Leadership change is inevitable. Its success level is highly dependent on strategies and actions employed by board, staff, and out-going and in-coming museum directors. For Board members and directors, this session explores suggestions for successful transition strategies, including the critical steps to take and the pitfalls to avoid as a new leader is introduced, engaged, and integrated into your organization and community.

1. Moving On and Moving In
Carrie Heinonen, CEO & Director, MNA
Rebekah Lambert, VP Arts Consulting Group
Robert Breunig, President Emeritus, MNA

2. Topics
• For the Board: preparing for change
• For the ED: first 90 days, best practices
• Case study: Collaborative Transition
– Incoming Director’s perspective
– Departing Director’s perspective
• Robert’s Do’s and Don’t’s
• Let’s make this conversational – go ahead and
throw out a question or comment.

3. 3
The First 90 Days
Governance Framework
Govern
Position
ThinkAct
Engage

4. 4
• Shared commitment to Strategic Direction
• Strategic plan
• Staff leadership development/evaluation
• Board understanding of its role
• Board leadership development
• Financial sustainability
• Effective Board/Executive relationship
• Good communication amongst stakeholders
• Understanding of your organizational culture
Organizational Preparation:
GOVERN

5. 5
• Say goodbye to the departing leader
• Form the Search Committee
• Use/don’t use an executive search consultant firm?
• Identify urgent issues (if any) and their resolution
• Understand/manage organizational dynamics
• Determine transitional leadership
• Communicate with key stakeholders
Organizational Preparation:
POSITION

6. 6
• How the Search Committee will work
–decision-making, authority
• Search Committee
–understanding of an organizational SWOT
• Role of other organizational stakeholders
• The particular kind of transition
• Assessing organizational leadership requirements
• Details of Search process, timeline, logistics
Organizational Preparation:
THINK

7. 7
• Allow time for recruitment of candidates
• Maintain consistency in dealing with candidates
• Be aware of appropriate legal interview questions
• Stick to the agreed upon process/timeline
–but maintain flexibility as the search unfolds
• Speak outwardly with one voice
–and use the Chair as spokesperson
• Uphold confidentiality
• Maintain strategic communication with stakeholders
• Stay sensitive to organizational/staff dynamics
Organizational Preparation:
ACT

8. 8
Tips for success:
• Mutually agree upon goals
• Mutually define success
• Know the urgent issues
• Prioritize building critical relationships
• Identify the key stakeholders to meet
• Recognize training/professional development needs
Organizational Preparation:
ENGAGE

9. 9
The first 90 days from the new executive’s standpoint:
• Know yourself (strengths, weaknesses)
• Accelerate and prioritize your learning
• Get to know your new supervisor and agree on what
success looks like
• Secure early wins (increase income, reduce costs…)
• Build your team, and accept offers of help
• Focus on positive momentum, and don’t speak ill of
your predecessor
• Keep your balance
The First 90 Days
ENGAGE

10. 10
• Opportunity for Collaborative Transition:
Requires:
• An ability to put the institution first
• A shared vision for the future (but not
necessarily the path forward)
But, offers great advantages is you can swing it…
The First 270 Days at MNA
(luxurious transitional period facilitated by the board)

11. Collaborative Transition

12. 12
Tips for success:
• Mutually agree upon goals
• Mutually define success
• Know the urgent issues
• Prioritize building critical relationships
• Identify the key stakeholders to meet
• Recognize training/professional development needs
Interview Process

13. 13
• Know yourself (strengths, weaknesses)
• Collaborative Transition:
Yin/Yang: the sum is greater than the two parts
There is the opportunity for mentorship
The First 270 Days at MNA

14. 14
• Accelerate and prioritize your learning
• Listening is key
• Ask Staff critical questions, and demonstrate you
heard what they said
• Collaborative Transition:
Nothing beats an endorsement from predecessor
Time to understand critical issues: en rout to Hopi
The First 270 Days at MNA

15. 15
• Get to know your new supervisor and agree on what
success looks like
• Actually, try to get this done during interviews
• Collaborative Transition:
Get to know the in’s & out’s of personalities without
all the trial & error
The First 270 Days at MNA

16. 16
• Secure early wins (increase income, reduce costs…)
• Collaborative Transition:
There’s room at the White House for two!
The First 270 Days at MNA

17. 17
• Build your team, and accept offers of help
• Collaborative Transition:
Leverage knowledge of the community
Put them to work
The First 270 Days at MNA

18. 18
• Focus on positive momentum, and don’t speak ill of
your predecessor
• Collaborative Transition:
• If warranted, never stop celebrating (everyone)
• Get an endorsement—build from a strong base
• Be generous—seek to understand context and
rationale for past foibles (So, Robert…)
The First 270 Days at MNA

19. 19
• Keep your balance
• Collaborative Transition:
Did anything drive predecessor out of balance?
The First 270 Days at MNA

20. Robert’s Do’s & Do Not’s

21. What’s your Wisdom?