ACCOUNTABILITY

The following plan is a combination of recommendations by Peale Piper & the Otherworld Theatre Board.

 

• Restorative Justice / Moderation / Mediation

  • Upon completion of the HR audit and once the findings have been shared with the community, inform and engage with the community

  • Engage in a restorative process directly with individuals within the community with those that are ready to do so

  • Otherworld Board and Principals will be reaching out to some individuals directly and others with the assistance of the Center for Conflict Resolution, who will provide mediators as desired.

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• Obtain HR Professional

  • Select & Announce HR company

    • We have hired EmPower HR to audit, develop and evolve our HR process, protocols and documentation

    • We are finalizing a contract agreement with an external HR consultant who will become our new on-going company & employee manager of HR affairs

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• Executive Training/Coaching

  • Otherworld has already engaged with an external leadership training organization to begin training for senior staff and Board members

  • The first segment of this training was completed in February, and future trainings have been scheduled for over the summer

  • Work with EmPower HR / HR consultant to develop & implement individual, management and leadership trainings

  • Identify and work with additional training orgs & groups to bring in additional training for ensemble, staff, leadership and Board

  • Trainings advised for Principals, Board and select Leadership

  • Employment Law for Managers

  • Supervisory/Management Basics

  • Leadership Skills Training - Underway

  • Emotional Intelligence Skills Training - Underway

  • Harassment Training

  • Diversity and Inclusion Training

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• Leadership Roles

  • Tiffany Keane Schaefer

    • Retains title as Founder

    • Board Seat - Remains Ineligible

    • Artistic Director title (reinstated by Otherworld Theatre Board)

    • When performances or rehearsals begin, at least initially, a Board member or appointed individual will audit rehearsals and performances

    • The Board will be looking for ways to move more operations functions to a new role as one of the main takeaways is that doing too many things means things like communication, etc. will suffer. Temporarily, she may need to help with other roles until additional people can take over those roles. She is expected to collaborate with the Board to be more transparent on challenges/needs/over-utilization and for help prioritizing to avoid similar problems to those outlined in this document. We have also discussed adding support/additional role(s) for managing Moonrise Games versus Otherworld Theatre productions

    • Role & Responsibilities within Moonrise Games will continue as-is but will be re-evaluated and re-defined

    • Focus continually on personal & professional leadership, business acumen, and empathy training with new training programming

  • Dylan Schaefer

    • Provisionally reinstated as Development Director

    • Board Seat - Now Ineligible going forward

    • Performing with Otherworld & within Otherworld spaces is on hiatus

      • Focus on personal & professional leadership, business acumen, and empathy training and until such time as a performance need arises again

    • Focus is now on Back of House duties (grants, finances, programming, development, training, fundraising)

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• Restructure Leadership / Role Definitions / New Roles & Responsibilities / Org Chart

  • • Restructure Board roles and expand membership with a focus on diverse representation

    • Restructure Leadership requirements for senior staff

    • Redefine/Create new Roles & Responsibilities to help supplement senior leadership

    • Restructure Ensemble requirements, update ensemble contracts, and redefine ensemble roles and expectations

    • Restructure requirements for residents, contractors, renters

    • Restructure Ensemble requirements, update ensemble contracts, and redefine ensemble roles and expectations

    • Restructure requirements for residents, contractors, renters​​

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• Hire Operations ManagerHire/Engage someone to take over Administrative responsibilities

  • Otherworld will explore options; due to limited budgets and immediate demand it is not a top priority

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• Explore potential for Facilities Management or incorporate into an Operations Manager position

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• Evolve from Chicago Theatre Standards

  • Evaluate & Integrate CTS as needed, while also defining our own builds and variations

    • Rework Concern Resolution Path and integrate external human resources consultant

      • Work with EmPower to develop customized standards for Otherworld

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• Policy & Procedure Manuals

  • Develop comprehensive employee handbooks, anti-harassment policies, and include language around mission, vision, values, expectations

    • Build a Culture of Recognition, Honesty, Vulnerability

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• Volunteer, Contractor, Ensemble, Staff Models

  • Rework the structure of the theatre and explore ways that the company can rely less on a volunteer model moving forward

  • Rework how people are paid, benefits

  • Revise contracts to ensure clarity and equity

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