As she releases a new book, Hilary McGowan, Governance and Leadership Consultant and AIM Associate Supplier, offers Top Tips for being a healthy, successful leader in difficult times.
Leadership is vital, so make time to be strategic, It is too easy to get swallowed up by the day-to-day work which should be the responsibility of your staff. and volunteers. Details may feel safe for you, but they are not the preserve of leaders.
What makes a good Leader?
Lead, not do – you have staff/volunteers to do the doing – and inspire, not tell – if they believe, they will get on and achieve. Your role as a leader is to inspire hope for a better future. Many Museums are in crisis, and not only from a financial point of view. So, lead the organisation in a positive direction and demonstrate to your staff and volunteers that you believe in success.
There are five key qualities to successfully lead a museum in challenging times:
- Determination
- Flexibility
- Political antennae
- Empathy/sensitivity
- A thick skin.
Managing your own wellbeing
Make your well-being your priority. Consider your work style, and any bad habits, and put in place new habits or rituals that will create a better life balance and make you more effective and resilient as a leader, e.g.:
- Set well-being goals and develop these into a routine that becomes second-nature
- Set boundaries with your staff / volunteers
- Block off time in the diary for your personal life and for self-reflection and do not let work spill over into non-work time
- Stay connected to prevent isolation, both with your colleagues and your personal network, so take part in peer discussions / meetings or visits to refresh yourself.
Influencing upwards
As a museum leader you will always have people above you that you must get on your side, such as chairs of governing bodies or more senior managers in a larger organisation. So, influencing upwards is a critical skill for all leaders to stay sane but also to make progress for your museum:
- Explain how your objectives support organisational goals and mission, and therefore how your approach addresses the superior’s priorities and helps them do their job better.
- Emphasise how the benefits outweigh the costs and risks. Be prepared to argue that, in some cases, doing nothing is itself a greater risk.
- Involve the superior: acknowledge their experience and play to their ego by getting their input in discussion. Ask them some leading, open questions to invite insight from their own experiences (though be ready to counter the depressingly familiar ‘we tried this 20 years ago, it didn’t work then, so it won’t work now’).
- Find an external champion who your boss will listen to or work ‘under the radar.’
Embrace diversity
Museums, like many cultural organisations, have work to do on improving diversity. In our experience, some governing bodies are even intimidated by the topic. Yet, diversity makes your organisation better. It removes barriers for marginalised people to realise their potential. Commitment to diversity ensures that, by not discriminating, you attract the best talent too. And diverse teams provide a better perspective and understanding of what the communities you serve want to see, hear, or do. So, don’t be daunted, embrace diversity!
Leadership of Inclusive and Sustainable Cultural Organisations: a practical guide, by Piotr Bienkowski & Hilary McGowan, 2025
ISBN 9781032507521
www.routledge.com
Other news
From ideas to innovation
A survey to understand more about the role and value of innovation for people and organisations across the arts and cultural sector.
Building a collaborative board
Ben Tucker from Minerva on how effective boards adapt their approach in challenging times.
First AIM Museum Fundamentals awards made!
AIM members have received funding in the inaugural round of Museum Fundamentals.