Meet Nancy Benz

We recently connected with Nancy Benz and have shared our conversation below.

Nancy, so great to have you on the platform and excited to have you share your wisdom with our community today. Communication skills often play a powerful role in our ability to be effective and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your communication skills.

A lot of long and short form writing and public speaking in college. I still continue to write and speak at community organizations and programs. I earned a history degree because I love learning about the past and building a bridge between then and now. Making a connection with people is a key component of building that bridge, and communication is a key skill to learn when training to become a historian.

In my role as Curator of Collections and Exhibits at The Quincy Museum (Quincy, IL), I have to be able to tell a story effectively and efficiently. Exhibit labels are part of the visitor’s experience, and if they are written correctly, visitors can walk away learning something and questioning everything. This is my favorite part of the museum experience. I wouldn’t be able to do an efficient job if I didn’t constantly work on my communication skills.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve always done historical research and small genealogy requests for family and friends for free. Eventually, I convinced myself to start offering it as a paid service and created Tracking Your History: Family & Historical Preservation Services. The area I live in is rich in history with deep roots and people have always looked to our past. I believe people are curious about the past but don’t know where or how to start. Some people want to know more about their family but have hit a roadblock and don’t know where to look for more information. I provide that service. Help you find what you are looking for. But there is a caveat, sometimes people, events, places, etc. are undocumented. That’s the part that can be frustrating for my clients and for me, but it comes with the territory.

I’ve always had a love for history and the story of humans. I wanted a career where I could tell people about our past in a creative and engaging way. That led me to the public history field. For the last 5 years, I’ve been the Curator of Collections and Exhibits at a local museum. I design exhibits or create content that sparks curiosity. I believe people can feel my passion for the past when looking at what I created. I hope it encourages visitors to do their own research. One of my biggest accomplishments in recent years is publishing an all-ages coloring book focusing on local historical women. Each illustration is accompanied by a small biography of the woman. It’s been really well received and people are asking questions and doing their own research on the women represented. It’s really been inspiring and I’m thankful for people’s support everyday.

I’m currently in the very early stages of developing a non-fiction manuscript. I’m really excited to see how people react whenever it gets completed.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think taking risks and being flexible and transparent/authentic are the most impactful qualities in my journey.

If I know deep down that taking a risk is the right thing to do, I’m going to do it with 100% gumption. In the last 6 to 8 months, I’ve taken more risks to make positive changes in my life. I’m seeing the results from taking risks and airing out my “grievances.” It’s transforming how I think about myself, my interactions with people, and how I work.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to be flexible. Things happen all the time that can change how my day goes. A volunteer calls in sick. The local news comes in to do a story when I’m knee deep in cleaning taxidermy or swamped with tours. Being flexible allows me to change direction in a moment’s notice without freaking out.

By being authentic I can connect on a deeper level with my community and clients.

My advice to those who may be developing these areas in their own life is take a break when you are feeling overwhelmed. Listen to your body and mind and be transparent by “telling” on yourself. Be flexible in allowing yourself to feel a certain way. Risk later. If I go hard for a period of time without taking a minute to breathe, not only do I suffer but my job and relationships do as well.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

In full transparency, I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t good enough even though I have received various awards, been praised for my professional growth, and have made significant improvements in how my community views and interacts with history. Work burnout effects it more.

However, I have made strides in overcoming it. I realize now more than ever that there will always be people who don’t believe in you or are negative nellies, but the people who do support you become your loudest cheerleaders. I rely on them to get me over the hurdle and help me believe in myself. In the last few months, I have had a tough go at it but thankfully, my cheerleaders have been giving me the confidence to keep putting myself out there.

I think believing in yourself is one of the toughest things to do but its absolutely necessary for personal and professional growth. I work on it every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://trackinghistorydotblog.wordpress.com
• Instagram: @trackingyourhistory
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrackingYourHistory
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-benz/