When I joined the INTO Heritage Leadership Program, I expected to meet people from different heritage organizations — people who, like me, were looking beyond their own borders to keep learning. I hoped for conversations about what works, what doesn’t, and how we can adapt our approaches to keep heritage alive and relevant in our societies.
That expectation was not only met, it was exceeded.
This wasn’t a course in the traditional sense. It was a shared space — one that brought together heritage professionals from across the global National Trust movement, each bringing their own experiences, management responsibilities, and career aspirations.
Learning Through Exchange
The program covered a wide range of leadership and business topics — from understanding ourselves as leaders to navigating global challenges, from making an impact to building effective organisations. We explored the business of heritage and how to build relationships that sustain both people and projects.
What made these themes resonate was how rooted they were in real practice. Participants didn’t just discuss leadership in theory. They showed how they were applying it in their own contexts, often under pressure, with limited resources, and always with deep commitment.
We talked about funding gaps, community resistance, climate threats, and the constant balancing act between conservation and access. We also explored entrepreneurship, not only as a financial strategy, but as a mindset. A way to think creatively, take initiative, and build sustainable models that support both heritage and the communities around it.
And in those conversations, something clicked: we weren’t just learning from the program, we were learning from each other. From risks taken, partnerships built, experiments that worked and those that didn’t. It was a powerful reminder that innovation in heritage often begins with a small, bold step.
Heritage as Practice, Not Just Principle
The INTO program reminded me that heritage work is rarely straightforward. It’s layered, often political, and always human. But it’s also deeply practical. We need strategies that work on the ground, not just in theory.
Through case studies, peer discussions, and collaborative tasks, we explored how to lead with both vision and flexibility. We looked at how to build trust with communities, how to advocate for heritage in policy spaces, and how to keep momentum when resources are limited. These weren’t abstract lessons; they were grounded in lived experience.
Leadership That Listens
One quote from Catharine Lemond captured the spirit of the program perfectly: “Leadership that listens, lifts, that builds spaces for everyone to feel seen and valued.”
That’s exactly what this program did. It didn’t ask us to fit a mold. It invited us to show up as we are, to share, to question, to reflect. And in that space, something powerful emerged: a shared commitment to making heritage matter.
A Network That Thinks Together
What INTO offered wasn’t just content, it was connection. The kind that continues beyond the sessions, through shared questions, reflections, and the recognition that many of us are navigating similar challenges. It created a space where ideas could be exchanged openly and where learning felt collaborative rather than competitive.
Moving Forward
I leave this program with new tools, but more importantly, with new questions. And with a deeper appreciation for the power of exchange: not just across borders, but across disciplines, generations, and ways of thinking.
If you’re curious about how heritage leadership is evolving globally, or if you’re looking for a program that blends practical learning with international collaboration, I encourage you to explore the INTO Heritage Leaders Programme and the other initiatives offered by the International National Trusts Organisation. You might just find your next step there.
I spy with my historical eye 