SUSTAINING LEADERSHIP IN HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS

By Evan Adams, Trustee of the Butler Clear Fork valley Historical Society and Region 2 Representative, OAHSM

Local History Notebook, July / August 1991

History Means Continuity

Historical organizations have an interest in preserving, interpreting, and understanding the past in order to bring a sense of meaning to the present. The nature of historical thought assumes continuity between the past and the present.

Historical societies embody a group vision and enthusiasm for preserving the past through organizational activities that will sustain the anecdotes, documents, artifacts, and memorabilia over time.

Just as historic artifacts and knowledge can be lost over time, historical societies can also lose some of their vitality and vision over time. When there is a decline in the vigor and purpose of a historical society it can often be traced to a failure to prepare for leadership succession.

Leaders Are Made Not Born

Organizational life has many dynamics that set it in motion and help to sustain its purposes across time. With historical organizations, the genesis is often a feeling of responsibility about preserving knowledge of the past, but that burden is usually shouldered by only a few individuals.

Leadership must carry the vision and mission forward through the stages of organizational development and brings about the active participation of the community as a whole in the society's life. Leaders bear the responsibility to steer the society in a particular direction, the responsibility to chart the society's mission, and then to see that the organization meets its stated goals.

Leaders arise out of the body of the society members in response to the group's will, generally as a result of their having displayed ability to organize effort and to establish an agenda for the present and future. We recognize leadership potential in certain individuals, and we create leaders by placing them in positions of responsibility. Some of these people bear marks of leadership ability by dint of their life experiences, clarity of thought and expression, and appropriateness of action. Sometimes, however, we elect leaders because they are popular or because they have charisma. And sometimes we chose leaders from the pressure to find someone who is willing to take on the job! Fortunate is the historical society that has a large number of members who have leadership ability and the will to meet the distinctive demands of administering a historical agency.

Leadership is Continuity

A historical society can sometimes continue to function on the momentum of its past history and learned experience. But it is the task of leadership to consciously build a future that will guarantee continuity of the society's life and purpose. Leaders should not only be conscious of their present responsibilities for the life of the organization, but they should also consciously be building the future of the organization by selecting and training its future leaders.

Leadership is Defined by Mission

Leadership's role and responsibility is defined by the nature of the organization's goals as well as the activities of the group. There is a need for leadership that can conduct the current activities and functions of the society, and there is a need for leadership that can develop long range strategy for the society. These two levels of leadership might be described as tactical leadership and strategic leadership. The many facets of organizational life require various people to take leadership roles in a number of different areas: programs, membership, special projects, museum operations, and fund raising, to name a few. The men and women in these roles could be called tactical leaders. The strategic leaders plan the continuation, abrogation, or alteration of these tasks to meet changing conditions.

Developing Leaders for the Future

Looking for leaders only at the time of the society's annual nomination or election may be too late to find the right kind of strategic leadership. Popularity and charisma may not be the best predictors for success in strategic leadership. Putting pressure on the body of members to find someone willing to shoulder the next year's responsibilities might be counter-productive. A conscious process of creating leaders for future important roles in the society is one way to assure there will be a long term and healthy future.

Some Marks of Leaders in Historical Societies

Effective leaders in historical societies consciously develop their knowledge of historical organization affairs and history. Just as a news reporter needs a "nose for news," historical society leaders need "noses for their business." Good leaders are conscious of the need to grow in their knowledge of the specifics of their roles and in their general knowledge of the field.

Some Practical Ways to Grow

Reading the literature that links the local group with the affairs of other similar groups is one way to achieve growth in knowledge of historical organization affairs. Another way is to participate in conferences and training workshops.

Leadership is Education

Historical societies are essentially educational organizations, and their leaders should think of themselves as facilitators of education. Society meetings where local history is reported through anecdote and story are educational. Lectures on historical subjects by those who are professionally prepared are educational. Meaningful displays of historical materials in interpretive exhibits are educational. Strategic leadership should be constantly conscious of the organization's educational role and should think about change in terms of enhancement of that role.

Leadership Development through Participation

Future leaders for important roles in the historical society should be developed by involving them in key assignments alongside experienced leadership. Acting as mentor to future leaders is usually a conscious process of good leaders. Even when a leader is not naturally a "teaching' kind of person, inviting him to share in another's development often brings rewards to both individuals. Also, the greater the number of members who know about the operations of the society, the more likely a suitable person can be found to step into a leadership role when the need arises.

Placing good resource books into the hands of future leaders will also help to shape them for their future roles. Taking potential leaders to regional conferences and workshops is another way of expanding their horizons for their tasks. Giving assignments in local history research to potential future leaders will provide additional insight into what local history is all about.

Just as historical continuity is an understanding of the relationship of present events and people to the events and people of the past, so leadership continuity for an organization requires a conscious understanding of how the actions of present leaders will produce the kinds of leaders the organization will have in the future.

Personal Observations of Three Historical Organization Leaders on the Subject of Sustaining Leadership

Jane Trucksis of the Worthington Historical Society says it is important to keep new members coming into the society's committees. You should give new people responsible positions as soon as you can. According to Trucksis:

When you have an old guard, make room for the new people by using the old guard in advisory capacities. Possibly you can establish a "sustaining board." This will help in avoiding the "We've always done it this way" syndrome and it will help to keep new ideas coming in.

It is important to keep the organization's image sharp in the minds of everyone in the community, to develop clout in the community, and to make membership in the society an "in" thing. These are considerations that are primarily in the fields of membership and public relations.

Committee chairmen and officers need to consider who will replace them and begin to groom people to do that. It is very important to provide for succession and to train people to take over key roles.

