The Need for Transformational
Leaders
The museum director, Miguel Zugaza, who has
presided over the operations of the Prado Museum since 2002, has transformed
what was once a stagnant mausoleum of Western art into a cultural art
institution of the modern era. In an ARTnews article, “Making a More Modern
Prado,” George Stolz shares the remarkable story of Zugaza as the director of
the Prado. During Zugaza’s directorship, the Prado has witnessed changes in all
sectors of the make-up and inner workings of the museum. In 2003, the
administrative statues were rewritten, drastically changing its internal
operations, and in 2007, added a Rafael Moneo designed extension to the museum
space, increasing its size by 50 percent. In turn, the Prado saw new additions
to its operation, including a development office, expanded press and public
relations programs, a comprehensive conservation studio, education program,
greater public accessibility through the extension of operating hours, etc. And
to top it all off, Miguel has incorporated into what was once an institution of
tradition, modern and contemporary shows.
Before
Zugaza’s arrival, the Prado was stagnant in what has been a fast paced and
growing museum world. With a system of bureaucratic procedures in place, little
movement could be made in the advancement of the institution, its operations,
and in its aim for what comes with time, the need for CHANGE. Until Zugaza, the
museum was as Stolz puts it, “lost in time.” There were no public toilets until
the 1960s, no air conditioning until the 1970s, no microscopes in the
conservation lab until the 1980s and no temporary exhibition programs until the
1990s. It was not until 2002 that the Prado was finally freed from the
constraints of direct supervision, though still funded by the federal
government, and under the direction of Zugaza, was transformed into an
institution revered and in line with the need for change in the museum world, and
a museum to “watch.”
Zugaza is
clearly, a leader, innovator and voice for change. His innate ability or keen Emotional
Intelligence in regards to his
leadership style, which Copper, Sawaf, Glynn and Pennar describe as a
combination of self control, zeal, persistence, the ability to motivate oneself,
a basic flair for living, the ability to read another’s innermost feelings and
handle relationships smoothly seems to have worked quite well for Zugaza. Museums,
McCaughy states, tend to fragment without good direction as they are volatile
organizations. He, like Zugaza, feel that a successful museum depends upon the interaction
of many, e.g., community, audience, staff, and that primarily it is about relationships
and how they are managed. For Zugaza, the Prado and its
transformation was not so much to present a “modern” institution per se, but
rather, to provide a more suitable space to house the already great collection
of art while formulating and building upon programs and resources to better
inform the public, to engage and educate them and ultimately, to give the
public a place to appreciate and connect to the treasures the Prado houses time
and time again.
Zugaza’s passion for the arts and community
outreach is clear, as he states “education is what will carry us into the
future.” Museums of the past were at one time “passive”
institutions for scholars and the elite and it is the museum of now as
Theodore Low contends, that aims to serve the total population of their
respective communities. It is here that we will truly see whether Zugaza and
the Prado will succeed in moving forward and serving the community while
continuing to modify as needed, their internal structure, their ideas and their
goals to accommodate and contribute to the ever changing world. At the rate he
is going, there is much promise.
There is a clear and evident need now more
than ever for transformational leaders within the museum community. In this
ever changing world that we live in, coupled with the stagnation of many
museums, the goal should be to put transformational leaders at the helms of
these institutions to combine the old with the new and create a more vibrant,
interactive and community involved experience.
Low, Theodore. “What Is a Museum?”
Suchy, Sherene. “Emotional Intelligence,
Passion and Museum Leadership.”
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