{"id":200,"date":"2022-11-22T12:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T12:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=200"},"modified":"2022-11-16T07:13:21","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T07:13:21","slug":"that-moment-when-impolitic-damage-impairs-your-influence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2022\/11\/22\/that-moment-when-impolitic-damage-impairs-your-influence\/","title":{"rendered":"That Moment When Impolitic Damage Impairs Your Influence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
\u00a9 2022, Alan Harrison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Guilty, as charged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snark and sarcasm are very powerful, passive-aggressive tools to show how supremely intelligent, talented, and attractive you are. (See what I did there?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t translate well to the page, as I am well aware. You have to point out the mockery, else a reader may take it as an actual feeling. I should know, because I\u2019ve done it too many times already (even a couple of times in my new book, Scene Change: Why Nonprofit Arts Organizations Must Stop Producing Art and Start Producing Impact, <\/em>coming in 2023, published by Changemakers Books, an imprint of John Hunt Publishing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in the pointing out, the writer tends to undercut the joke by making it appear to be some version of \u201c-splaining\u201d (writer-splaining, maybe?), often looking like a Big Richard, if you know what I mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An old and famous version of sardonic point-making is Marc Anthony\u2019s eulogy in Act 3, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare\u2019s Julius Caesar:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(For Brutus is an honorable man;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So are they all, all honorable men),<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come I to speak in Caesar\u2019s funeral.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was my friend, faithful and just to me,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Brutus says he was ambitious,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Brutus is an honorable man.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Brutus is an honorable man.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Marc Antony’s Oration at Caesar’s Funeral<\/strong><\/em> by George Edward Robertson (public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most writers are not Shakespeare. Especially in the nonprofit community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, I have written about toxic stakeholders in nonprofit arts organizations holding their beloved companies hostage for personal gain. Toxic donors might leverage (or \u201cblackmail,\u201d if you will) a company into turning their \u201cgift\u201d into a walled-off fancy room where the hoi polloi<\/em> cannot bother them by existing. Toxic corporations and foundations begun by toxic robber barons may give to \u201cartswash\u201d their hot mess of respective reputations. Toxic board members bestow outrage when their beloved Eurocentric season of art starts to diversify into works by those <\/em>people. Giving circles, salons, donor-advised-funds, and other quasi-cabals can often feed into the toxicity and corrupt even the most genuine of well-meaning donors into bad behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While toxicity, unfortunately, is in ample supply at nonprofit arts organizations, it is not prevalent. A vast majority of donors are not toxic. But the few and vicious, however generous with their cash, require more time than can be justified to an already-stretched staff and board. The \u201ccare and feeding\u201d of donors (as a development director with whom I once worked put it) can easily derail all the good works a nonprofit arts organization can do in this Pre-Post-Pandemic Era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Here’s someone who is more interested in being slick than communicating. Don’t be him.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCrossing the line\u201d is just another phrase meaning \u201cbeing human.\u201d In these days of social media pixelated, opinionated diatribes; deep and dangerous chasms between groups who may even have the same goal in mind (a free country, for example); and alternative facts (or \u201clies,\u201d as we used to call them) getting in the way of a real conversation about the future; the United States is a loud and demonstrably uncivil place. It\u2019s okay to get mad about that; even to be impolitic and forceful. Just don\u2019t alienate the people who might want to help by appearing to be, as the British say, \u201ctoo clever by half.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Based in Kirkland, Washington, <\/em>Alan Harrison<\/em><\/a> is a writer and speaker specializing in nonprofit organizations, strategy, the arts, and life politics. His columns appear regularly in major publications. Contact him directly at <\/em>alan@501c3.guru.<\/em><\/a>If you\u2019re feeling generous or inspired, just <\/em>click on the coffee cup<\/em><\/a> above. You don\u2019t have to, of course, but if you can afford it and find some value here, please provide the desperate need for caffeine.<\/em><\/p> Alan is always looking for good opportunities to write and consult for nonprofits that need a hand. And, of course, that elusive <\/em>Perfect Opportunity\u2122.<\/em><\/strong>

BIG NEWS: Alan\u2019s new book, \u201cScene Change: Why Nonprofit Arts Organization Must Stop Producing Art and Start Producing Impact\u201d will be published within the next 8-9 months by Changemakers Books<\/a>. Stay tuned for information on how you can buy a\u00a0copy.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nonprofit arts consultants advocating for change is welcome, but sarcasm may not serve the goal, whatever that goal may be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,40,29,28,23,24,19,18,17],"tags":[42,43],"class_list":{"0":"post-200","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-change","9":"category-dei","10":"category-diversity-equity-inclusion","11":"category-executive-director","12":"category-freedom-of-speech","13":"category-leadership","14":"category-nonprofit","15":"category-nonprofit-arts-organizations","16":"tag-sarcasm","17":"tag-writing","18":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9397797439_8b2d885a0a_o.jpg?fit=2400%2C1800&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1517,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/10\/07\/a-punchy-outspoken-argument-for-how-nonprofit-arts-organizations-should-be-run\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":0},"title":"“A PUNCHY, OUTSPOKEN ARGUMENT FOR HOW NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN.”","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"October 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\"An example-driven new map to success in the realm of nonprofit theater.\" \u2014 Kirkus Reviews.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scene Change, Scene Change 2, and Scene Change 3 - 3 books to improve your arts organization","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":457,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/06\/20\/warning-the-following-column-was-completely-written-by-a-i-as-such-it-should-terrify-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":1},"title":"Warning: The Following Column Was Completely Written by A.I. As Such, It Should Terrify You.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"June 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"For my nonprofit arts colleagues worldwide who are agonizing over whether they might be replaced, be assured. You likely will.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1048,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/09\/17\/nonprofit-arts-organizations-whats-a-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":2},"title":"Nonprofit Arts Organizations: What\u2019s a \u201cCommunity?\u201d","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"September 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Say it, out loud. What is the definition of \u201ccommunity\u201d to your nonprofit arts organization? It may not be the community to which you claim membership.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/inigo-square.jpg?fit=1000%2C864&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/inigo-square.jpg?fit=1000%2C864&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/inigo-square.jpg?fit=1000%2C864&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/inigo-square.jpg?fit=1000%2C864&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":757,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/02\/13\/nonprofit-arts-organizations-you-missed-the-point-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":3},"title":"Nonprofit Arts Organizations: You Missed the Point. Again.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"February 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, you're a nonprofit. Big deal. Like tennis, if you don't serve well, it's your fault.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":989,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/07\/01\/this-just-in-a-new-and-unedited-review-for-scene-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":4},"title":"This Just In: A New (and Unedited) Review for \u201cSCENE CHANGE\u201d","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"July 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"\"It clearly comes from a place of love for the subversive and utopian possibilities of the arts.\"","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1352,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/07\/25\/advocacy-for-the-nonprofit-arts-sector-is-currently-meaningless\/","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":5},"title":"SUMMER RERUN: Advocacy for the Nonprofit Arts Sector is Currently Meaningless","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Lost amid a string of inside-baseball phrases and ideologies, officials have little idea as to why they would possibly fund institutions that serve themselves first. It's easy to make the case for art. For artists. For charity. But for humongous nonprofit arts organizations that still can\u2019t figure out why funding\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":206,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions\/206"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}