Good mission at a badly managed organization - Anonymous employee Aperture Foundation Employee Review

I am extremely sorry any time I hear that anyone has a bad experience of Aperture. I also appreciate all feedback – here and in person. Any cause to reflect on how we are doing things, and for me personally to reflect on my management approach, is useful, and I hope has a positive outcome. I know I have room to improve. I would like to take the opportunity to address some of your points, as your characterization of Aperture is so different from my experience. Firstly, I feel bound to defend our Board, and the relationship between staff and Board. Our Board is superb – generous and supportive, and extremely well led by our Chair. They are very clear about the difference between their role - governance and their fiduciary responsibility - and the management of the institution, which is left to me and the staff team. The Board don't get involved in any aspects of day to day management and there hasn't been a "fight" of any kind in years. It's a growing Board, and the only departures in recent years have been because one of our Trustees died, and another retired after 20 years of service. Its a strong and stable group of Trustees, and I think I speak for the staff team in saying how much we appreciate them, and I know – because they say so often – that they are proud of us. In all my experience of reporting to a Board – including at the last not-for-profit that I worked for – I have never known a Board as coherent as ours. (Of the 32 years I've worked in photography, across public and private sectors, six were at a not-for-profit education institution, and nine at a photographers' co-operative). I have the highest respect for the senior team here, who are all devoted to achieving the organization's goals, professionally and with a passion for their work. It’s a great place to come to work. Our senior staff are all highly talented, (and easily employable elsewhere should they be unhappy here), and have served an average of 7 years each. It is true that junior staff tend to work here for shorter periods, not least because we recruit many of our junior staff from our intern pool, and we don't expect them to stay on more than two or three years, given they need to move around, improve their position, and find their way in the professional world. Aperture is an ambitious and dynamic organization. We have grown fast, in terms of staff (we have doubled the size of the staff team in the last five years), and the number of projects we take on. I believe everyone here connects with the mission of the organization, and works well with each other. I try, and our senior managers try, to be supportive of everyone employed at Aperture, creatively, professionally and personally. If you – or any past or present member of the staff team – would like to share any advice you have for me, I welcome it, by email (cboot AT aperture DOT com) or by phone: 212 946 7101. - Chris, Executive Director