Catalyzing Communities Through Stronger Leadership

IMLS Senior Advisor Dr. Marvin D. Carr summarized earlier this month, “today’s museums, libraries, and archives are more than community anchor institutions that generate economic and societal community benefits; they build and lead change in their neighborhoods.”

Yet, how do we, the people within these organizations, make this change happen? Let me explain how. Since 2014, I have had the privilege of facilitating a 32-partner strong, cross-sector IMLS-supported(link is external) project team that is actively articulating the skills needed when archives, library, and museum professionals lead change. This Nexus LAB(link is external) project team, in partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership(link is external)and by leveraging its 360 by Design® leadership competency library, has produced for community review the draft Layers of Leadership Across Libraries, Archives, and Museums(link is external). The Layers of Leadership outlines leadership competencies across six career stages, connecting them with related learning objectives, and articulates the broader outcomes that can result in our organizations, professions, and communities when we have more effective leaders.

Learn more on the Institute of Museum and Library Services’s blog.