A Fool’s Errand

Lonnie Bunch is the founding director of The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. As the cover jacket says, he founded the museum with one staff person, one office (but no key) and a need to raise $500 million.  Sounds impossible, but what Mr. Bunch had and still has as the current Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is a passion for the subject and a vision that never changed.

The museum also grew incrementally as time and money allowed. As the staff slowly grew, he and they stayed focused on the goal, hiring people that understood what that goal was and were also passionate about achieving it through the collections they acquired and exhibits they designed. Focus and agility combined were important here!

This book is written by a leader who had an amazing, though difficult to achieve vision and through never wavering was able to achieve the goal.  It is also an enjoyable and funny book on leadership.  By the way, if ever in DC, take time to stop by the museum to see how it all worked out.

If you have read an interesting book on leadership lately - please let us know at melissa@foxhedgeltd.com.