Wellbeing at the Museum Starts with Us

Sky over Manhattan, Dorothée King, 2007

Talk held at the MuseumNext: MUSEUMS, HEALTH & WELLBEING SUMMIT, 31 January - 2 February 2022

I am convinced, that well-being at a museum has to start with the well-being of the people working for the museum. The people who are the core of the museum. If we are not feeling well, how are we supposed to make others feel well? “Happy mom, happy kids.” Shall be translated to “Happy Museum teams, happy visitors.” 

I promote the idea to define museums as workspaces, where each and every individual should feel seen, valued, and supported in their own organization, where each and every individual with their characteristics, talents, and goals can show themselves and contribute. I promote the museum as a space for fulfillment at the workplace. That demands radical honesty: Am I doing what makes me flow? Am I working at the right end?

When we all contribute authentically, our organisation will develop strengthened and authentically, and all its partners will benefit from it.

Three aspects shall be discussed in detail. These aspects shall be illustrated with examples and self-coaching tools. So please have a paper or pen, or a notes tool ready. 

Aspect One: As individuals, we should dare to be a TALL POPPY, the emblematic high poppy, which grows beyond the structures of our organization. We should not stay in the box, that was offered to us with our job description, or that we build for ourselves over the course of. We should not be afraid to show ourselves. This requires an appreciative atmosphere in which the various roles of all employees can be renegotiated.

Aspect Two: We should dare to establish JOMO (The Joy of Missing Out). Let’s stand as individuals for our individual needs and perspectives. Let’s not hop on all trends inside and outside our organization, aka digitalization or podcasts or whatever, but contribute with our very own individual skills, interests, and authentic strengths.

Aspect Three: JOYFUL NETWORKS grow and thrive best when we are authentic and honest with ourselves and our partners. So, let’s work together with the people that give us energy instead of sucking our energy.

 
The Tall Poppies 

Why shall we talk about tall poppies, when it comes to well-being in museums? Because we want to reverse a known phenomenon, the tall poppy syndrome (tps). The tall poppy syndrome describes aspects of a culture where people of high status are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticized because their achievements make them stand out from their peers.

The saying "Cutting down the tall poppy" is used in Australia and New Zealand, to describe those who deliberately put down another for another's success and achievements. It goes like this: Imagine a field of poppies. All the flowers are growing together. They should all be the same height; no poppy should grow taller. I want to establish the contrary: The Tall Poppy Phenomenon (TPP).

What would our work life look like, if we would all grow to our individual heights? More diverse, definitely more interesting, and way livelier. How would it be to work in an environment in which tall poppies would be celebrated instead of cut off? More progressive, more inspiring, and truer. How would it be if we would not be scared and would stop hiding our brilliant or quirky traits at work?

Let’s illustrate with an example
Let’s say, I have a fantastic coworker. Let’s call her Jenny. Jenny applied for a job as an academic researcher. Jenny was hired as an academic researcher. Jenny is doing her research job flawlessly, but predictably for years. All of the sudden, at a meeting, Jenny confesses shily, that she also has a degree in painting and print-making. These are skills that are highly needed in the education program. Coming out with these skills makes Jenny all of a sudden visible. Jenny can no longer hide behind third-party funding application sheets. Jenny might also get criticized by surprised co-workers, who think of her as the grey and effective office mouse, who do not want to see her grow. But foremost: Jenny will get in touch with visitors and her own artistic soul.
Wouldn’t it be nice for Jenny to work in an environment where everybody feels safe to bring in her skills anytime? Even when they are skills have nothing to do with the job description? Even when the skills might be changing over time?

Why is the idea of Tall Poppies important for working in the museum? Museum people are givers. We give expertise. We give knowledge. We give experiences. It is exhausting to not show ourselves fully. It is unsatisfying not only for ourselves, but also for your visitors or coworkers when we work with an applied handbrake. Who says that only museum expertise has space in a museum? Maybe your never shown baking skills would make the next community event a huge success? Maybe you are the born director, but never dared to say it out loud?

Coaching-Impulse
Let us be honest with ourselves: How would it feel like to be completely you while at work? Are there aspects of yourself you are hiding at your work, just to fit in better? Here come three coaching questions, that might help us to discover what we are hiding in the museum, but what we should show to be happy:

 * If money didn't matter, what would I do?

* What would I do if I knew I would succeed?

* What would I regret not doing when I was 80?

Take Away
Please write down your take-aways from the Tall Poppy Phenomena. What are three aspects you want to live at work? What does that mean for your work day tomorrow? For your next week? For the next year? 

As important of focusing on the things you love to do is to let go of the things you do no longer want to do. 
That brings us to the second aspect.

Let’s go for JOMO instead of FOMO in our work lives.

We all know what FOMO is. FOMO is the fear of missing out. The fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing. 

We all know FOMO too well. Not only in our private lives, but also working at a museum. Our concurrence is launching a podcast? Oh well, we also have to start our own weekly podcast. Why not start continuing education programs, while everybody else is doing it? The museum next door is focusing on augmented reality? Oh well, who wants to volunteer in setting up our own AR environments?

