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The Value of Leadership, the Leadership of Value: Remaining Relevant in times of Change

by Peter Bromberg

5,801 views

Script and supporting materials at: http://peterbromberg.com/sla ...

Script and supporting materials at: http://peterbromberg.com/sla

Throw out those 5 year strategic plans, change ain't what it used to be. Change no longer happens in slow, predictable, macro waves that allow us the time to make and execute big plans. Change now happens in a continual series of microbursts, each one potentially changing our experiences, behaviors, perceptions, and expectations in unexpected but potentially powerful ways.

A new type of leadership is called for. A leadership that not only provides a map for change, but also empowers people in your organization to throw away the map and respond to clients' needs in the moment. A leadership that questions best practices, holding only lightly to the ways of the past. A leadership that monitors societal trends and embraces small innovations and good ideas no matter where they come from.

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XelinaExhazarreta Thank you so much! 12 months ago
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Sweet TLC Ltd at Sweet TLC Ltd Interesting slides with thoughtful selection of images. I look forward to further contributions! 4 years ago
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Opening RemarksGood evening everyone, I want to thank NJSLA President Eric Schwarz for inviting me to be here with you tonight. It is a pleasure and an honor.I’d also like to congratulate SLA on your 100 year anniversary. It’s an amazing milestone and a testament to the ongoing relevance of this Association, and it’s never-ending ability to lead our profession through times of change.John Cotton Dana founded SLA to lead libraries through change, to meet, as he put it then, “new needs which the evolution of knowledge and the growth of print have created.\"
A story about Encyclopedia BritannicaEncyclop�dia Britannica was first published as a three volume set in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1771. By 1801, it had grown to 21 volumesOver the next 100 years, as it grew, Britannica attracted contributors of the highest stature, [CLICK]
And by their 9th volume, published n 1889, the Encyclopedia was setting the international standard for both scholarship and literary style.In 1911, they published their highly regarded 11th edition, which, while still setting the standard for scholarly writing, it also marked the transition from a British to an American publication. At this time, Britannica shortened and simplified their articles to create a broader appeal, and expand their North American Market.I’m sure this was widely lamented by the librarians of the day as an unfortunate “dumbing down” of information. Although they may have taken solace in the fact that Britannica chose to retain british over american spellings.[CLICK]
Their 15th edition, published in 1974 and revised, reorganized and republished in 1985 saw another major shift.Realizing that things were changing so quickly that their articles were becoming inaccurate and/or irrelevant so soon after printing Britannica chose to focus on publishing fewer long scholarly articles, and many more short, factual articles, in what they called the “micropedia” which would be updated more frequently. The volume still contained a “macropaedia” of longer scholarly articles, and a propaedia, which aimed at outlining all of human knowledge.To sum: For nearly 200 years they thrived, being widely regarded as the most scholarly of published encyclopediasTheir business model, in short, was to employ thousands of scholarly experts and hundreds of editors, to capture the knowledge of humanity, package it, and sell it.In 1990 they had sales of 650 million dollars.Three years later they had lost 80% of their revenue. What happened?[CLICK]
Disruptive Technology happened!: Microsoft Encarta!In the late 80’s Bill Gates saw an opportunity to package and sell encyclopedias on CD-ROMHe approached Britannica about a partnership but was rebuffed.At the time complete sets of Britannica were selling for $1,500 and $2,200, and the product was considered a luxury brand with a sterling reputation handed down from generation to generation . The management did not believe that a CD-ROM would bring any added value to their customers, nor did they think a cd-rom based encyclopedia would be able to compete with their product. So Bill Gates turned around, walked out the door, and purchased Funk and Wagnall’s, a decidedly third rate encyclopedia that was sold in grocery stores. Microsoft put Funk and Wagnalls on this new CD-ROM format, and started selling it for about $1500 dollars less than Britannica sold their 32 volume set, and nearly put Britannica out of business.Britannica thought they were in the academic publishing business, not the information business, and they almost went out of business.The CD-ROM disrupted the heck out the encyclopedia publishing business. But, live by the disruptive technology, die by the disruptive technology. [CLICK]
Because 10 years later, in 2003, along comes WikipediaAnd guess what, Wikipedia is free!How do you put together a free online encyclopedia that has nearly 3,000,000 articles (in English alone?)You leverage ubiquitous access to the Internet and collaborative editing wiki software and invite the world to create it for you.Which is why the headlines last month read: [CLICK]
“RIP Encarta!”Encarta had transitioned to the web of course, but they still charged an online fee for access.Encarta treated the collection of information like it was a commodity. Wikipedia treated it as a collaboration.So that leaves wikipedia, and retooled Britannica as the only two left standing…[CLICK]
Two little footnotes I’d like to share.In 2006, Dale Holberg, the Editor in Chief of Britannica in a debate with wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said:We want our articles to be correct before they are published. We stand behind our process, based on trained editors and fact-checkers, more than 4,000 experts, and sound writing. Our model works well. Wikipedia is very different, but nothing in their model suggests we should change what we do.
