A little training is good for the soul…and everything else, too!
You’ve heard the saying that goes something like: “The only thing constant in the universe is change.” You’ve also heard that “If you are not moving forward (as in changing) you are moving backward.”
I’ve just enjoyed a fine winter of training. I have to admit, I’m at a very good place in my career. It’s a time when I have some measure of experience behind me and am able to share a bit of that experience with others through speaking at workshops and conferences. In December I spoke at the Southeastern State Parks Programs Seminar at Lake Guntersville State Park in Alabama. My topic was creating BIG themes to guide not only programing, but to help managers work with interpreters to craft a complete park experience from entry to the interpretive resale exit, and beyond. I’ve given that session several times and it always seems to provoke discussion about defining a site’s main resources, values and stories and ‘sticking to the knitting’ by ‘keeping the main theme the main thing.’ That, of course, sets the groundwork for solid interpretation planning. I enjoyed making the presentation, but the sessions and discussions with interpreters from across the Southeast were the highlight of the workshop. What a wonderful sharing of enthusiasm and creative ideas, ideas that keep me constantly changing – moving forward.
Last month I led a workshop on interpretation planning for NAI Region 3 at Montgomery Bell State Park, Tennessee. What a well-organized workshop they had. I was impressed from start to finish and honored to be a part of it. The comments and evaluations I received were very positive and that, of course, was good. Once again, however, I learned, including rekindling an old friendship with Bobby Fulcher, a fine Tennessee folklorist. I’ve arranged for Bobby to join us at the Ozark Folk Center State Park to discuss interpretation of the Ozark culture. We are excited to have him join us and look forward to advancing our knowledge and folk culture interpretation practices based on his skill and experience – helping us change while staying within our mission – moving forward.
At the end of the month I attended the NAI Region 6 workshop in Austin, Texas. That’s my region. It’s wonderful to see old friends and visit about projects and families and life. Kelly Farrell and I gave a presentation about team building, belief statements, and interpretation planning that generated a lot of discussion. But once again, all the sessions were excellent and I retuned to Arkansas with my head spinning with ideas to implement to keep us changing – moving forward.
A little training is good for the soul…and everything else, too!
Training of interpretation staff is essential to a manager wanting an energized, creative, audience attracting, revenue generating, resource protecting interpretation program. The comparing of ideas and programs and audiences and resources and techniques that comes with attending workshops and participating in interpretation training is simply astounding. In these meetings ideas are shared, networks are created, and motivation for change – for moving forward – is generated. Nothing is better for an interpreter or a site interpretation program than exposure to similar people with a similar passion sharing creative ways and means to move forward.
Are you placing yourself and your people in the midst of enthusiasm, passion and change? Are you moving forward… or …?
Interpretive Communications 