Nurturing Leadership at the Library

Nurturing LeadershipLMI Summer Conference July 9, 2012

But First… A little perspectiveWhy Are We Here Today?

Why Are We Here Today?

Nigel: It really puts perspective on things, though, doesnt it?David: Too much, theres too much f*#%ing perspective now.

Why Are We Here Today?

Nurturing Leadership in Your Libraryhttp://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/01/12/offshoots-working-title-blog/

Exponential Pace of Change1.5 mill yrs lever, wedge500,000 yrs control of fire50,000 yrs bow & arrow5,000 years wheel and axle; sail500 years printing press with movable type; rifle100 years automobiles50 years satellites30 years IBM Home Computer25 years Windows / Mac20 years World wide web10 years ago iPod, Netflix, Tivo5-7 years ago Ubiquitous Broadband, Blogging, Skype4 years ago iPhone, Android, App Store, Geolocation< 4 years SMS/Smartphone ubiquity, Twitter, Facebook< 2 years Tablets, iPads, Cloud AMAZON-APPLE-GOOGLE-FACEBOOK

Pace of Change“Everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy” -Louis CK

Unfreeze/Refreeze Change Model www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/3251962169

ThePermanent Whitewater Importance of Leadership at All Levels

Reimagine the Organization

Waiting for a Leader…

Part Two

Flatten the OrganizationWHAT DOES FLAT LOOK LIKE?• Strong shared Vision• Less Hierarchy• Bias for action• Bias for risk-taking• Employees empowered to act http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220457

Nurture Emergent Leaders2. No formal authority3. Are passionate and involved4. Motivate Others5. Initiate new ideas6. Seek others’ opinions

Emergent Leaders SpeakThoughts from ALA Think Tank

Emergent Leaders Speak Say “Yes” and LISTEN“Say yes to the dreamers. Listen tothe ideas/insights and thenencourage attempts to address theproblems. Sometimes the mostinsightful ideas come from peoplewho are new to a task or duty.” - Aaron

Emergent Leaders Speak Say “Yes” and ENCOURAGETry to find a "yes" answer first to allrequests. When a staff member hasan idea, encourage it with a "yes".Ideas about service or functionsmean an employee is engaged andwilling to work. Never discourage that. -Gina

Emergent Leaders Speak Let People Fail“Let people fail without freaking out.Partly because for someone to failthey have to try something new first,and partly because I always learnmore from my failures than fromthings that go well.” - Lauren

Emergent Leaders Speak Give Creative Control“Let everyone have a pet project,and give them a forum to sharethem- newsletter, minute meeting,bulletin board- so that each staffperson gets an opportunity to usetheir talent and that everyone feelslike they have something specialand valuable to contribute. - Jaime

Emergent Leaders Speak Let us Take Charge“Give us opportunities to takecharge, and let the scope of thoseopportunities grow as we prove ourcompetency. To whatever extent ispossible, be a service-orientedmanager: not just focusing onserving the patron/customer, but alsoserving your employees.” -Beth

Emergent Leaders Speak Get out of the way“Hire smart people and get the hellout of their way. Be patient... if yousit back just a bit longer than youreused to, the solutions are discoveredby your staff and because theydiscovered it, they most likely willwant to own it - Chris

Emergent Leaders Speak Give us FeedbackGive people ongoing feedback. TheyWANT to know how they are doingand what the impact of their work isfrom your perspective. - Kathryn

Emergent Leaders Speak Model it for usBe role models. This doesnt meanthey have to have the ideas, but theyneed to live out the qualities of aleader to encourage/nurture newones. Taking risks, owning mistakes,listening to new ideas, encouragingexperimenting, and accepting failure.. - Erica

Model Good Leadershiphttp://imgur.com/gallery/CzGfQ

Calls Bull-&#!+ if needed http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Appreciates alternate perspectives http://justinmaier.com/2006/05/09/amazing-3d-art-by-julian-bever/

Adaptable: Can Put on a Happy Face http://www.flickr.com/photos/bgsulib67/5148528014/sizes/m/in/set-72157625192282865/

Makes Good Decisions

Understands Complexity Communicates Simply

Doesn’t Personalizehttp://wisefoundations.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/image1.jpg

Doesn’t Overthink Things ? ? ? http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Doesn’t Overthink Things http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Or… http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Or…study things to death (have a bias for action) http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

No Surpriseshttp://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Tells it to ‘em http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Tells it to ‘em straight http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Aligns actions with mission/goals http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Be Relentlessly Optimistic http://s2.hubimg.com/u/834401_f260.jpg

Most Valuable Leadership AssetsJudgment (intuition, intelligence, experience)Information MasteryCourageSelf-awarenessStaminaSense of humorDecision makingCompromise (how and when) -Nannerl KeohaneSense of responsibilityCommitment to a cause beyond yourselfPassion and proportion (Detachment) interview: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S29/92/73G64/

Ways to Nurture Leadership• Ask people what they need.• Assume they are creative and resourceful• Empower them. (no, really. Do it.)• Promote a culture of risk-taking and action• Help them develop themselves, especially, their self-knowledge, EQ, and communication skills• Reframe failure as data, as learning.• Understand Theories of Motivation

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiorover/2787677403/

“My job is toawaken possibilityin other people”-Benjamin Zander http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiorover/2787677403/

Peter Bromberg Thank you!Peterbromberg.com | peterbromberg@gmail.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/2602728681

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Sources of Influence• Purpose • Choose your reaction• Knowledge • To follow direction or not• Personal history • Relationships/Networks• Faith in self • Communicate• Speak truth to power • Organize others• Set/Model Standards • Withdraw Support Adapted from: Ira Challeff, The Courageous Follower

”I am not so much rejecting the distinctionbetween leadership and management, butI am saying that the best leaders andmanagers do something that might bemost properly called a mix of leadershipand management.”

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Nurturing Leadership at the Library

by Peter Bromberg on Jul 15, 2012

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