Dr. Michael Atwood Mason is the CEO and Executive Director of President Lincoln’s Cottage, a historic site and museum located in Washington D.C. He is also the former Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Michael has spent the last 30 years working as a museum professional and public folklorist identifying, documenting, and preserving different cultures around the world.

Michael shares "learning the hard way" that not listening to your discomfort and avoiding tough conversations always seems to create more challenges in the end. He talks about ways he's learned to approach hard conversations with people he managed, people who managed him, and with himself.

President Lincoln's Cottage
Michael on LinkedIn