Reflective Exercise - Module One Handbook p. 35: Communication and Scheduling

Slowly settling back into my life after my study period in Austria, I am learning and noting and keeping track of the work to do for this degree.  The workload already feels a little overwhelming.  Reading the handbook I keep thinking "what?", as though the words and indications on the pages are encrypted and what I need to undertake is their decoding so that I may do the work.  I have decided to not stress out and to take the instructions at face value:  they mean exactly what they mean.  (After all, who would create a curriculum that needed to be decoded before it could be completed?  Maturity and a belief in logic are beautiful things.)
....

I thought I would complete another exercise, this one from page 35 of the Module One Handbook, Reflective Exercise.

I had a thought while considering a short list of experiences that might be suitable for my eventual AOL assignment, which was all the administration work that I have been doing the past ten years to support my work as a professional independent dance artist and teacher.  Lots of research to seek out jobs, contact with potential employers, workshop-taking to increase my visibility and skill set, scheduling, and, perhaps most importantly, learning how to communicate.

Communication, in terms of how it has manifested in my line(s) of work, is comprised of and requires reflection of the following:

• understanding what am I capable of: skills to do the job, desire, time in schedule, etc.
• understanding what my employer is offering: what is the job?  What will be expected of me (ability-wise, in what time frame, etc.)
• understanding my personal goals, artistic or otherwise, long and short term: what do I want to experience?  
• understanding how work opportunities can support my goals: aligning my expectations
• gathering information about my coworkers: with whom am I embarking on projects?  How do they approach work, where are they coming from, what do they expect, what are their values and considerations? 
• how will my role, communication style, etc. impact and / or have to adapt to each work scenario that I find myself in?

I think that about sums it up.  Of course, I am changing as an artist and person with some frequency so naturally I assume that this list is in flux: little amendments are happening all the time.

Okay, back to the reflective exercise.  A work related e-mail exchange that occurred yesterday is the subject.

Date: October 15 2015

Nature of learning event: (frequently these occur when our expectations are not met and a situation develops differently from how we expected) 

I received an e-mail from an employer regarding scheduling for a rehearsal and show period in spring 2016.  The schedule was not confirmed and this e-mail was seeking to gather our availability.  I am reminded from this experience that scheduling is, without fail, always challenging and full of compromise.  I know it is important for me to acknowledge what I need schedule-wise to do my job well (with consideration for the realities surrounding the project), and to communicate those needs with sensitivity to the people in charge.  

What were your expectations and what actually happened?
I had previously blocked off a few weeks worth of time for the contract period.  I was expecting to receive a proposal for specific rehearsal and show times.  Generally speaking, for paid work (meaning my participation in projects that have a budget), rehearsals fall within the hours of 12pm and 6pm, and shows require a commitment from 5pm to 10pm.  The e-mail proposed rehearsals from 6pm-9pm.  It was indicated in the e-mail that the reason for this was because one of the dancers had another work commitment during the day.

So:

• I know that everyone working on this project is an independent and therefore have other work commitments.  
• I am getting a little older and now find myself in a phase of wanting to engage more deeply in fewer projects. 
• Not all my coworkers share my values where scheduling and work and engagement are concerned.

At this point in time I feel pretty unwilling to rehearse at night.  In my experience, these are the least productive and most dangerous (think injuries) hours to be rehearsing.  I thought of two options to counter propose: rehearsal in the morning, between 9am and 12pm, or hire the understudy.  

Explain why the incident developed differently from your expectation:
Previously I have been less willing to make proposals of this nature because had I understand my role as being that of an employee.  Weighed against the reality of the situation: 

• I have been working for/with this employer for over a handful of years 
• we have developed a means of communicating effectively our values with one another
• I have a clear sense of what I need to do this job well  

I trust that my employer understands that I am interested in contributing to the best possible outcome, and that my proposals are indicative of this interest.

She wrote to the group of collaborators and passed on my proposals.  

How will you handle similar situations differently in future?
I will likely handle future situations in the same manner, where my communication is concerned.
I will likely not embark on future projects with the coworker for whom this e-mail exchange was aiming to accommodate.  It feels harsh writing it down but, these things happen all the time, and it's not about 'such and such person isn't a good employee', it's about understanding what I need and communicating that to my employer.  Transparency in the workplace can be a good thing.

Any other learning points: 
I can't control outcomes but I can impact them by the information that I offer regarding my own capabilities and desires.  I am more likely to accept outcomes, even if they are not my ideal scenario, if I have made those things clear.
I never learned these things in professional dance school.  I am not confident they would have been absorbed or understood even if they were.  It has taken me - literally - my whole career up until now to be able to do what I did.

That's it!