Now more than ever, gardens need to be able to respond and adapt to new audience needs, technologies, and government policies. Garden staff are essential in that transformation, but how can we prepare ourselves to address these challenges? Formal, skill-based training is important, but will only get us so far; in order to be truly innovative, gardens need to craft environments in which diverse staff embrace a continuous learning mindset, openly exchange information, test out new ideas, and learn from mistakes. Research shows that this type of learning culture leads to increased employee engagement, a stronger sense of cohesion, and greater organizational impact. The good news: Creating these conditions doesn't necessarily require a huge budget or complicated software system. Leaders at all levels, in gardens of any size, can help cultivate this learning culture.

Leadership, Innovation, and Advocacy Track Sponsor: