Museum Enterprise Leadership program is a series of four bootcamps grounded in the belief that an effective leader must be adept in making sense of the world around them and be equipped with specific skills and knowledge to make good decisions in a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). Generously supported by the Institute for Museum and Library Services each bootcamp is designed to prepare participants for effective enterprise-level leadership by providing tools and skills that will focus on a specific aspect of effective leadership: Sensemaking and the Strategic Mindset, Financial Analysis and Decision Making, Leading Change Initiatives and Communicating Value. This program is also a research study, to assess the impact of the individual bootcamps, as well as their impact collectively. You will be invited to shape the bootcamps through defining what you already know – and where you encounter challenging situations and problems. The programs are led by experienced professors in MBA programs, with museum expert guests.
Why focus on Directors of Education?
Across the nation, museums are struggling to define their place in the future. Working to understand what it means to be relevant to diverse communities, how to move effective and engaging art experiences into virtual spaces and how to build partnerships with local and national organizations for effective collaborations – these are often the responsibility of the Education Director. These Directors, rising to the occasion, are enacting stronger leadership roles in their museums. Building on existing strengths in community building, audience development and education, the addition of deeper understandings of finance, strategic and innovative thinking, change leadership and organizational change would support the next level of leadership.
Museum education leadership has never been more needed. In this time of COVID, toxic racism, and unproductive hierarchical practice, we observe education departments being diminished, while concurrently experiencing increasing demands for online programming and digital equity. Investing in museum education and positioning education directors to take an active role at the leadership table may be a significant key to the survival of museums
Who should attend?
Directors of Museum Education who:
- Have at least 2 years of experience in the Director role
- Feel competent in leading their division but are interested in leveraging their knowledge and experience in an integrative way with other functional areas in their organization.
- May aspire to fulfill Museum Director and Deputy Director roles.
This program is generously supported through a grant from IMLS
