Magnetic: The Art and Science of Engagement

In their work with museums and other cultural nonprofits, co-authors Anne Bergeron and Beth Tuttle noticed something unusual—that certain organizations have the ability to thrive, even in difficult economic times—and they set out to understand why. Embarking on a three-year research study, they analyzed 10 years of quantitative data from the museum field, spoke with hundreds of museum leaders and other nonprofit professionals, and read current literature on best practices in leadership development, operations and talent management, customer service, and social innovation. Ultimately, they developed the concept of “magnetic” organizations—those whose central focus on people, shared vision, and service enable them to attract and retain critical resources that propel programmatic excellence and sustainable organizational growth.

Anne and Beth synthesized their learnings in Magnetic: The Art and Science of Engagement (AAM Press, 2013), a bestselling book that examines the traits of such high-performance museums. Illustrated by six case studies—Children's Museum in Pittsburgh, PA; Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA; Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, IN; The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA; Natural Science Center of Greensboro in NC (now Greensboro Science Center); and Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, OK—the authors frame six practices of magnetic organizations that transform them into relevant and essential community assets. Magnetic offers keen insights to mission-driven organizations on deepening lasting relationships with constituents and increasing their public value.