These methods of providing for leadership succession have worked better in the past than they are working right now. It was easier to do these things in a smaller community than it is in a large one. Mothers of school children used to have more time for this kind of activity. Now they are working or spending time with other kinds of organizations. It is a case of the new kid on the block drawing the most attention. The newer organizations seem to be speaking more relevantly to younger people.

Perhaps we need to consider what is most appealing to people at this time, rethink our priorities rather than assume that others are interested in the same things we have been interested in.

The status of volunteering has also changed. Earlier, volunteers were highly respected. Now, volunteering does not appear to be the "in" thing to do. Many mothers work and those that do not find that being a parent presents enough challenge. There are many opportunities and encouragement for mothers to join groups that relate to their children and to participate in their activities. Historical organizations must face these challenges.

Corinne Dixon of the Logan County Historical Society says the leaders in a historical society have to be go-getters. They have to be willing to go the extra distance to accomplish their goals for the organization. Dixon says LCHS's president Charles De Marsh gives talks to area groups to Corinne Dixon make sure the public is aware of the society and its activities. He has taken courses in public speaking to further develop his capabilities for addressing various audiences.

Dixon also believes the key people in historical organizations will make greater and greater contributions when they find the work they do fits in with their personal interests. She first visited the Logan County Historical Society when she took her mother there to do genealogical research. Fascinated by the materials that were available, including files of old newspapers, she and several friends got together and asked the Society's president at the time to let them operate a genealogy library three days a week. The president acquiesced, happy to see the organization's services expanded. The more Dixon worked with the materials in the library, the more she found interest in them. She and her associates spent more and more time with the records and eventually developed a working archival facility for the Society.

In describing Braden's contributions, Dixon notes that she is the kind of person everyone likes to have for a friend. Dixon met Braden at the Kroger store where she worked for thirty-six years until she retired. Dixon's mother would often say when they were shopping, "Let's get in Phyllis's line." When Dixon saw Braden in the museum one day and learned she had retired, she said "Why don't you come and help us?" Braden did, and soon became one of the Society's mainstays.

"The question of leadership succession in a historical society is something that has always worried me," says Trella Romine, immediate past president of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums and former president of the Marion County Historical Society. According to Romine:

Leadership develops from those few people that have a spark within them. There is no way you can develop that spark if it isn't there. But you can fan the spark if it is. As Bill Nolan (also a former president of the Association) always says, "Find the spark plug."

When we first moved into our new museum headquarters in Heritage Hall (the former Marion post office), we were installing glass cases which had been contributed by Snow's, a store in town. I called several people whose names were on a list of new members to see who might be willing to help. One of the people I called was Eula Rhodes, whom I had known as the assistant manager of a local drug store. She and her sister showed up to help with buckets, soap, and cloths. They started right in and have been working hard ever since. They now run the gift shop and Eula is vice president of the Society in line of succession to become president.

My own involvement grew out of a spark I didn't even know I had. Shortly after my son David completed college, he asked me if I would like to join him in attending a six-week local history course taught by Judge Charlton Myers. I did, and because Judge Myers was such a good teacher, 1, along with others, became hooked on the subject. David and others in the group urged that a county historical society be formed. It was, and he became a trustee. A year later he moved to Cincinnati, leaving his position on the board open. David asked me if I would be interested in serving on the board if he suggested my name as a possibility. I told him yes, and I was appointed."

Shortly thereafter, we received a letter from a publisher inquiring whether the Society might be interested in updating and reprinting a county history. I was named chair of the committee to do it. When we got through, we had added $2,000 to the Society's treasury.

Gradually, I became more and more involved. I was elected secretary of the board. I began writing historical articles and another history. I edited the newsletter. I became president of the Society. I attended the regional meetings and annual meetings of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums.

The Association only had one representative in each region at that time. Our rep, Elaine Mellett, asked me to attend an OAHSM board meeting in her place. Not having been elected, I couldn't vote. But I could talk, and never having been afraid to speak out when I had something to say, I did. I soon found myself heavily involved with OAHSM, an association I have enjoyed tremendously and which has helped me to grow.

Just recently, when I had occasion to work closely with another member of our board, I was pleased to note how committed she is. I mentally marked her as a person who is sure to grow in influence and importance to our Society. She is a board member who will make a difference.

There are plenty of opportunities for board members to make contributions. We have a large board, but we have enough committees so that each can be headed by a board member. The opportunity is there for those who have the spark. Those who do will seize the opportunity and make a contribution. New leadership will evolve from this.

What it really amounts to is that a society's activities create its membership base, and the membership base creates a pool for new leadership. We have been particularly fortunate in having a great deal of support for our activities from the local media. The community has also been very supportive of our effort to preserve the post office building. As a result, our membership has recently grown by about one-third. This significantly enlarges our potential leadership pool. If we can continue to fan the spark in those who have it, we will be able to find the leaders we need to keep us growing.

Additional Reading

Tracy D. Connors, editor in chief. The Nonprofit Organization Handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980.

Nancy S. Nordhoff, Jo Larsen, Putnam Barber, and Dorothy P. Craig. Fundamental Practices for Success with Volunteer Boards of Non-Profit Organizations. Seattle: FunPrax Associates, 1982.

The Local History Notebook is edited and published by the Ohio Historical Society's Local History Office in order to bring useful information to people working in the local history field. The selections of subjects and authors is based on inquiries to the Local History Office and on the editors' determination of issues which are timely in nature and lasting in scope. The reference inserts are copyrighted 1991 by the Ohio Historical Society. Reprints are available; please specify volume and number. For further information, contact: