For today’s break, a beautifully produced yet simple 3:44 video by Adam Worth about the historic African American cemeteries in New Jersey, many of which are abandoned and slowly disappearing into nature.  It discusses their historical significance as well as current preservation challenges.

Harvard Business Review, April 2013

Non-profit organizations often grumble about the inefficiencies of the typical board-executive director governance model, but it appears that corporate boards share many of the same frustrations. In the April 2013 issue of the Harvard Business Review, Jeffery Sonnefeld, Melanie Kusin, and Elise Walton analyze the opinions of dozens of CEOs and distilled them into five pieces of advice for board members:

1. Focus on the risks that are the most crucial to the future of the enterprise.
While boards should serve to rein in the “cowboy CEO,” they often are much more timid and rein in any form or shape of risk. “Boards often lack the intestinal fortitude for the level of risk taking that healthy growth requires” and ironically, this timidity increases with organizational growth and capacity. Young organizations are more flexible, courageous, and bold. Why avoid risk? Surprisingly, it seems that boards “too often put self-interest and self-preservation ahead of shareholder interests”—translated into the non-profit world, they care more about their seats in the boardroom than they do about the audiences they are supposed to represent and serve. “You need to make sure both management and the board are always focused on long-term shareholder value.” Of course, that means you all agree on what improves value or increases impact. Most museums and historic sites rarely consider outcomes or impact because they’re too focused on preserving, collecting, and interpreting, confusing the means for the ends.

2. Do your homework. Board members not only need to be prepared for the meetings by reviewing the agenda and materials in advance, but understand the workings of the organization and the field in general. “If you don’t take the time and effort to learn the business, I can’t really have a dialogue with you,” said one CEO. CEOs are responsible for keeping their boards informed beyond the distribution of minutes and agenda—it’s hard to maintain continuity of thought between meetings. Sending updates between meetings can be helpful but it’s important that it not be overwhelming nor that it be too formal and time consuming. Secondly, some big decisions requires extra time so the board can conduct due diligence and deliberate. With key decisions, don’t present an idea and ask for resolution in the same meeting. Let the board know your thoughts and allow for conversation and discussion.

3. Bring broad, relevant knowledge to the table. Board diversity is required in order to bring perspective and specialized knowledge to bear on important deliberations but achieving that mix isn’t easy. Many CEOs wished other CEOs would serve on their boards because they understand short-term blips, have ideal experience, and great perspective. Instead boards are stocked only with “academics, money guys, number twos, and HR people who don’t have the same ability to synthesize.” They’re not the only ones to avoid:

• Former CEOs who can be disruptive by getting overinvolved in management and acting in ways to regain a lost sense of power and glory. Anyone interested in serving as CEO should step down from the board—that’s an inherent conflict of interest.
• “Celebrity directors,” such as movie stars, famous musicians, and elected officials. Although they’re supposed to contribute “star power,” ironically these “celebrity directors” have little impact on overall corporate image. Instead the “celebrity director” increases his or her prestige and social standing by saying they’re on your board.
• “Professional directors,” retirees who rotate among boards but aren’t actively involved in the field.

4. Do more to challenge strategy constructively. Thoughtful discussions and debate are often missing in meetings because of the natural tendency to avoid conflicts. As one CEO mentioned, “In the boardroom, the thinking is: You have to be equal. Don’t be overwhelming or dominant, don’t hurt feelings, and don’t take someone’s chair. It’s all about getting along.” The result is that discussions occur at the watercooler or in the parking lot, where they can’t be compared or integrated with other views in the board meeting. A way to overcome these tendencies is to ask probing questions (rather than just stating opinions), focus on current decisions and future issues (rather than rehashing past mistakes), and police one another if there’s a disruptive personality (something that’s nearly impossible for the executive director).

5. Make succession less, not more, disruptive to operations. Succession planning can inflict profound damage if not handled in an orderly fashion. Leaders should consider rising talent within the organization equally with external candidates and be wary of making an intemperate decision to oust an executive director without a group discussion.  Figure out the process first (in a neutral situation, without consideration to specific individuals and before its needed), then apply the process when appropriate.

