THIS SUMMER I'M LEADING AN ONLINE COURSE in museum administration -- a new venture offered by the American Association for State and Local History. The small band of participants -- most not museum administrators, by the way -- are being treated to the basics of nonprofit organization spanning how museums are founded to issues of leadership. The most recent lesson explored the complex and sometimes competing roles of the museum director. A director has allegiances to both the governing board and the staff requiring continual alignment of priorities and mitigation of distances between the two. A director also has allegiance to her vision for organizational health, sustainability and excellence. Add to that the fact that as an organization develops, its leadership needs will change. What worked for the start-up may be too informal and inefficient for a more mature organization. The director's role, therefore, is not only played out vertically and horizontally, it'