Fast forward to 2009, and this article in the Boston Globe, that appeared the same day as the articles announcing the death of Encarta…The new version of Britannica Online, set to debut this summer, will emulate the Wikipedia concept by letting subscribers make changes to any article, ranging from minor edits to near-total rewrites. \"I don't believe it's accurate to say that Britannica & Wikipedia are becoming more similar” scoffed Britannica President Jorge CauzOK, so Jorge is still a bit in denial, but kudos to Britannica for realizing they needed to change. I’m beginning with this story because it is a cautionary tale aboutThe pace of changeThe power of disruptive technologiesThe danger of myopic leadership that fails to accurately gauge the shifting sands of value in the marketplaceOur libraries are facing challenges that libraries did not face 20 years ago. These challenges have largely been brought about by the pace of change.[CLICK]
Here are two charts that demonstrate the pace of changeYou can see that the amount of time between disruptive technologies and major shifts that they bring about has continually compacted.(quickly review)This means that great grandfather’s life was virtually indistinguishable from his father’s life.They both lived in a make shift house, with a dirt floor, a wood burning oven, and no plumbing.The first 13 years of my grandfather’s life were the same as his fathersIn 1921 he left Russia for America and the next 80 years of his life saw:Automobiles, Indoor plumbing, Telephones, Heart surgery, Air travel, Satellites in orbitSpace travel a moon landing, Television, Microwaves, Portable radios and tape playersIn other words, my grandfather saw more significant change in his life than his ancestors saw in the 500 years previous.To contrast, my 13 year old nephew has never known a world without:Internet, 156 HD channels, Invisible braces, DVDs, Cell phones, Text Messaging[click]
Here’s another chart that shows the significant changes that have impacted society just in the last 9 years.Back when we started QandANJ.org in late 2001 and I started going around doing presentations, I would ask, “how many of you have been on the internet in the last 24 hours.”In the beginning I’d see 10-25% of hands go up.Each year, I’d see more and more hands go up. And now when I ask that question (ask it) . I inevitably see 100% How many of you have texted w/I the last 24 hours? Been on a social network?In a few years, how many hands will we see?There’s a joke that for me really captures the essence of this pace of change. [click]
A snail was mugged by 2 turtles The police hear his little snail cry for help and arrive almost immediatelyWhat happened they say?“I don’t know responded the snail” [CLICK]
It all happened so fast…It seems that way too doesn’t it? Like there’s been more change in the last 10 years, than in the last 50?Like there’s been as much change in the last 2 years than there’s been in the last 10?The pace of change is fast, and it is only getting faster Change no longer happens in slow, predictable, macro waves that allow us to time to make and execute big plans.Change now happens in a continual series of microbursts, each one potentially changing our experiences, behaviors, perceptions, and expectations in unexpected but potentially powerful ways.� The days when we could see it coming are over…[CLICK]
Looking back at the chart:what we see is that for long periods of time, nothing happened. Then something happened, that had a major ramifications. That led to major changes.And then for another long period of time nothing happened.In Change Management, this was referred to as [CLICK](Freeze,Unfreeze,Re-freeze model)
the Freeze,Unfreeze,Re-freeze model, This model suggests that:Our structures, our organizations, and therefore our experiences remain fairly stable (or frozen) for long periods of timeSome fundamental change occurs, and for a period of time, things unfreeze.We all get used to the change, it’s ramifications play out, and we settle into the new normal. We refreeze.This model makes sense when we apply it historically, but over the last 100 years, the periods between each change have gotten smaller and smaller, to the point where it seems we don’t even get to the refreeze point.With regard to change we are now in a state of continual fluidity. Some would even suggest a state of turbulence.Peter Vaill, a Professor of Mgmt at Antioch Univ. observed this phenomena and suggested a new model to help us understand change.[click]
The new model is called Permanent whitewater. Whitewater suggests a number of thingsIt suggests a fast-pace; It suggests that the situation changes by the secondIt suggests that we need to vigilant, aware and responsive moment by momentIt also suggests that we can have a general sense of shape of the river—the direction of current—Maybe know where the really big rocks are. We can’t control the ride, but we can influence it.Whitewater also suggests that you need other people—their eyes, their perceptions, their effort to successfully navigate the river.And to me, permanent whitewater also suggests that5 year plans don’t make sense any more. Maybe ten years ago it still made sense to do a three year plan.Technology is so different by the time you get to your third year it’s not useful to project that far.If you can’t see what’s coming, then maybe strategic planning isn’t all that useful. Keep the strategic, throw out the planning.The Days when we could see it coming are overHere’s one recent example of what Permanent whitewater looks like:[CLICK]
