“Doing it all” has become the default survival mode.
Every arts leader knows the feeling: inboxes overflowing, budgets tightening, teams shrinking, but the goals keep multiplying. You’re told to rebuild audiences, increase donations, deepen engagement, innovate programming, and prove your impact.
It’s no wonder you’re exhausted.
At TRG, we see this every day: brilliant, committed teams stretched too thin to focus on what matters most. It’s not a failure of talent or will; it’s a failure of structure and priority.
The hardest (and most necessary) act of leadership right now is choosing what not to do.
As Jill Robinson reflects in this episode of Leading the Way, “It makes me sad because the environment in which the field operates today is under so much stress... and we cannot do everything at once.”
That’s the truth so few leaders want to say out loud. But organizations that have found focus, and the courage to simplify, are seeing tangible results.
Take North Carolina Symphony. Their executive team set a single, shared leadership objective:
“This year, our single objective is to grow the number of subscribers who also donate.”
That was it. No twenty-point plan. No endless list of deliverables.
This deliberate narrowing of focus changed everything. The team could now see, clearly, how every department contributed to that goal. Marketing owned engagement. Development owned conversion. And both were measured against shared success. No competing scorecards. No interdepartmental tug-of-war. Just one goal: deepen patron relationships and grow recurring revenue together.
The result? Clearer focus. Less friction. Stronger revenue performance across both ticketing and philanthropy.
Shared KPIs aren’t just a cultural shift. They’re a practical tool for alignment. Here are some of the most effective ones TRG recommends for cross-team success:
Each metric builds accountability, and clarity, across departments. Together, they form a shared dashboard that replaces busyness with purpose.
If your team feels stretched thin or siloed, start small. Choose one or two KPIs that every department can see themselves in. Review them monthly. Celebrate joint wins. Adjust as you go.
Here’s how different departments can make alignment real:
Marketing:
Shift from campaigns that chase first-timers to strategies that prioritize second visits. Track and communicate the repeat rate relentlessly. Every campaign should have a “come back” plan baked in.
Box Office:
Empower staff to act as relationship builders, not just transaction processors. Equip them with prompts like: “Did you know your favorite seat is open for next month’s show?” or “Can I book you in now for our next concert?” or “If you loved X, I think you’ll enjoy Y”
Development:
Reimagine “frequency” as the backbone of giving. Plan for multiple, well-timed asks throughout the year. Not constant pressure, but clear, confident moments that build trust and elevate loyalty.
Every interaction, on stage, in the lobby, or in an inbox, is a chance to deepen the relationship. When teams work from one shared patron plan, every touchpoint becomes part of a single, coherent journey.
You can’t do everything, but you can lead your team toward what matters most. If your team is ready to simplify, align, and grow together, watch the latest episode of Leading the Way: Leading with Frequency - How Stronger Relationships Build Stronger Futures
And if you’re ready to put shared accountability into action, we’re here to help. Book a conversation with us to explore how shared KPIs can drive focus, resilience, and revenue across your organization.