This eight-page article would make good reading for non-profit board members, either as part of the packet for a regular meeting or at a retreat to assess the board’s current performance. It’s available online at HBR.org.

In honor of Historic Preservation month, the videos in May will feature related topics, starting with “The Royal Castle: From Destruction to Reconstruction” by Novina Studio. This 2:28 animation traces the destruction of this historical monument by the Nazis in World War II to its reconstruction in 1974. Simple and dramatic, it provides a quick history of the site.

Last week I led an AASLH workshop with George McDaniel on the management of historic house museums at Oaklands, a mid-nineteenth century house in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Eighteen people participated, most from Tennessee, but we had a couple from as far as Alaska!  Adding to the diversity were several graduate students from Middle Tennessee State University (which has strong programs in history, public history, and historic preservation) and even though it was near the end of the semester and finals were on their minds, they helped enrich the discussions.

One of the features in the workshop is that every participant brings an issue or problem that they’d like to address.   The range is wide and unpredictable, but it’s a helpful way to check the pulse on the challenges facing historic sites.  In this class, these issues were:

1. How to prevent staff burn-out (how to keep growing despite small staff; finding the right mix of skills for staff)
2. How to fund preservation and staffing.
3. Want to engage younger local audiences (ages 40-60 years)
4. How to engage the local community with limited resources.
5. How to leverage upcoming centennial of the city and the house to develop a mission and plan for the future of the house (viability, publicity, attracting visitors, etc.).
6. How to balance daily demands with longterm plans and goals (e.g., collections, program development, preservation).
7. How to move historic preservation advocacy from the site to the surrounding neighborhood
8. How to engage local community beyond school tours.
9. How to engage local community and be more relevant (especially diverse audiences—missing college students, 30-50 year olds).
10. How to manage volunteers.
11. Providing a consistent visitor experience across many sites. Aligning goals, practices, and standards for governance across many sites.
12. Balancing two different interpretive stories/narratives at the same site.
13. Connecting historical narrative given in the tour with the objects on display.
14. How to identify preservation/maintenance issues before they occur and find good craftspeople/consultants.

By the end of the two-day workshop, most participants found they weren’t the only ones tackling these issues and had identified the next steps to address them, often recognizing that they may need to take a step back and tackle more fundamental aspects such as mission, vision, or strategy.

I always enjoy the workshops as well because it’s great to be surrounded by so many people who care about historic sites.  Plus it gives me a chance to see a new part of the country and experience it through their food–the barbeque pork, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese were excellent and for the first time I encountered fruit tea, “congealed” salad, and two new kinds of corn bread (hoecakes and hot water)!  This country hasn’t homogenized yet, thank goodness.

Modern visitors encounter historic visitors in Annapolis, Maryland, a clever way to connect people to the past.  In their visitor center on the waterfront, the Historic Annapolis Foundation installed a wall of life-size images of famous and popular celebrities who have visited Annapolis during the past two hundred years.  The main label reads:

Who are these people, and why are they here?

You may recognize a few of them, or perhaps all of them.

Each of these people is famous for one reason or another, and each spent time in Annapolis.  Some were here in the recent past, while others many years ago.  Some passed through the city on a whirlwind tour, and some called Annapolis home.

But what does George Washington have in common with Sarah Jessica Parker?  The Marquis de Lafayette with Mark Twain?  Amelia Earhart with Michelle Obama?

Their common bond is that each of them could return to Annapolis today and recognize downtown because of Historic Annapolis.  Thanks to historic preservation, Annapolitans have protected their city’s historic buildings, streets, vistas, and character, and continue this effort today. Thus, each of our famous people could return and recognize places and sights from their original Annapolis experience, whether their visit was in the 21st century or the 18th.

As you explore Annapolis, described by many as a “museum without walls,” remember that you may be following in the footsteps of an astronaut or an aviatrix, a First Lady or a Founding Father, a French nobleman or an English queen.

The pamphlets below will guide you on the paths of these and other notable people who visited Annapolis.  Where will you go today?

