it also maybe incorrectly perceived with negative connotations. Controlling involves managing staff in such a way that everything gets completed on schedule (Fells, 2000). In the case of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, it involved making hard choices, and taking on roles best suited to ones own strengths and weaknesses in order to allow a project to best succeed.
Completing the creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival on schedule proved to be somewhat difficult. Problems included finding rehearsal space prior to the construction of the tent where the performances were to be held (until 1957 when a permanent theatre was built), and issues with weather causing flooding of the tent once it was put up, as well as over heating (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Stratford Shakespeare Festival). Another somewhat humorous but rather large problem encountered was that a train travelled through Stratford every night at 8:35pm only three blocks away from where the Festival tent was located, and would make a great deal of noise and blow it’s whistle while travelling through. As performances would start at 8:30pm at night, this train would greatly disrupt the entire performance (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Patterson was able to take control of all these problems and find appropriate solutions. For example, to solve the issue with the train, Patterson was able to contact the head of the Canadian National Railway and convince him to alter the train’s schedule so it went through Stratford at 8:25pm instead (Patterson and Gould, 1999).
Patterson also understood that making hard decisions was necessary in order to observe the continued success of the Stratford Festival. On July 13th 1953 The Stratford Festival opened to rave reviews, and Patterson’s dream had become a reality (Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 2010; Patterson and Gould, 1999). However, in order to oversee the festival’s future success Patterson withdrew from his role as general manager, as he realized that in order for the festival to continue to thrive, someone with more experience needed to take over this role (Prosser, 2010). In this sense, he was able to take control of the Stratford Festival’s development by recognizing his limited abilities as a general manager due to a lack of training and expertise. In doing this he was able to allow the festival to grow larger and prosper.
The Lasting Impact of Tom Patterson’s Responsible Leadership
Tom Patterson’s responsible leadership resulted in the creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. But more then that, it utterly transformed the town of Stratford. It revitalized the economy of Stratford and allowed for a more sustainable form of development to take place (Mitchell and Wall, 1989). As stated, before the development of the Stratford Festival the economy of Stratford was in decline, and additionally, the main industries in Stratford (furniture and the Canadian Pacific Railway) were rather unsustainable (Jackson, 1978). The development of the Stratford Festival allowed for the economy to begin to expand once more. Not only did the development of the Stratford Festival create a thriving tourism industry based around arts and culture, but it also created the opportunities for Stratford’s economy to become diversified into new sectors including the manufacturing and financial sectors that were developed after the festival’s establishment (City of Stratford, 2010).
Mitchell and Wall argued that the development of cultural institutions positively contribute to the economic climate and development of a community using a case study of Stratford (1989). They stated that the development of a cultural institution creates primary, secondary and tertiary benefits though out a community. So the development of the Stratford Festival created positive economic benefits for: people directly employed at the Stratford Festival; those involved in other aspects of the tourism industry such as hotel and restaurants; and for businesses that have been attracted to Stratford because of the festival but are not dependent upon it (such as the aforementioned manufacturing and financial sectors) (Mitchell and Wall, 1989). The development of the Stratford Festival has also created positive economic benefits for communities located near Stratford. A study conducted in 1994 discovered that over half of the people who visited Stratford to attend the theatre festival also travelled to the surrounding communities of: St. Mary’s, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, and or St. Jacobs for tourism purposes (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Overall, the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival allowed for the economic revitalization of Stratford, and also contributed to economic growth in surrounding communities. The creation of the Stratford Festival also allowed for a more sustainable form of development to occur in Stratford then what was previously taking place.
Conclusion
The founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival by Tom Patterson is an example of responsible leadership. To develop the festival, Patterson fulfilled all five components of Henri Fayol’s Five Managerial Functions. He forecasted and planned, organized, coordinated, commanded, and controlled. In doing this he was able to create one of the most successful theatre festivals in the world. Patterson had no theatre or business experience, but through hard work and determination was able to make his dream a reality. Many communities throughout Canada are experiencing problems similar to those Stratford dealt with prior to the establishment of the Stratford Festival. These economic difficulties are often considered to be insurmountable and permanent. However, the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival under the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson is just one example of how a small rural community, located away from any major city can develop into a thriving community without resulting in massive social or environmental degradation.
