What qualities do you expect to see in a highly effective leader?
I think the first quality really is communication. So, someone who is able to communicate well and someone who is able to – a really good leader in my mind is really able to surround themselves with good people. And in a way, to me, that shows they know where their weaknesses are and with whom they need to surround themselves. But also it means that they never stop learning, because they surround themselves with people they can learn from. And so I think that’s really important, communication, being able to surround yourself with really good people and also being able to collaborate, because I think a lot of times people think of leaders as a singular person out there doing all of this. And really, it’s not like that. Usually that singular person may know all of the pieces that need to be put together to achieve the correct result, and they know how to connect with those people or pieces to get them to work together and to collaborate to get back that great result.-Melanie Adams (55 sec.)
Melanie Adams, Managing Director of Community Education and Events
The Missouri History Museum
LSL Class of 2004-05
Melanie Adams is the Managing Director of Community Education and Events for the Missouri History Museum and Historical Society. She overseas the Museum’s community and education programs, and serves on the advisory team to the Museum President. In her position she reports directly to the Museum President.
Ms. Adams’s professional background is in student services, community leadership, and non-profit strategic management. Ms. Adams moved to the St. Louis region in the fall of 1997 to take a position in the Student Activities office at Washington University. She has also worked at the University of California, Berkeley and California State University, Northridge.
After a 10-year career in higher education, Ms. Adams transferred her skills to the non-profit sector. She became the first executive director of Teach For America, St. Louis, where she set up the program and worked closely with the National Headquarters and large donors. She then started her own consulting firm in which she helps non-profit organizations build better connections to the broader community. Her clients have included the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, and the Missouri Historical Society.
Adams has been deeply committed to being a leader in civic and community organizations. Upon relocating to Saint Louis, she immediately got involved in community activities. She was a founding member and President of Metropolis St. Louis, and has served on a variety of boards in the region including Americorps St. Louis and The St. Louis Public Schools Foundation. Based on her strong leadership skills, she was selected to participate in both the CORO Women in Leadership program and the FOCUS St. Louis Leadership class. Through these prestigious programs she learned about the St. Louis community and obtained skills in how to get people actively involved in the solution process. She currently serves on the Black Leadership Roundtable and the St. Louis Community College Foundation board, and she has served on the FOCUS St. Louis board.
In June 2007 Ms. Adams was appointed to the Special Administrative Board for the St. Louis Public Schools. In this role Ms. Adams works with two other board members and the superintendent to improve the public schools and provide a quality education for city students.
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