Forget planning out years, or months…Try planning a Facebook class. It’s not like doing a Microsoft Word class.You do your handouts with screenshots from Microsoft 2003.Four years later, 2007 comes out, so you do new handouts. Facebook did a major redesign in September 2008Then in March, 2009 they launched ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT redesign.Not just its look, but its functionality. Six months later!And it’s not just facebook that operates this way. [CLICK]
Lot’s of websites and services are cycling through major changes much faster than they’ve ever done before.We are now in permanent betaPermanent Beta is when the product or service continually evolves based on consumer feedback.Its very client driven, very responsive to client’s needsSo what does that mean for us? What are the implications of Permanent Whitewater and Permanent Beta?Peter Vaill said, \"no number of anticipatory mechanisms can forestall the next surprising, novel wave.\" What are the implications?[CLICK]
I see two big over-riding implications:The ever increasing importance of adaptability.Since we don’t know what’s coming, and we can’t control it, we better be able to adjust to it; to ride it the wave.Importance of Trend Watching: We need to pay even more attention to what’s happening outside our profession; not just to be aware of the technological changes themselves, but aware of how these changes are rippling through and affecting society. How they are affecting our customer’s expectations.What does it mean when everyone has a cell phone, and can instantly call or text anyone they know?What does it mean when I can pay bills automatically online, or have netflix send me what I want, when I want it. And I can keep it for as long as I want?As I mentioned, I think Long range planning is out. Strategic thinking is still very much in. (By strat planning I mean begin with the end in mind)It means that asking the right questions is more important than having the right answers And in Vaill’s view it also requires above all else for us to be in a state of continual learning.[CLICK]
Back in October, the comedian Louis CK was on the Conan O’Brien Show and he shared some observations about technological change and how our expectations rapidly shift in light of new technologies. Lets watch.SHOW VIDEOSo what do you think, does Louis CL nail it? I think he really captures, maybe even a little too well, some truths.The fact is, that technology doesn’t just expand what’s possible, it shifts our expectations and the expectations of our customers.Which means we have to be continually evaluating and shifting our role as librarians to respond to the shifting needs and expectation of those that we serve.
Here’s what the library used to look like right?This was our role.Something slightly sacred about us. High priests and priestesses of informationWe had secret languages (MARC and Dewey and LC) and the seeker would enter our sacred space and approach us with their thirstWe would salve their need, if they were worthy, and let them sip from our jug of knowledge.[click]
And we kind of viewed the client like this.You know they’re in this information desert.Starving of thirst. Not a morsel of information to be had[click]
But if they were parched in the desolate information landscape, we’d supply the water.That was our role. We were information dowsers, We could find the stream of information anywhere. Tap into it. Bottle a bit and hand it over.That was our VALUE, to them. They needed informationInformation was hard to getWe could get it for themBut as the good folks at Britannica and Encarta know, things have changed…[CLICK]
Here’s our client’s perception of today’s information landscapeIt’s a virtual buffet. If they want to quench their information need, there’s plenty of access and there’s a plenty of selection.In fact, maybe there’s a little too much selection..[CLICK]
Because sometimes they feel like this.Like they’re drowning in it.Information is everywhere —they’re overloaded and just trying to stay afloat in it all.Which presents us with some opportunities…[CLICK]
We can still find the best info out thereAnd sometimes that’s what they want. The best.They need the perfect glass of info.And sometimes we’re like Ernest and Julio Gallo—in that old commercialWe will serve no information before it’s time…But have you noticed that sometimes…[CLICK]
They’re in a rush. They don’t want champagne, they want the minimum amount of info that they need to move them forward.And they want it now. As Louis CK said, “What, the speed of light’s too slow for you?”