I propose to focus on JOMO instead. Jomo is a feeling of contentment with one’s own pursuits and activities, without worrying over the possibility of missing out on what others may be doing. 
JOMO can be applied to avoid stressful weekends, yet it can also be applied to museum work. 
I am convinced that JOMO will lead you on unique paths, that might be unconventional, that might to raised eyebrows. But these are developments that are more sustainable in the long run. 

Let’s have a look at the following example: 
We all remember a shared experience spanning the last two years: Covid19. Maybe you remember also, that all museums hysterically tried to get everything digital and online in no time. Maybe you also remember that not all digital attempts were successful. Maybe you also remember how much work it was, maybe for some of us also very draining. There is a small art museum in a small town on the North coast of Germany, the Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven. They decided against going digital. They started a small local campaign: If no one can come to the museum - Let’s bring the objects into our visitors’ homes. They brought sculptures of the artist Reiner Maria Matysik into private houses first nearby, then to various places in Germany, so that the people at their homes could enjoy the art during lockdown. Kunsthalle Wilhemshaven lived JOMO. They focused on what would bring the most joy to them. (And guess what, the whole idea went viral and almost all German online news in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland covered the story. And by the way no artwork broke). 

I am convinced that JOMO is super important for museums and their teams. Just imagine someone volunteers to do Virtual Reality (VR) but actually hates it. This person might leave after a year, or call in sick burnt out because she secretly longs to take care of her garden instead of screens. 
What if she felt safe in her workspace to say stop early on, and felt safe enough to come up with her own idea, of starting a gardening project, that accompanies an exhibition project? She would love her job and go there every day - thrilled and excited. 
Another example: Let’s say I have a team member, a tech guy, let’s name him Jonny. Jonny is super skilled and happy setting up complicated technical settings, but somehow always volunteers when it comes to strategical planning. Jonny is super excited at first, but soon totally overworked, then miserable. When he realizes that he is on the wrong path, he retreats to his tech cave. After a week of solitude, he comes out smiling again.

For the coaching impulse, again get your pen and paper. Let’s ask ourselves the following three questions: 

* What did you say “yes” to in your job, but actually meat “no”?

* What eats up your time and energy and leaves you drained?

* What are you going to do instead, tomorrow, next week, and the next year get rid of these tasks? 

Take Away
I pledge for radical honesty. There is this saying: Whatever you focus on grows. Let’s repeat that sentence because it is so important: Whatever you focus on grows.  Have you ever managed to reduce your emails by answering your emails? No. But have you ever started your workday with more fun and a feeling of fulfillment, because you didn’t even look into the computer, but did your favorite thing (research, meeting with visitors, being in the exhibition space, etc.) instead? Yes! 

So, my advice for a more sustainable, and at end also more progressive museum is: Say no to all the things that you do not want to do. Propose the things, or just do the things you do want to do. It requires practice and repetition, but it is rewarding to strengthen that JOMO-muscle.  

Let’s continue with discussing aspect three.

The importance of creating Joyful Networks

The idea about the joyful networks combines the courage of being a tall poppy with the concept of JOMO. Have you ever caught yourself working with people that do not share your energy? Have you ever wasted plenty of time sitting in meetings, and on planning groups, and at the end nothing came out of it? Besides you do a ton of – at the end – useless work, and a feeling of being tired? My thesis here is that 
* putting effort in networks, that are not our cup of tea, 
*spending time with people that are not on the same wavelength
* or holding on onto liaisons, you simply outgrew 
is sucking a lot of energy at the workplace.

Please do the opposite: Put networks on ice, for which you have no use anymore instead collaborate with inspiring people, that give you energy.  

Why are joyful networks so important for museums? Museums are no dusty archives anymore, but vivid community spaces. Museums are networks. Museums are hubs for bringing people together. Probably your job is mostly to develop sustainable networks with other museums, local shareholders, and once-in-a-while-visitors. 
If you feel unhappy in your networks, how are they supposed to grow? If you focus on fewer, but more fruitful connections, what do you think might happen? 
………

Let’s ask three coaching questions on the topic of joyful networks. Get your pen and paper ready: 

* With whom at your work and in your museum networks, do you feel you can completely be yourself?

* With whom in your close or further away networks do you want to spend more time, but somehow never did?

* What can you do to focus on your joyful networks tomorrow? Next week? Next year? 

My take-away, and hopefully your take-away here is as well: Say no to collaborations and networking topics, that do not feel inspiring. Joyful networks grow and thrive best when we are authentic and honest with ourselves and our partners. 

This statement translates into three very simple rules when it comes to museum networks:
* We shouldn't enter into networks that we don't feel like doing.
* We should surround ourselves with people we want to spend time with.
* We should deal with topics in our networks that challenge us in a positive way and brings us joy.

Let’s sum up and close:

To be well at your workplace, please show yourself with all your flaws and all your museum and non-museum expertise. Doing so will inspire others to be more authentic as well. 
Feeling well and being seen for who you truly are is at the end more inspiring than wage raises or the top-floor corner office. 
We spent so much time at the museum, or in our home office working for the museum. So Let’s focus on what brings you energy and joy, be courageous enough to miss out on the activities and networks that don’t. 

What can you do for your own well-being at your workplace? What are your notes and takeaways?

Please feel free to reach out to me, if you think, that your institution, your museum, could use a longer coaching session to water your own tall Jomo poppies. 

Thanks for your time.