References
City of Stratford. (2010). Know your city-history. Retrieved from http://www.city.stratford.on.ca/site_ourcitylife/know_your_city_history.asp
Edinborough, A. (1954). A new Stratford Festival. Shakespeare Quarterly, 5(1), 47-54.
Edinborough, A. (1955). Shakespeare confirmed: At Canadian Stratford. Shakespeare Quarterly, 6(4), 435-440.
Fayol. (2009). In BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/ultimatebusiness/fayol
Fells, M.J. (2000) Fayol stands the test of time. Journal of Management, 6(8), 345-361.
Jackson, A.W. (1978). The Shakespeare festival: Stratford, Ontario, 1953-1977. Shakespeare Quarterly, 29(2), 164-191.
Jones, K. (2005). Tom Patterson, the Father of Canada’s Stratford Festival, Dead at 84. Playbill. Retrieved from http://www.playbill.com/news/article/91362-Tom-Patterson-the-Father-of-Canadas-Stratford-Festival-Dead-at-84
Mitchell, C.J.A., and Wall, G. (1989). The arts and employment: A case study of the Stratford Festival. Growth and Change, 20(4), 31-40.
Patterson, T., and Gould, A. (1999). First stage. Firefly Books, Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
Prosser, D. (2010). Tom Patterson. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009847
Spatig, L. (2009). Rediscovering Fayol: Parallels to behaviourlist management and transformational leadership. Northeast Business and Economics Association Proceedings.
Stratford Shakespeare Festival. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.stratfordfestival.ca
Vigneault, S., and Lapierre, L. (2008). Richard Monette, Antoni Cimolino and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival: The king and the dauphin. International Journal of Arts Management, 11(1), 76-90.
Introduction
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival (located in Stratford, Ontario) was established in 1953 under the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008; Jones, 2005; Edinborough, 1995). The creation of this theatre festival completely altered the town of Stratford, revived its struggling economy and allowed for more sustainable development to occur (Jackson, 1978). Henri Fayol famously wrote a model entitled: the Five Managerial Functions that discusses the qualities a manger needs to have to successfully oversee a project. These five functions are: planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding and controlling (Fells, 2000). The development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson will be examined through the lens of Fayol’s model. In doing this, this paper will demonstrate how Tom Patterson’s responsible leadership led to the creation of North America’s largest classical repertory theatre in a rural community that had little hope for the future (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008; Jackson, 1978). His leadership is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference and alter the future of a community; even in a small, rural and economically depressed region (Jackson, 1978).
This paper will begin by discussing a brief history of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Tom Patterson’s role in it’s founding. This will be done to give the audience a general understanding of the Festival and the great role Paterson played in its creation. After this, Henri Fayol and his Five Managerial Functions will be reviewed. Then Patterson’s role in the Festival’s founding will be critically examined using Fayol’s model. First, the town of Stratford before the establishment of the Festival will be discussed. After this, how Patterson fulfilled each tenant of Fayol’s model through the development and creation of the Stratford Festival will be analyzed. Lastly, the lasting impact of Tom Patterson’s leadership on the town of Stratford will be examined and used to demonstrate how the actions of one man, can forever change the future of many.
This paper is written from my own perspective, and thus contains a large bias. This bias must be acknowledged to give the reader a sense of my own predispositions coming into this paper. I am an advocate for the arts, particularly theatre, and The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is one of my favourite theatres in the world. I believe that the development of arts centres can bring positive social benefits to a community while also creating economic gains. I feel that the founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival has had many positive economic and social affects on Stratford, and Canada as a whole.
Introduction to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Tom Patterson
Today the Stratford Shakespeare Festival is recognized as one of Canada’s most renowned cultural institutions (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). As of 2008, the Festival employed 1,000 staff, had an annual budget of over $50 million dollars, a six month season, and attracted on average over 500,000 visitors per year (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008). However, when Tom Patterson first raised ideas of creating a Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 1951, the project was perceived as bizarre and impossible by many (Jackson, 1978). If it were not for the dedication and leadership of Tom Patterson, the idea of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival would never have gotten off the ground. As stated by Richard Monette (one of the festival’s past artistic directors) “without Tom Patterson, there would be no Stratford Festival of Canada…his was an extraordinary vision at an extraordinary time” (Jones, 2005). The responsible leadership of Tom Patterson, resulting in the creation of one of Canada’s most recognized theatres will be examined using Henri Fayol’s Five Managerial Functions.
Introduction to Henri Fayol and his Five Managerial Functions
Henri Fayol was a French engineer and industrialist, whose most famous theory is widely considered to be his Five Managerial Functions (In Business, 2009). Fayol was the first European theorist to write on management as a process (In Business, 2009). The Five Managerial Functions were published in French in 1916, but did not become widely distributed in North America until an English translation was released in 1949 (Spatig, 2009). Some criticized the theories, stating that they ignore the human element in management. However, additional research demonstrated that Fayol’s theories are extremely relevant today as they do provide observations related to initiative and human needs, and relate to foundational themes in management and leadership theory today (Spatig, 2009).
Fayol’s five managerial functions are: forecasting and planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding, and controlling (Fells, 2000). Each of these functions are elements that a responsible leader must fulfill to must successfully complete a project (Fells, 2000). Tom Patterson fulfilled all five aspects of Fayol’s model in the development and creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Each tenant of the model will be used to examine the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
Stratford- Before the Shakespeare Festival
In 1951 Stratford was a city in decline. Its importance as a railway hub was something of the past, its three main industries were stagnant, and its few hotels and motels were sustained by only by their taverns (Jackson, 1978). Furthermore, the city had developed a poor image based on a 1933 strike among furniture workers and chicken pluckers that became so large that the army had to be called in to stop the unruliness (City of Stratford, 2010). The idea of establishing a theatre festival in this small town with a population of about 20,000 seemed almost bizarre (Edinborough, 1955). Many wondered why people would travel out of the city to visit this small backwoods town, which was not on a main road between major cities or even on route to another tourist destination (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Jackson, 1978). Furthermore, theatre in Canada as a nation was not yet an established idea, as prior to the Festival’s founding only one theatre existed in all of Canada, and no professional company operated there on a regular basis (Edinborough, 1954). Therefore, the idea of establishing a Shakespearean festival in Stratford seemed outlandish at best (Jones, 2005). And yet Tom Patterson saw what Stratford could become. He did not see a dying rural town, but saw his hometown as it could be. As an idyllic town flourishing with life, beauty, and a rural charm and an enthusiasm that could make anything happen (Jones, 2005). It was Patterson’s enthusiasm for, and commitment to revitalizing his town that spurred the Festival to the success that it was destined to become (Jones, 2005; Patterson and Gould, 1999).
Planning and Forecasting
Planning and forecasting involves examining the future and making plans to deal with what lies ahead (Fells, 2000). When making a plan, a manager must consider available resources, current and future trends and the larger picture the organization is a part of (Fells, 2000). Forecasting and planning also involves making goals, and then planning what needs to be done in order to accomplish these goals. In the case of Tom Patterson, planning and forecasting involved examining how the Stratford Festival could be developed and making preliminary steps towards the completion of his goal.
One could argue that Tom Patterson began planning the Stratford Festival while he was still in high school (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Patterson and Gould, 1999). When asked by a teacher to imagine ways to revive Stratford’s struggling economy, Patterson first had the idea of developing a theatre festival based around the works of Shakespeare (Patterson and Gould, 1999). He had never received any theatre training, and did not know a great deal about Shakespeare. Yet felt that Stratford would be an ideal location to host a Shakespeare festival mainly because of the town’s name and fact that it was located along an Avon River (similar to Shakespeare’s birthplace Stratford upon Avon in England) (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Patterson and Gould, 1999). However, Patterson did little to develop this idea for many years. He went off to war and after returning found a job as a journalist in Ajax, Ontario (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Yet, Patterson’s dream of a Stratford Festival remained in the back of his mind, and in 1950 when he was sent to Winnipeg to attend the Canadian section of the America Waterworks Association Convention, he met with the Mayor of Stratford who was also attending the event. He discussed with the mayor his vision for a Stratford Festival, and how he felt it could renew the town’s economy (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). The Mayor also knew nothing of Shakespeare, but saw the idea’s potential and gave Patterson a go ahead to begin organizing the development of the Stratford Festival.
In the development of the Stratford Festival, very little preliminary planning actually occurred. Patterson, had an idea of what could be done to revitalize the economy of Stratford, and took the opportunity to present this idea when possible. Through networking with the Mayor, he was able to move forward from dreaming about the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival to organizing its creation. More planning and forecasting occurred throughout the development of the Stratford Festival, and as more information was learned plans were rearranged and altered. It is important for a responsible leader to continue planning and revising plans throughout a project, in order to ensure that one’s plan is up to date and accounts for all known information.
Organizing
Organizing involves examining resources, and structuring work so that it can be accomplished. This includes: creating a plan and executing it, aligning objectives with resources, taking initiative and responsibility, and being disciplined (Fells, 2000). In most cases, organizing involves delegating to employees and assigning individual duties (Fells, 2000).
In order to develop a plan and structure work in such a way that it could be accomplished, Patterson needed to spend more time in Stratford. To do this, Patterson would drive three hours from Ajax to Stratford on a daily basis to speak with potential Festival supporters and develop a plan of attack. He would then travel home, on most days not making it into bed until two or three in the morning (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). Organizing involved speaking with as many people in Stratford as possible, and developing a firm idea of how the Stratford Festival could be created (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Jones, 2005).
After coordinating with others, further organizing occurred. Mainly, this included the development of Festival Committee, and assigning tasks to each member of this committee (Vigneault, and Lapierre, 2008). By bringing together a large group of people interesting in the development of the Stratford Festival, Patterson was able to begin executing a firm plan of how the Stratford Festival could be developed.
Coordinating
The focus of coordinating is establishing relationships outside of ones work area. It involves working with people from various backgrounds effectively and efficiently to achieve ideal results (Fells, 2000). In the case of Tom Patterson, it involved contacting people involved in theatre and the arts, and bringing on board new team members who had the expertise to make his Stratford Festival dreams a reality. Without coordinating with these people, Patterson would never have been able to found the Stratford Festival, as he himself did not have the expertise to undertake this venture.
Tom Patterson’s main role in the founding of the Stratford Festival was bringing together people with the skills and expertise needed to develop a successful theatre company. After gaining the support of the town of Stratford, and forming a Stratford Festival Committee, Patterson solicited the City Council requesting $100 so he could travel to New York in an attempt to recruit the actor Sir Laurence Olivier (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Edinborough, 1954). The Council was so impressed with Patterson that they granted him $125, and although he was unsuccessful in even meeting Olivier the media coverage gained from his trip to New York opened new networking opportunities (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). Most notably, Scottish born actress Mavor Moore became involved in the Festival’s development. It was through Moore that Patterson was able to contact Tyrone Guthrie, the world famous artistic director at London’s Old Vic Theatre and ask him to join the project (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Guthrie took a chance and quickly agreed to become the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s first artistic director (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008, Patterson and Gould, 1999; Edinborough, 1954). The addition of Guthrie to the festival project spurred a great deal of action. Guthrie came to Stratford, and brought with him now famed theatre designer Tanya Moiseiwithsch (Patterson and Gould, 1999, Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008; Prosser, 2010). Guthrie chose to accept Patterson’s offer because, in developing a theatre from scratch he could apply new theatrical ideas that he and Moiseiwithsch had been developing. Primarily, the creation of a theatre with a unique thrust stage, similar to those used in Shakespeare’s time (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008). His input in the project attracted a great deal of attention and Guthrie’s connections to the theatre world allowed the project to develop faster then previously imagined (Patterson and Gould, 1999). In addition, he was able to recruit actors including Alec Guinness and Irene Worth, along with many other Canadian actors, and soon after Guthrie’s arrival rehearsals were taking place (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Jones, 2005).
