Create platforms for collaboration. One of the great things about
collaboration that many people
overlook, they think collaboration is collecting a bunch of
diverse opinions and coming up
with a compromise solution.
Collaboration is actually an evolutionary process where a group
of people work together to
derive the best solution.
As an example, we opened up
a new exhibit last year called
‘Oceans.’ We started about
three years before it opened.
We started a series of meetings
in which anyone on the staff
could participate.
We were talking about why
we were doing the exhibit, what
we wanted to accomplish, then
we started listening to what others wanted to accomplish, what
they thought and what their
ideas were. Then we had meetings with specialist groups like
the aquatic engineering staff
who would work in there and
got information from them.
As time progressed, the ideas
and thoughts were narrowed
down until we knew exactly
what we were going to design
and create. There is no question
that what we ended up building
was not like what many of the
first group participants expected or even wanted to see. But as
the process continued, it became obvious what the end
product should be.
Keep moving. I have a strong
belief that you can’t lead if
you’re not moving. So my leadership style is that the institution
— and by definition, me — are
always moving, and hopefully,
that means moving forward.
We’re definitely a dynamic
operation, and I try to stay that
way myself. To do that, you
have to be connected to the rest
of the body. If you’re moving
and the rest of the organization
is not, you’re in trouble. So you
have to stay connected.
Those are the two things: Keep
moving and stay connected.
Then that takes you to the next
step: If you are moving, you have
to know where you are going.
HOW TO REACH: Indianapolis Zoo, (317) 630-2001 or www.indianapoliszoo.com