Individual rackcards explain the person’s connection to Annapolis, highlight places and audio stops associated with him or her, and provide a map with local landmarks.  Visitors can choose from a wide range of personalities, including George Washington, Queen Elizabeth, Clara Barton, Michelle Obama, and Charles Bolden.  Some of the cards have small ads on the bottom on the back side, which is a nice way to generate revenue and promote a local business.

What a great way to help modern visitors cross paths with historic people–same place, different times.  I really like the how the Historic Annapolis’ mission and accomplishments are woven into the text, something I wish more organizations would do in their exhibits.  The staff said it’s been a popular exhibit, although if they were to do it again, they’d enlarge the numbers in the audiostops for legibility (they’re about 8 point and probably should be around 12 point).  If there’s anything I’d change, it’s that the label moves back and forth between two different topics–historic preservation and historic celebrities–and perhaps instead should start with one and close with the other.  For example, it could open with, “Who are these people and why are they here?  They’ve all visited Annapolis and if they returned today, they’d still recognize it.  Historic Annapolis has worked with local residents and businesses to protect and preserve our city’s…”  The transition might be, “Today you can enjoy the very same places as George Washington, Michelle Obama, Mark Twain, and Amelia Earhart, and imagine following in their footsteps.  You’ll walk the same streets, see the same buildings, and perhaps even hear…”, discuss a couple historic visitors, and close by inviting the reader to pick up a rackcard to learn more.  Nevertheless, this simple exhibit lays out two important goals for most historic site interpretation:

• a relevant and engaging connection between the community’s past and today’s visitor
• an explanation of the purpose of the organization, why it’s important and deserves your support. 

And now for something completely different:  The most popular individuals, judging from the empty slots in the rack, aren’t people but a goat and a cat.  Hmm, I wonder if people relate better to animals than people–should we incorporate the interpretation of pets in historic house tours?

“This is an exceptional appointment for the Preservation Society,” said CEO & Executive Director Trudy Coxe. “Dr. Ossman brings both intellectual rigor and down-to-earth museum experience to this critical leadership position. We are excited to add her breadth of museum experience and academic achievement to the leadership of our combined museum affairs activities.”

The Director of Museum Affairs provides vision and leadership on curatorial, conservation, research and educational initiatives at the Preservation Society’s 11 historic houses, seven of them National Historic Landmarks, which range in date from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries. With a collection of 55,000 objects comprised of fine and decorative arts, photographs, prints and drawings displayed within landmark period houses, the Preservation Society attracts more than 800,000 visitors annually, making it one of the largest cultural organizations in New England.

“Newport inspired me to study architectural history, and I am honored by the opportunity to pursue my passion for the history, beauty and cultural legacy of this extraordinary place,” said Dr. Ossman. “I am thrilled to join the staff of The Preservation Society of Newport County, a longstanding leader in the preservation, scholarship, and interpretation of historic sites, and look forward to working with my colleagues, the trustees and stakeholders in the community.”

Dr. Ossman graduated with honors from Brown University, then earned her Master’s degree in Architectural History from the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia (UVA), followed by her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, also from UVA. She has taught the history of American architecture and urban planning, and has lectured and written extensively on architectural history, design and preservation, most recently Carrere and Hastings: The Masterworks, with Heather Ewing (Rizzoli, 2011), and Great Houses of the South (Rizzoli, 2010).  While director of Woodlawn, she initiated a major research project into its mid-nineteenth century history, including its role as an experimental farm using free black labor and as a contested territory between Union and Confederate lines in the Civil War, and re-envisioned the site through a partnership with a local restaurant group.

“The Preservation Society prides itself in the quality of its research and scholarship in history, design and preservation, and Dr. Ossman brings stellar credentials that will help us to continue our leadership in those areas,” added Donald O. Ross, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island is a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.   Its eleven historic sites include the Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, and Marble House.

Take a break today and be inspired by this video on the Mast Brothers, a small chocolate maker in Brooklyn.  It’s a combination of craft, history, and biography in a well produced short film by The Scout.  For historic sites that interpret processes past or present, such as food production, building construction, archaeology, or historical research, this might be an engaging approach.

