Ethical debate: Professional development
"The Code of Ethics calls for museums to 'recruit, train and develop individuals so that the skills and knowledge of members of museum staff...are appropriate to the needs of the individual and the museum.' (10.9)
Current research looking at entry into the professional has shown it is difficult to recruit staff at senior levels in museums - 'many management jobs are hard to fill and have to be re-advertised' (Maurice Davies).
Are museums failing to develop their staff with the skills they need?"
For the best-run institutions there are many opportunities for junior staff to acquire technical and specialist skills, from both internal and external sources - such as the MPG.
At senior levels however, opportunities to master essential skills in areas such as influencing, negotiation, and advocacy are not as abundant.
Staff in museums are often promoted and given line management responsibility without first displaying the aptitude or subsequently given the training to do this. There are fewer senior positions, and those in these higher positions are less likely to move up or out of the organisation, and will naturally be disinclined to develop staff who may later challenge them.
Added to this it is disingenuous to bracket 'museums' together. Experience gained in one area of the sector may not necessarily be transferable - making for a limited pool of suitable candidates for roles that can be quite distinct.
There are clearly some generic leadership and management skills that can be learned from any organisation. However, given the peculiar and distinctive nature of the museum sector, success may hinge more upon luck and personality rather than a learned skills set.
Who is responsible for developing staff in museums? The Code of Ethics states "all those who work for or govern museums". Many institutions are working hard and have frameworks to develop staff, but the onus is also on individuals to push for their own development.
William Brown, Chair MPG
I am not sure it is difficult to recruit staff at senior levels in museums, although it is a trick in itself to recruit the right staff. The sector has unique considerations. Museums are hybrids - a range of public services needing to be ever more commercial. Is it any wonder it is difficult to find the right staff?
Unfortunately this is compounded in many museums by insufficient attention given to HR approaches, especially in the areas of performance management, appraisal, personal development and recruitment. People often are not even trained in basic management skills.
This was the case in NMM when the staff politely highlighted that many managers were in roles in which they had received little or no preparation. Fortunately this was echoed by the managers themselves and our Management Development programme was born. Now in its sixth year it has been extended to specialists covering all aspects of modern museum management particularly as it relates to NMM and widened to include modules on leadership.
Any internal development should be delivered through a framework (such as Investors in People, still fairly rare within the sector). Beyond this basic but essential approach, a blend of experiential development plus suitable mentoring seems key.
Here there are some exemplars. The established UEA course has been joined by Clore, and the MLA's nascent Leading Archives and Museums programme is one to watch. As a sector however we could do much more. We could be collaborative in nurturing our talent by combining in a structured approach to secondments, exchanges, mentoring and sharing developmental job opportunities across funding bodies, locally, nationally and internationally.
Andy Bodle, Director (Operations and Human Resources), National Maritime Museum
Current research looking at entry into the professional has shown it is difficult to recruit staff at senior levels in museums - 'many management jobs are hard to fill and have to be re-advertised' (Maurice Davies).
Are museums failing to develop their staff with the skills they need?"
For the best-run institutions there are many opportunities for junior staff to acquire technical and specialist skills, from both internal and external sources - such as the MPG.
At senior levels however, opportunities to master essential skills in areas such as influencing, negotiation, and advocacy are not as abundant.
Staff in museums are often promoted and given line management responsibility without first displaying the aptitude or subsequently given the training to do this. There are fewer senior positions, and those in these higher positions are less likely to move up or out of the organisation, and will naturally be disinclined to develop staff who may later challenge them.
Added to this it is disingenuous to bracket 'museums' together. Experience gained in one area of the sector may not necessarily be transferable - making for a limited pool of suitable candidates for roles that can be quite distinct.
There are clearly some generic leadership and management skills that can be learned from any organisation. However, given the peculiar and distinctive nature of the museum sector, success may hinge more upon luck and personality rather than a learned skills set.
Who is responsible for developing staff in museums? The Code of Ethics states "all those who work for or govern museums". Many institutions are working hard and have frameworks to develop staff, but the onus is also on individuals to push for their own development.
William Brown, Chair MPG
I am not sure it is difficult to recruit staff at senior levels in museums, although it is a trick in itself to recruit the right staff. The sector has unique considerations. Museums are hybrids - a range of public services needing to be ever more commercial. Is it any wonder it is difficult to find the right staff?
Unfortunately this is compounded in many museums by insufficient attention given to HR approaches, especially in the areas of performance management, appraisal, personal development and recruitment. People often are not even trained in basic management skills.
This was the case in NMM when the staff politely highlighted that many managers were in roles in which they had received little or no preparation. Fortunately this was echoed by the managers themselves and our Management Development programme was born. Now in its sixth year it has been extended to specialists covering all aspects of modern museum management particularly as it relates to NMM and widened to include modules on leadership.
Any internal development should be delivered through a framework (such as Investors in People, still fairly rare within the sector). Beyond this basic but essential approach, a blend of experiential development plus suitable mentoring seems key.
Here there are some exemplars. The established UEA course has been joined by Clore, and the MLA's nascent Leading Archives and Museums programme is one to watch. As a sector however we could do much more. We could be collaborative in nurturing our talent by combining in a structured approach to secondments, exchanges, mentoring and sharing developmental job opportunities across funding bodies, locally, nationally and internationally.
Andy Bodle, Director (Operations and Human Resources), National Maritime Museum
