Case study: Setting the Groundwork: AMaGA’s Approach to Succession Planning

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Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) is the national  association  and peak advocacy body representing museums and galleries across Australia.

AMaGA’s network is diverse and dynamic, welcoming both organisational and individual members.

Katie Russell, the CEO of AMaGA, has played a crucial role in implementing governance changes within the organisation. She explains that her objective is “to help drive effectiveness within the organisation and model behaviours for the sector.”

“It’s about protecting organisations by developing protocols and processes around their core functions and building a culture of knowledge sharing to ensure their long-term resilience.” – Australian Museums and Galleries Association CEO, Katie Russell

AMaGA’s National Council (the equivalent of AMaGA’s board) recently experienced significant generational change in the governance of the organisation, that triggered the need for updates to the association’s constitution and practices to achieve “lighter governance”, as Katie refers to it. These governance changes were necessitated by outgoing National Council members who were majority established and former museum professionals, choosing to give back to the sector in retirement, making way for an incoming newer generation [of] mid-career professionals.

Simple tweaks, such as timely distribution of papers and reports, have boosted the effectiveness of Council. This allows meetings to be focused on productive deliberations and issue resolution, and manageable time commitments for Council members. Other changes such as moving AMaGA’s financial year end date to 30 June instead of 31 December have strengthened internal controls around financial governance and staff management.

AMaGA has also taken a consistent and realistic approach to the perennial challenge of salary parity within small cultural organisations. As Katie says:

“Succession planning can fail if advertised remuneration packages for leadership roles fall short of industry benchmarks. Longer-term planning is tricky with unstable funding but with flexibility about operational as opposed to project-based roles, organisations can allow for incremental growth and more favourable salary outcomes. This work is, ultimately, an investment in the future of the sector.”

Another initiative is AMaGA’s consideration of ways to incorporate succession planning mechanisms, such as a sector-wide mentorship program, to grow internal capacity and safeguard core industry and sector knowledge. These mentorships ensure that the knowledge and progress of organisations, and that of the overall sector, is not compromised when key people move on from their roles.

“How do you future-proof public institutions and the knowledge that they hold?” Katie says. “Developing people and building the notion of succession into each role is fundamental. This work also shouldn’t only occur at senior levels; it’s everyone’s responsibility to share knowledge and to share skills.”

AMaGA has actively embraced and promoted key elements of succession planning that prioritise active participation and accountability. These efforts aim to prepare both organisations, and the museum and gallery sector, for their individual and shared futures. As Katie aptly puts it:

“We need to shift the collective mindset to understand that sharing knowledge and mentoring others is a fundamental part of our roles. Let’s move away from leaving these important aspects to chance and make them explicit in our practices.”

Ways AMaGA approach succession planning

• Adapting and updating governance processes: AMaGA emphasises the importance of reducing governance administration and making system changes that increase efficiency, without compromising compliance. By increasing the efficiency of meetings and shifting the end of financial year reporting period, AMaGA has helped relieve pressure points and clarified expectations for its Council and staff.
• Mentorship programs: AMaGA has been establishing or providing access to mentorship to facilitate knowledge transfer and succession planning. These interventions do not have to be arduous or overly time consuming. Formalising these relationships creates meaningful professional development and provides an opportunity to enhance an organisation’s future readiness and supports capacity building across the sector.
• Normalising conversations about succession: AMaGA has built a culture that enables comfortable conversations about succession and appropriate remuneration of long-serving leaders and decision-makers. As Katie says, ‘The board and senior leadership positions are so influential to the culture of an organisation… Really, I think that succession should be considered from the early stages of everyone’s tenure.’ [Note: See Creative Australia’s Guide to Board and Organisation Succession Planning here.]

Learnings for other organisations

• Shift mindsets: Find ways for mentorships to be implemented internally, making succession planning and capacity building business as usual. For leadership positions, this can simply look like “bringing someone along for the journey,” as Katie explains, by giving them an insight into the organisation’s strategic work and goals. Formalising these relationships does not need to be complex but needs to be explicit, including inviting mentee participation rather than solely leaving it up to individuals to seek out mentors.
• Consider lighter processes: Consider where duplication of work can be eliminated and whether strategic timing or planning of meetings can reduce the load of governance, while not sacrificing duties of care or reporting requirements.

Read more case studies at our Governance Hub.