Library Leadership and Management Paula Kaufman 2011

Leadership

Doesn ’t rest on a title

Leadership vs Management  Leadership – directly and indirectly influencing people to cause change  Management – effective utilization of resources to achieve organizational goals

Think About Library Leaders and Managers You Know  What attributes did they have?

 What did they do that you admire?

 What did they not do or do badly?

Politics  Always present  Rarely understood fully

Seasoned Leaders Say: Fundamental change is more likely through effective leadership than management

Seasoned Leaders Say: Effective leadership can change the culture of an organization, management cannot

Seasoned Leaders Say: Effective leadership is based on values

Seasoned Leaders Say What makes you successful is how you treat people

Leaders instill in their staff hope for success and belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals

Vision  Key to an organization thriving in the future

Shared Vision  Leader ’s responsibility is to build a shared vision, which requires:  Articulating a vision  Listening to input from staff and others  Reshaping and restating vision based on input

Mission  Central to the life of the institution  Enhance institution ’ s mission by providing and stewarding collections and content and by offering a wide array of services

Typical U.S. Academic Library’s Mission  Enhance institution ’s goals  Ensure unfettered access to information  Provide expertise  Be an information and knowledge broker

Values  Kinds or standards of behavior used to realize vision and fulfill mission  Basis of guidelines and expectations of employee behavior

Samples of A Library’s Values  Excellence in everything we do  Be a nimble and adaptive organization  Provide services that advance users ’ endeavors

Sample of Librarians’ Personal and Institutional Value  Protect users ’ privacy and freedom of thought and expression

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Balance Security with Liberty

Leading Any Organization  Learn and understand the culture of the institution and the library  Understand the values of the institution and the Library

Leadership Challenges 

Effectiveness and relevancy

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Territoriality

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Morale

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Financial resources

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Political position

Importance of Organizational Structure  Clarifies reporting relationships  Establishes authority  Facilitates communication  Sets basis for change processes

Know Yourself  Why did you take the position?

 What is your decision style?

 What are your strengths?

 What do you fear most?

 How will you measure success?

 How will you stay fresh?

ATTITUDE MATTERS  Positive, supportive, empowering – share information and engender trust  Reduce conflict and competition by role modeling respect  Communicate values and principles that characterize how you will function through examples

ATTITUDE MATTERS  Distinguish criticism from critical analysis “ blame and complain ”  Don’t overreact – people have opinions and different personalities  Don’t put off difficult decisions  Rumors are important to understand and address

Outline a Clear Vision 

Identify barriers and facilitators for achieving the vision

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Include key individuals that who will support change

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Begin consensus building and unit refinements of the vision

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Build shared vision with deliberate speed

Outline a Clear Vision 

Reward behaviors that contribute to achieving the vision/goals/values publicly

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Link individual goals to group goals

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Facilitate collaboration

DEALING WITH RESISTORS 

Spend time to understand their concerns

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Define consensus clearly & make decisions transparent

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Do not empower their position

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Make true merit decisions

Two Important Keys to Success  Maintain an open mind  Find a mentor

What is a Mentor?

A mentor helps you

 Set long-term goals and short-term objectives  Explore new directions to achieve goals  Identify personal strengths and weaknesses  Make career-worthy contacts and engagements

Some Ways to Stay Fresh  Read reports and other materials  Talk with staff  Familiarize yourself with institutional processes  Identify issues, aspirations, concerns, perceptions

A Leader is a Coach for all Staff

Good staff are key to meeting library

’

s goals Determine best ways to involve staff in setting and meeting goals Measure performance objectively against progress towards goals

Encourage Leading From One’s Seat   Leader ’s job is to make employees feel empowered Leader makes sure it ’s ok for employees to fail  Employees must know their role and what they ’re accountable for

THE LONG HAUL 

Talk to colleagues holding similar positions

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Try to be fully informed before making decisions and remain transparent

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Remember what is said and what is heard might be different

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Suspend negative judgments as much as possible

THE LONG HAUL  Role model desired behaviors  Cultivate distributed leadership through influencing others ’ decisions  Don ’ t worry about who is getting credit – celebrate together  Challenge yourself and others to “ figure out a way to get there ”

THE LONG HAUL

Distinguish temporary setbacks from the need to revise goals

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Communicate

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Encourage & support Revise methodologies & processes Identify potential leaders and create plan to develop their skills

EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED  Management decisions are financial decisions and vice versa  Library services  Recruitment/retention  Fund-raising

Enjoy the Difference You Are Making!

Your Success as Leaders is Measured by the Success of Others Create an environment that fosters achievement