Making the old new Organizations need to evaluate, evolve to stay ahead of curve

"It was a five-year process that was about turning over all our rocks and taking a good hard look at every aspect of our organization, from governance and business practice to fundraising and marketing," says Manitoba Museum executive director Claudette Leclerc. "It provided affirmation of that which we were doing well and helped us focus on areas we needed to re-examine, adjust or change."

While the Manitoba Museum was progressing on its own before participating in the Arts Stabilization program, Leclerc says it was the catalyst for developing a new strategic plan and vision for redefining the museum experience.

"Organizations have natural life cycles and I believe it's important to respect the need for constant evolution and innovation," she says. "Certainly, we've learned how important it is to keep ahead of the curve."

Q: As an organization, what did you learn through the Arts Stabilization program?

A: It was a very humbling but important learning experience. It showed us that in order to achieve our vision we needed the right people in the right places and this resulted in major organizational restructuring. We went through changes that, frankly, were painful and difficult. But the changes created a strengthened connectivity between departments and a renewed commitment to produce new exhibits and programs. As a direct result, we have seen an 18-per-cent increase in visitors year over year for the past two years. Our people are clearer about their roles and responsibilities and understand how to apply their passion to meeting institutional goals. I think it taught us not to become complacent. Just because something is working doesn't mean there aren't opportunities to make it even better.

Q: What is your people philosophy at the Manitoba Museum?

A: Our unique environment requires an eclectic array of professionals whose work is interdependent, equally valuable and critically important. Given that context, my people philosophy is to have a clear vision and then align every employee's passion, knowledge and skills to our values to achieve our intended community impact. I've often used a dragon boat analogy with staff. We all bring our own muscle to the dragon boat team. But while we're out there rowing on the Red River, we've got to be focused on the same goal with the same amount of strength ---- otherwise if we're out there smashing paddles, we'll all end up in the drink.

Q: You have a high employee retention rate. What makes this a good place to work?

A: There is an infectious passion among our staff and volunteers; this place is full of passionate people and it shows. Aside from encouraging staff participation in the strategic, business and departmental decision-making processes, we genuinely support each other. We recognize that in today's workforce a good work/life balance is important, especially for young families and people caring for aging parents, so we try to be aware and responsive to those needs. In addition, we have health and wellness initiatives and an active social committee that is always planning a lunch or a picnic if we're not already hosting some other kind of organizational celebration. We do love a good celebration! Our organization is 39 years old and we have an employee and four volunteers who have been with us for over 35 years. Several individuals who have retired have also returned to volunteer and their passion provides knowledge continuity.

Q: What programs or processes are not working quite as well as you would like?

A: Although we are making headway, one of our biggest challenges is achieving absolute alignment of individual passions with institutional goals. As an example, we recognized we were lacking a strong connectivity between our incredible research and collections to our renewal of programs and exhibits. To achieve better alignment, we looked at ways to make exhibits more accessible to every student, family and tourist who comes through here as well as how to deliver cutting-edge research in a more timely manner. So we are now starting to do curator blogs from the field and have created an improved team model in the development of exhibits. While it's still a challenge, we're committed to working on it because we realize this area is vital to our success.

Q: Are there unique challenges in promoting yourself to the public?

A: I frequently refer to Blue Ocean Strategy (by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne) as it is about creating value and differentiating from others in the marketplace. One example they use is Cirque du soleil. People view the word "circus" as passé; but when you hear Cirque du soleil, you don't think of animals in cages. Cirque has completely changed the brand and the expectation of what circus means. Similarly, we have a huge challenge with what people think when they hear the word museum. I want to be part of the international wave of leaders redefining the museum experience. It's not the same museum you interacted with on a school trip 20 years ago; museums are changing and will continue to evolve. But to be relevant, we need to find the "blue ocean" where we can have the greatest community impact and create a point of differentiation.

Q: How do you view the construction of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights?

A: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights will be a wonderful addition to our community and we have already been working with them for a number of years. While we want to continue to be a strong partner and embrace the opportunity to package with them, we also need to maintain a point of differentiation. Come 2012, we don't want a family to ask, "What are we going to do today?" the kids say, "Let's go to the museum!" Dad asks, "Which one?" and the kids say, "Let's go to the new one." Well, we don't want to be the old museum. We are and will continue to be a very strong institution that is continuously evolving and want the public to realize the distinction.

Q: Do you have any mentors that you particularly admire?

A: I've been a cultural CEO for 27 years and have worked with many boards, so I have had fabulous mentors from that group. But those who stand out most are leaders in the cultural sector. Some have taken me under their wing; some I have cold-called seeking their advice. If I'm stumped, I'll pick up the phone and find out what my colleagues are doing at the Royal Ontario Museum or at the Royal British Columbia Museum. We all can learn from the success of others, and I highly recommend asking how others handled a tough situation and applying that to your process. When it's their turn to be stumped, I'll gladly return the favour and take the time to help them out.

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, CMC, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com.

View From the Top

The heads of some of Manitoba's most successful

companies talk about their business and people challenges.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 11, 2009 G1