So given the new information landscape:A landscape that is being continually reshaped by a steady stream of disruptive technologiesDisruptive technologies such as the Internet, which creates a ubiquity of informationDisruptive technology like the proliferation of high speed connections and wireless hot spots which create a ubiquity of access.Disruptive technology like cell phones, IM and text messaging which create expectations of being “always available”Given this information landscape, I’d like to pose a question: WHAT BUSINESS ARE WE IN?
This is an important question. Because all of these disruptive technologies bring new value propositions to the marketplaceThose propositions usually present themselves as combination of better, cheaper, faster, easier To thrive in this environment, businesses need to correctly perceive what business they are in.For example, consider photographyDigital photography has all but replaced film.What happened to Kodak?.They focused on what they thought they did well—film—and on what they perceived as the superiority of film over digital.They thought they were in the film business, not the image business and they almost went out of business.Britannica thought they were in the academic publishing business not the information business and they almost went out of business.Would Apple have brought us the I-Phone if they thought they were in the computer hardware business?[CLICK]
So I return to the question, what business are we in? I’d like to suggest that we are in fact in the filtering business.The business of filtering information, to help people make meaning.In a world of information overload, we help customers manage the signal to noise ratio.We help them filter out the noise. Filter out the torrent of choices.We help them find the needle in the ever expanding haystack of data.
This filtering is not unlike the role our brain plays.I think that the library should function similarly to the brain, which does two things really well. Filtering data, and imposing patterns to make meaning.Our brains are not primarily about bringing us information, they’re about filtering it out.Consider that there is an infinite amount of data available to us, streaming at us and through us at all times.The reason we are able to function at all is because our brains block out awareness of most of the data, which allows us to perceive, focus on and make sense of a very little bit of it.� All the sights, sounds, smells, internal processes (breathing, etc). are blocked out, so that we can focus on an almost infinitesimally small amount of data in any given moment.Then our brain imposes patterns and perceives connections and make meaning.That for me is the new model of the library.� We used to be the storehouse.� The collector.� Our value lay in collecting and providing access to more and more information.� The challenge for our customers was access, so we removed the barriers.Access to information is becoming less and less of an issue.� (When a 15-year-old girl in Tanzania can find the gdp of Ecuador…)The challenge now is information overload. Tyranny of choice. Too many databases… Our customers are awash in too much data, and too many choices. We need to be the brain. I think that’s a metaphor librarians can get with, right? The big, filtering brain.� We need to help them focus.� To narrow.� And to make meaning.[CLICK]
I also want to point out that other services have figured out the value of filtering and have found some really powerful ways of delivering this functionality.Look at Amazon, Netflix: They offer recommendations– again, a filter for too much info. These recommendations are based on your own preferences and habitsOur customers, as well as us, are using these services and having their expectations shaped by them.Then there are the social network sites like goodreads, and librarything. You can create groups of friends, and then receive updates on what they’re reading, what they plan to read, and what they’ve read, along with reviews. OK, I’ve been talking a lot about change, and what that means for libraries.I think it’s important to look at the how these changes have affected our customers and our conceptions of value.[click]
Ask them about where they get oil changed, buy books, clothes groceriesDe-briefSo what did you hear from each other[click]
What I’ve heard from you and others that I’ve asked this question to is that you make your decisions based on some combination of: QualityConvenienceHuman Touch (personal)EnvironmentCost (time/money)And I also hear that that equation is different for all of us.Some of you get your oil changed because you have a coupon. Whatever’s cheapest. One librarian even told me that she uses a coupon at a place that her brother warned her has a rep for using bad, recycled oil…So it seems that while there are certain factors that create perceptions of value, “value” itself is not an inherent property in a product or service. Value is created in our minds and in the minds of our customers.[CLICK]
