Transcript Reimagining Leadership - New Jersey State Library

The right leader at the right time
Search for a new library director
in a new library world
Managing and Leading
 Change the world or change the hours-
transformational or incremental change?
 Keep the doors open or remove the doors?
 Pull or push?
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Work with the results in mind
Establish a Timeline
 When do you need the
person to start?
 Notice at previous job
 Interviews
 Interview finalists
 Make a decision
 Offer, negotiations,
acceptance
 Referrals and background
checks
Interviews
 Create a great pool of
candidates
 Advertise and prospect
 Build a leadership profile
 Ask the right interview
questions
 Design a salary and
benefits package
 Appoint and charge a
search committee
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Why the change in leadership?
Retirement
 Celebrate
 Plan
Moving or new job
 Plan
 Negotiate departure
date
 Exit interview
 Remove and replace
 For cause or:
 Wrong fit
 PIP’s
 Legal Issues
 Dignity
 Buy out
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Do you need an interim director?
YES, because:
 The place is in trouble
 We want someone to
clean house
 We want someone to
take the heat off the
board
NO, because:
 There are 1-2 skilled staff
who can fill in until we
have a new director
 The place is not on fire
 It’s in good shape
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Leadership Profile
 Skills – understands library fundamentals, talent
management, planning, budget, technology,
collections, works effectively with boards and
community groups, and people
 Talents - strategic thinker, leader, invested in the
community, articulate and inspiring speaker, public
relations, good listener, risk-taker, confident
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Leadership Profile
 Vision – passionate about libraries and understands
how libraries change lives, understands the why of
libraries, trend watcher, knowledge creation and
consumption, knows what needs to happen next
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Solutions
Leadership Package
It’s not just about the money
 Salary
 Benefits
 Work environment
 Relationship with the Board
 Relationship with Town officials
 Community support
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Challenges ahead
 Create the library of the future
 Improve facilities: building renovation/expansion/new
 Sustain and increase support: fundraising; tax support;
win the hearts and minds of the community
 Build the right staff team
 Complete a turnaround: de-clutter, provide focus,
more customers, collection right-sizing
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Process-Phase I
 Who will serve on the search committee?
 What is their charge: put it in writing?
 Who will do the work?
 How will you keep all of this confidential?
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Process-Phase II
 Advertising
 Initial sort
 Interviews
 Final candidates
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Process-Phase III
 Referrals and background checks
 Contract, at will, union, civil service, etc…
 Offer and negotiations
 Acceptances
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions
Results
 Managed transition- Board competence
 Right choice for leader
 Library ready for the future
Reimagining Leadership - Library Development Solutions