The new year is a great time to take stock. If you’re a manager at a heritage site, park, or nature centre, now’s the perfect opportunity to pause and ask: how could we really knock it out of the ballpark in 2025?
One area worth reflecting on is your standards—the way things are done across your site. And here’s the reality: you already have standards, whether you’ve articulated them or not. Whether you have a formal standards program or not, your current practices are defining your standards every single day.
The standards you didn’t know you had
Let’s try an exercise. Go outside and look at your signs. How many of them are missing, defaced, or damaged? How long have they been that way? Write it down. That’s your signage standard: “15 percent of outdoor signs may be defaced, damaged, missing, or illegible for up to six months at a time.”
Now, think about your washrooms. What condition are they in most of the time? How often are the floors littered with paper towels, or the toilets clogged? Write that down too. That’s your washroom cleanliness standard.
How about the timing of your interpretive programs? How many minutes past the advertised time do your interpreters actually start? And your visitors’ greetings—how often do walk-in guests receive a positive, on-brand welcome? Whatever your answers, those are your current standards.
How about the state of your digital exhibits? How many are up and running, and what percent of the time? What is your current standard around how long your digital exhibits sit with “out of order” signs on them? Write down that standard. Sit with that one for a while.
This exercise can get pretty uncomfortable pretty fast. Nobody wants to kick off the new year with a list of failures or shortcomings. So take a moment to breathe. This isn’t about assigning blame. Instead, it’s about shining a light forward to a new way of working.
Celebrate what you’re doing right
Before we get too far down this depressing rabbit hole, give yourself credit where it’s due. What’s working? What are the standards you’re truly proud of—the ones your staff and volunteers consistently nail? Maybe it’s the warmth of your front-line team, or the way your trails are immaculately maintained. Write those down too. These are the bright spots that show what’s possible.
Why the basics matter for the big picture
Here’s the thing: standards around simple, basic things like clean washrooms, functioning equipment, and responsive staff aren’t just nice to have—they’re foundational to visitor connection to place. Without them, the big-picture goals of heritage and nature tourism simply don’t happen. We know from visitor studies, and even from Mr. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, that when visitors’ basic needs aren’t met, higher-level transformation—like connecting to a place in meaningful ways—are out of reach.
Imagine trying to inspire someone with the intrigues of history or the beautiful complexities of nature while they’re distracted by smelly bins or frustrated by an unhelpful staff interaction. It doesn’t work. But when those basics are in place—when the washrooms are spotless, the staff are welcoming, and the facilities are well-maintained—you create the conditions for something truly transformative. Visitors relax, engage, and open themselves up to unforgettable experiences.
Raising the bar, one step at a time
Now, let’s turn back to those standards that fall short of excellence. What would it take to raise them, just a smidge? Maybe your signage standard could shift from “15 percent damaged or missing” to “5 percent, fixed within three months.” Realistically, what resources would it take to make that happen? Think about time, funding, equipment, expertise, or staffing. The solutions might not be as overwhelming as they seem.
A roadmap for improvement
Next time you’re reporting to your board of directors or department head, try this: create a simple infographic outlining your current standards. Be honest and matter-of-fact. Show them where you sit—concretely, statistically— as of January 2025. Then, present a realistic plan for improvement. With a modest investment—or a smarter use of existing resources—you can elevate your standards incrementally.
Here’s a tip from someone who does strategy for a living: don’t just create the infographic—show some preliminary results. Before presenting your plan, make one small improvement to your standards, implement it, and gather evidence of its impact. Maybe it’s fixing a set of signs, improving washroom cleanliness metrics, or ensuring interpretive programs start on time. Then, use this success as a tangible example of what’s possible. (I recommend this with all strategies. Any time you say, “Here’s what we want you to invest in”, you add “Here’s what we’re already doing, and it’s working.”)
When you show a before-and-after comparison, it becomes easier for others to see how feasible your other proposals are. It also demonstrates your commitment to progress and builds trust in your ability to deliver. Once you have that momentum, you can request the specific investments—time, money, expertise—to raise other standards to the next level.
From status quo to excellence
A formal standards program doesn’t have to be complex or overwhelming. It’s about committing to steady, measurable improvements. Imagine a future where your site’s standards—from signage to equipment repair to cleanliness to visitor services—are not just good, but exceptional. That’s what’s possible when you take control of your standards.
2025 is a blank slate. Let’s make it the year you take pride in every corner of your site, one standard at a time.
Question for someone of your experience:
As a manager, how do you balance the frustration of seeing standards that aren’t where you want them to be with the responsibility of motivating your team gently and realistically?
How do you advocate judiciously and diplomatically for the resources needed to improve them? What advice would you give your younger self around these things?
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