One of the most popular sections is membership (who doesn’t want more supporters?).  George uses his experience from Drayton Hall to demonstrate some techniques in the tour for showing “membership dollars at work,” which gets visitors so excited that many join at the end of the tour.  With members in more than 7,500 households in all 50 states, Drayton Hall must have one of the nation’s largest membership programs for an historic site, so their techniques work.

I provide a complementary perspective, using profiles to understand member motivations and interests.  In an exercise, I have the class combine a mission statement with a member profile to develop a membership program or activity.  I’m always surprised by the imagination and thoughtfulness of the resulting ideas, and participants agree that having a profile made it much easier to create a good program.  Here’s an example of a member profile:

Midlife Success is typically filled with childless singles and couples in their thirties and forties.  The wealthiest of the Younger Years class, this group is home to many white, college-educated residents who make six-figure incomes at executive and professional jobs but also extends to more middle class segments.  Most of these segments are found in suburban and exurban communities, and consumers here are big fans of the latest technology, financial products, aerobic exercise, and travel. 

Some people might find this vague and superficial, but for most historic sites, it’s a deeper level of understanding and provides distinctions among an otherwise amorphous “public” or “members”.  I’d rather have an organization improve their aim enough to hit the target now than wait until they have it perfect to hit the bulls-eye later.

For this workshop, I’m taking it a step further.  In the past I’ve used generic profiles and the mission statement from the Stowe Center, but this year we’ll be using Oaklands in Murfreesboro, Tennessee–our host site–as the demonstration.  Oaklands has allowed me to develop profiles based of their members so the class will have a real-life experience and Oaklands will have some smart ideas to try after we leave.  It’s a mutually beneficial situation (at least that’s what I’m hoping; I’ll let you know if I missed the target!).

On April 18, I enjoyed a sneak peak of the restoration underway at Clara Barton’s Civil War-era office and warehouse on 7th Street in downtown Washington, DC–where she worked and lived before founding the American Red Cross in 1881.  The historic site opens to the public as a museum in fall 2014.

From the street, you’d never imagine that this was a nationally significant historic site.  It’s a simple three-story brick building surrounded by restaurants, towering condos and offices, popular museums, and a major sports arena.  Indeed, it was overlooked by those who were searching for it because it didn’t fit their image of a warehouse.  Its historical significance was forgotten for most of the century until 1997, when a nightwatchman hired to keep vagrants out of the vacant building noticed a document jutting out from the ceiling.  It turned out to be part of a cache of artifacts belonging to Clara Barton that had been stored in the attic crawlspace above what later was determined to be her office and warehouse.  During the Civil War, she collected and stored supplies for soldiers on the battlefield on the third floor of this former boarding house and afterward, turned it into an office to reconnect families with more than 21,000 missing soldiers.  She closed the office to aid soldiers in the Franco-Prussian War and her equipment and supplies were boxed and moved into the attic, where they remained for more than one hundred years.  Her last home and office (which also served as a warehouse) is in nearby Glen Echo, Maryland and is now a National Historic Site (and I believe it’s the first NPS site that’s significant to women’s history).

Now managed by the General Services Administration (a federal agency), OLBN Architectural Services of Rockville, Maryland (my hometown!) is restoring the third floor to its 19th century appearance.  The Museum of Civil War Medicine recently agreed to undertake the management and interpretation of this new historic site, with a planned opening in fall 2014.  I’ve walked by this site many times (it’s between the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art) and always wondered what was inside, so I jumped at the invitation from Mark Rabinowitz, an architectural conservator at Conservation Solutions who is consulting on the project.  I was fortunate that Andrea Mones gave the tour of the site–she’s a longtime employee with GSA and has worked on the project since it’s rediscovery.  She walked through the unrestored rooms to share the history of the building, restoration goals, and recent discoveries (including a business card from a jeweler that Barton mentions in her diary!).  It’s always amazing that signficant historic places continue to be discovered nearly untouched, a reminder to ignore those assumptions that everything historic has already been designated or identified.

This Friday’s break features Welcome to Fontevraud, a 2:25 video interpreting an arts and cultural center housed in a medieval abbey in western France.  How would artists interpret your site?