Patterson’s gaul and aptitude for networking allowed for him to develop the needed connections that would allow for the festival to occur. Patterson knew nothing of Shakespeare or theatre. But through contacting others that had an extensive knowledge of these subject areas Patterson was able to found one of the most successful Shakespearean theatre festivals in the world. Being a responsible leader means bringing together people that can help you accomplish your goals. A leader does not need to be an expert at everything involved in the project that they are leading, but they do need to recognize when to refer to others in order to achieve the best possible results.
Commanding
Commanding has at times been interpreted with negative connotations. However, it does not imply that a responsible leader should act as a dictator, but rather that they need to inspire and motivate employees to put their plan into action (Fells, 2000). Effective commanding involves creating unity, energy, initiative, and loyalty among employees in order to achieve ideal results (Fells, 2000). In Patterson’s case, commanding involved bringing together a large group of people (through coordination) and inspiring them to complete their designated tasks. It also involved reaching out to all stakeholders involved in the founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in order to gain the funding and backing needed to establish the festival.
Tom Patterson made some very effective decisions as a commander that led to the successful development of the Stratford Festival. First, when the Festival Committee was founded a charter was developed with five central goals (Jackson, 1978). This charter ensured that all people involved in the creation of the Stratford Festival were aware of the goals being accomplished, and were able to stay on track to complete the tasks required to complete these goals. Second, in addition to being a wonderful networker, Patterson proved to be a very effective fundraiser. Patterson was able to motivate the Festival Committee into action and together they were able to raise the total of $157,000 dollars needed to fund the first season. Additionally Patterson was able to inspire support from the town of Stratford itself, which resulted in $72,000 of the $157,000 raised to be from within Stratford itself (Jackson, 1978). Patterson expected excellence from his team and motivated them to expect the same from themselves, and it this is reflected in the Festival Committee’s motto: “if you make it, make it world-class” (Vigneault and Lapierre, 2008: 79). This motto made the team Patterson had brought together strive for excellence in the creation of the festival. Patterson’s effective commanding was able to unite all members of the team he had brought together to complete the task they set out to do.
Controlling
Controlling is the last aspect of Fayol’s model, and it also maybe incorrectly perceived with negative connotations. Controlling involves managing staff in such a way that everything gets completed on schedule (Fells, 2000). In the case of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, it involved making hard choices, and taking on roles best suited to ones own strengths and weaknesses in order to allow a project to best succeed.
Completing the creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival on schedule proved to be somewhat difficult. Problems included finding rehearsal space prior to the construction of the tent where the performances were to be held (until 1957 when a permanent theatre was built), and issues with weather causing flooding of the tent once it was put up, as well as over heating (Patterson and Gould, 1999; Stratford Shakespeare Festival). Another somewhat humorous but rather large problem encountered was that a train travelled through Stratford every night at 8:35pm only three blocks away from where the Festival tent was located, and would make a great deal of noise and blow it’s whistle while travelling through. As performances would start at 8:30pm at night, this train would greatly disrupt the entire performance (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Patterson was able to take control of all these problems and find appropriate solutions. For example, to solve the issue with the train, Patterson was able to contact the head of the Canadian National Railway and convince him to alter the train’s schedule so it went through Stratford at 8:25pm instead (Patterson and Gould, 1999).
Patterson also understood that making hard decisions was necessary in order to observe the continued success of the Stratford Festival. On July 13th 1953 The Stratford Festival opened to rave reviews, and Patterson’s dream had become a reality (Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 2010; Patterson and Gould, 1999). However, in order to oversee the festival’s future success Patterson withdrew from his role as general manager, as he realized that in order for the festival to continue to thrive, someone with more experience needed to take over this role (Prosser, 2010). In this sense, he was able to take control of the Stratford Festival’s development by recognizing his limited abilities as a general manager due to a lack of training and expertise. In doing this he was able to allow the festival to grow larger and prosper.
