Leadership and Leader Development: Perspectives from Museum and Academic Library Professionals

This article examines museum and academic library professionals' perceptions of leadership, leader development, and the nature of leader development opportunities available to them. We compare these perceptions based on functional positions of staff as senior, middle, or non-managers, which facilitates a deeper understanding of the data. Analysis reveals there are significant differences in the perception of leadership and leader practices between managers (senior and middle) and non-managers; this gap is prevalent in both museums and academic libraries. There are also significant differences with respect to what leader development activities are available to whom and who is selected for these activities. Results point to the need for more intentional, equitable, and focused efforts to develop leader capacity so that museums and libraries are better positioned to meet current and future societal challenges. Finally, we provide some suggestions for future practice and research.