Leading People in the Midst of Supreme Change

This will be an interactive session with Arts HR expert Jeanne LeSage to address the question that is top of mind for arts leaders across Canada:

How can we balance the challenges of our People Systems while navigating supreme, relentless, and unprecedented change?

  • How to navigate the current challenges in the workplace with communication, conflict, resiliency, hybrid workplaces, and alignment of expectations in the midst of balancing your team’s needs with organizational priorities.

  • What are systems and tools you can put in place to support both your people and your org needs – such as organizational culture, organizational structures, productive conflict and feedback systems. 

  • From Crisis to Crisis to Crisis – how do we look after ourselves as leaders while supporting all around us (from staff, to artists, to boards, to community) – how do we communicate and lead effectively in the midst of this?

Talk led by:

Jeanne LeSage

With decades of leadership in the arts sector, Jeanne's experience and work embodies the rare combination of operational experience, strategic leadership, and an international perspective. LeSage Arts Management provides innovation, support, and guidance to arts organizations in the areas of strategic HR, leadership succession, organizational development, governance, and interim management.

Beginning as a stage manager, Jeanne held leadership roles - forming TIFF's first HR department, the prestigious Kennedy Center International Arts Management Fellowship under Michael M. Kaiser, and international postings such as the Abu Dhabi Film Festival (UAE), Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), and FilmAid (Haiti).

Jeanne has delivered leadership training across Canada and abroad (US, Czechia, Portugal, Saudi Arabia); has authored research reports: “Who will lead Canada’s Performing Arts Organizations?”, “Reporting and Investigating Mechanisms for Workplace Harassment in the Arts”,  “Future of Arts Work: Board Governance in the Arts”; is the recipient of Work in Culture’s 2023 Bob Johnston award; and co-founder of the national COVID response initiative LEAN.