ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 1

CHANGING THE MUSEUM AND SURVIVING IT

ADVICE TO DIRECTOR’S BOARD AND STAFF

INTRODUCTION

This was written to help boards of directors and staff who are in the midst of museum construction and other fundamental changes understand, prepare and survive such changes.

Institutional Trauma; the Effect of Major Change on Museum Staff, Editor, American Association of Museums, Washington DC, 1995.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 2

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 3

HAVE A MISSION & VALUES

KEEP IT SHORT AND FOCUSEDMAKE SURE ALL CAN RECITE ITMAKE SURE ALL KNOW IT APPLIES THE EACH OF THEM. THERE IS NO PICKING AN CHOOSING.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 4

KEEP TRACK OF TIME

PROJECT MANAGE EVERYTHINGHOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR DEADLINESCREATE SYSTEM FOR QUICK READJUSTMENTCREATE AND EMPOWER DAY ONE TEAM

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 5

KEEP TRACK OF MONEY

TRAIN EVERYONE TO CONTROL MONEY.GIVE AS MANY STAFF AS POSSIBLE THEIR OWN MONEY TO CONTROL.HOLD A CONTINGENCY BUDGET THAT ONLY THE MOST SENIOR STAFF CONTROL AND THEN AT MOST 2-3 PEOPLE.CREATE SYSTEMS THAT REPORT ON BUDGET ON VERY SHORT TIMEFRAMES.CUT PROJECTS TO FIT BUDGETS ALL THE TIME.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 6

DONE IS GOOD

DO NOT RELITIGATE ANYTHING.FIX IT LATERDO EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF – IN AND OUT OF SEQUENCERECUT LARGE PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN GO FORWARD UNEVENLY

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 7

HAVE FUN, BE GOOFY

UNEXPECTED HUMOR AND GOOFINESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK.THIS IS ONLY A MUSEUM DONE BY HUMANS. WE ALL TAKE OURSELVES AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TOO SERIOUSLY.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 8

TELL EVERYONE EVERYTHING

GOOD AND BAD NEWSHOLD REGULAR STAFF MEETINGS SHORT AND PUNCHYMAKE THE UNDERGROUND THE ABOVE GROUND.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 9

STOP DOING STUFF

CUT, CUT, CUT.WHAT IS NOT THERE – IS NOT THERE.EVERYTHING TAKES LONGER THAN YOU THINK.THINK CRITICAL MASS, NOT EVERYTHING.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 10

EMPOWER STAFF

LET STAFF MAKE DECISIONS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MISSION.HAVE MEASUREABLE GOALS AND OUTCOMES FOR EVERYONE AND THEN STAND OUT OF THE WAY.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 11

TRAIN SUPERVISORS

NOT TO BE CONTROL FREAKSNOT TO PLACE BLAME BUT TO SOLVE PROBLEMSNOT TO PLAY FAVORITESTO EXPECT EXCELLENT WORKTO HAVE HIGH STANDARDSTO REVIEW THE WORK OF THE NOVICETO TRAIN CAREFULLY

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 12

THE WAR ROOM &DAY ONE TEAM

MEET AT A STANDARD UNCHANGABLE TIME. IN THE END, EVERY DAY FOR AN HOUR OR LESS.FIND ALL PROBLEMS.DISCUSS NOTHING BUT SET UP SOLUTION FINDERS.REPORT BACK.HAVE TEAM RUN BY AN ACKNOWLEDGED UNBIASED LEADERHAVE ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE ROOM – NO SUBSTITUTES

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 13

BE KIND

MONITOR THE WAY WE TALK TO EACH OTHER.EDIT E-MAIL TO BE KINDERLIMIT CC:S.DON’T ALLOW A CLIMATE OF BLAME TO DEVELOP. PRAISE, RESPECT, ADMIRE, REWARD. IT CANNOT BE SAID ENOUGH!

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 14

KEEP A LIFE

INSIST ON VACATIONS AND TIME OFF.REWARD WITH TIME OFF.HAVE FAMILY PARTIES.GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO DO THE LAUNDRY.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 15

REWARD EVERYTHING

HAVE AVENUES FOR RECOGNITION.RECOGNIZE COMPLETION DATES OF EVERYTHINGHAVE FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL OPENINGSDO NOT REWARD ONLY THE FUNDERS.REWARD CONTINOUSLY AND BY EVERYONE.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 16

THE OPENING IS THE BEGINNING

FOR THE FIRST 6-18 MONTHS:FIX EVERYTHINGDO AS LITTLE NEW AS POSSIBLEEMPOWER CHANGE ON A DAILY BASISCREATE SYSTEMS THAT ALLOW FOR CHANGECONCENTRATE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 17

LISTEN TO GRUMBLING

NO MATTER HOW ANNOYING THE GRUMBLERS ARE PROBABLY RIGHT.HAVE INFORMATION CANDID IF SOMETHING CANNOT BE FIXED AND SAY SO.TAKE THE INTERNAL CLIMATE SERIOUSLY.

ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN 18

THE DIRECTOR IS A PERSON

WHILE WE ALL KNOW WHO TO BLAME, THAT PERSON IS:

A PERSONLONELYWORRIEDAND NEEDS YOUR COMPASSION IF NOT YOUR SUPPORT.