(taken from “The Authentic Musician” appendix)
To many, the idea of leading artists sounds like trying to herd cats. Artists can be illogical, spacey, vague and impetuous. Putting a group of artists together seems like it would only multiply the problems. Imagine putting some of your favorite artists in a room, asking them to work together on a project. For instance, say you put Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Prince together to come up with a theme song for AIDS relief. All of these men are very gifted, but to expect them to come up with something good would take more than just putting them in a room. It would take vision casting, strategy, role delegation, encouragement and some executive decision-making. Usually this is called leadership. Leaders often take the form of a director, producer or team leader. Whatever the title, that person must lead effectively to produce a successful group or product. If it’s an unpaid volunteer group, this becomes even more difficult and usually requires leadership with greater vision and authenticity.
There’s also a difference between being an effective leader and being an authentic leader. Leading a group effectively and authentically takes more love, insight, courage and wisdom. It requires a commitment to more than just producing a good product or program. It requires a commitment to personal integrity, an honorable process, and a commitment to people’s growth.
Here are some resources to help you lead artists:
Articles:
Leading Artists
Why Christian Artistic Expression
Books:
Thriving as an Artist in the Church: Hope and Help for You and Your Ministry Team (Willow Creek Resources) by Rory Noland
Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs by Bill Hybels


Web:
Stirred Up Leadership

Stories:

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