The Lasting Impact of Tom Patterson’s Responsible Leadership
Tom Patterson’s responsible leadership resulted in the creation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. But more then that, it utterly transformed the town of Stratford. It revitalized the economy of Stratford and allowed for a more sustainable form of development to take place (Mitchell and Wall, 1989). As stated, before the development of the Stratford Festival the economy of Stratford was in decline, and additionally, the main industries in Stratford (furniture and the Canadian Pacific Railway) were rather unsustainable (Jackson, 1978). The development of the Stratford Festival allowed for the economy to begin to expand once more. Not only did the development of the Stratford Festival create a thriving tourism industry based around arts and culture, but it also created the opportunities for Stratford’s economy to become diversified into new sectors including the manufacturing and financial sectors that were developed after the festival’s establishment (City of Stratford, 2010).
Mitchell and Wall argued that the development of cultural institutions positively contribute to the economic climate and development of a community using a case study of Stratford (1989). They stated that the development of a cultural institution creates primary, secondary and tertiary benefits though out a community. So the development of the Stratford Festival created positive economic benefits for: people directly employed at the Stratford Festival; those involved in other aspects of the tourism industry such as hotel and restaurants; and for businesses that have been attracted to Stratford because of the festival but are not dependent upon it (such as the aforementioned manufacturing and financial sectors) (Mitchell and Wall, 1989). The development of the Stratford Festival has also created positive economic benefits for communities located near Stratford. A study conducted in 1994 discovered that over half of the people who visited Stratford to attend the theatre festival also travelled to the surrounding communities of: St. Mary’s, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, and or St. Jacobs for tourism purposes (Patterson and Gould, 1999). Overall, the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival allowed for the economic revitalization of Stratford, and also contributed to economic growth in surrounding communities. The creation of the Stratford Festival also allowed for a more sustainable form of development to occur in Stratford then what was previously taking place.
Conclusion
The founding of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival by Tom Patterson is an example of responsible leadership. To develop the festival, Patterson fulfilled all five components of Henri Fayol’s Five Managerial Functions. He forecasted and planned, organized, coordinated, commanded, and controlled. In doing this he was able to create one of the most successful theatre festivals in the world. Patterson had no theatre or business experience, but through hard work and determination was able to make his dream a reality. Many communities throughout Canada are experiencing problems similar to those Stratford dealt with prior to the establishment of the Stratford Festival. These economic difficulties are often considered to be insurmountable and permanent. However, the development of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival under the responsible leadership of Tom Patterson is just one example of how a small rural community, located away from any major city can develop into a thriving community without resulting in massive social or environmental degradation.
References
City of Stratford. (2010). Know your city-history. Retrieved from http://www.city.stratford.on.ca/site_ourcitylife/know_your_city_history.asp
Edinborough, A. (1954). A new Stratford Festival. Shakespeare Quarterly, 5(1), 47-54.
Edinborough, A. (1955). Shakespeare confirmed: At Canadian Stratford. Shakespeare Quarterly, 6(4), 435-440.
Fayol. (2009). In BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/ultimatebusiness/fayol
Fells, M.J. (2000) Fayol stands the test of time. Journal of Management, 6(8), 345-361.
Jackson, A.W. (1978). The Shakespeare festival: Stratford, Ontario, 1953-1977. Shakespeare Quarterly, 29(2), 164-191.
Jones, K. (2005). Tom Patterson, the Father of Canada’s Stratford Festival, Dead at 84. Playbill. Retrieved from http://www.playbill.com/news/article/91362-Tom-Patterson-the-Father-of-Canadas-Stratford-Festival-Dead-at-84
Mitchell, C.J.A., and Wall, G. (1989). The arts and employment: A case study of the Stratford Festival. Growth and Change, 20(4), 31-40.
Patterson, T., and Gould, A. (1999). First stage. Firefly Books, Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
Prosser, D. (2010). Tom Patterson. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009847
Spatig, L. (2009). Rediscovering Fayol: Parallels to behaviourlist management and transformational leadership. Northeast Business and Economics Association Proceedings.
Stratford Shakespeare Festival. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.stratfordfestival.ca
Vigneault, S., and Lapierre, L. (2008). Richard Monette, Antoni Cimolino and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival: The king and the dauphin. International Journal of Arts Management, 11(1), 76-90.
No comments:
Post a Comment