Why are the rocks on the left valuable while the rocks on the right are, well, rocks?Another Story:In 1973, Salvador Assael the “Pearl King” of the world tried to sell a new product: black pearls, which came from “black lipped” oysters that lived in the turquoise waters off of Tahiti.He traveled the world trying to sell them, to no avail. Who would want an ugly black (gun-metal gray, really) pearl. Pearls are white. PEARLY white!So did Salvador say, “well, I guess these things have no value” and dump them back in the ocean?No, he approached his old friend Harry Winston and asked him to put some black pearls in his window. Along with the diamonds, rubies, white pearls, etc.And he took out some full page advertisements and ran them in the glossies. The ads showed his black pearls nestled among precious gemstones.Soon the upper crust ladies of Manhattan were paying top dollar to wear a string of black pearls around their necks[CLICK]
Here’s what a string of black pearls goes for nowadays…BTW, the story about the black pearls comes from Dan Ariely’s book, “Predictably Irrational”.Subtitled “The hidden forces that shape our decisions”. I highly recommend itKEY POINT: We can’t determine what others find valuable, but we can influence KEY POINT: WHEN IT COMES TO VALUE it’s NOT ABOUT WHAT THE LIBRARY OFFERSIT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT WE AS LIBRARIANS VALUE..There is no inherent value to what we offer.There is only our customer’s perceptions of value. But those perceptions are open to influence.[CLICK]
Research also suggests that when we make decisions based on what we value it’s much more about what we feel, then what we think. It’s emotional. We are not as rational as we think…John Kotter (Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School), “People change what they do less because they are given analysis that shifts their thinking, than because they are shown a truth that influences their feelings” Twenty-five years of neuroscience suggests that emotions are at the heart of our decision making. As neuroscientist Donald CALNE put it, “ The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action, while reason leads to conclusions”Therefore, when it comes to demonstrating value to our customers, stakeholders and funders… Statistics: gate counts, database usage stats etc, are only so useful in generating support for the library, because they don’t generate emotion.Stats can be a part of the larger picture of demonstrating value. But to really communicate value you need to appeal to emotions.Putting pictures, quotes, etc. on website. In newsletter, etc.Here are examples from VPL (make it about them)For an in depth, comprehensive approach to demonstrating value, I highly recommend you check out the materials from Joanne Roukens “Valuing Libraries” workshop which are available on the Highlands Regional Library Cooperative website (www.hrlc.org)You will learn how to develop a strategy, craft and target your message We’d need a whole day to cover that… [CLICK]
If you remember nothing else though, remember that when communicating value, be User CenteredSo what do I mean by user centered?Whatever you offer: Frame it “What’s in it for them”.How can you help them kick ass. Which is another way of saying, feel good about themselves Tom Asacker, branding expert, says it doesn’t matter what people think about you or your library; what matters is how you make them feel about themselves in relation to what you have to offer.Don’t just tell them about stuff; about databases. About classes. About alert services Show them how it connects to what they need and what they want.And when it comes to determining what they want,[CLICK]
Ask people what they want, but know that’s not the end of the storyHenry ford said if he had asked people what they wanted, they would said “Faster Horses”Sometimes people don’t know what they want until it’s given to them (like wireless on an airplane)Who asked for atm’s and online billpay?Who asked for self-checkout?Who asked for IM?Who asked for Iphones?I’ve experienced this in my job at SJRLC where I’m responsible for offering a slate of workshopsWhen I schedule classes, my biggest successes are with topics on the outer edge of their awareness; topics that were never requested, not classes they’ve requested.In terms of value offerings, where should you start?[click]
Here’s what I see as the low hanging fruitBy that I mean, here are the things you could be offering and promoting to your customers that take the least effort and return the biggest result in terms of their perception of you as offering something of value.(Run through the list, then focus on.)RSS:If you don’t understand RSS and how to create filters and customized pages then you’re not an information professional.This is what you have to offerWe help deal with the tyranny of choiceWe create filters… RSS puts amazing power into our hands. Feeds are everywhere.Not knowing how to use RSS in 2009 is like not knowing how use a paper index. It’s a specialized tool—and a fairly easy one to master..
ScreencastsAre like passive income.Once you invest the time to create they yield multiple returnsIM reference (being available; point of need)Being KindCaringFaking itThese last three relate to the relational aspect of referenceResearch shows that satisfaction is only about whether customer get the information they need, it’s also very much about the quality of interaction they have with the librarian.
Joke: city boy goes to visit his cousin in Louisiana. They’re walking through the swamps, and the city boy’s getting nervous… He asks his cousin, Is it true that an alligator won’t attack you if you carry a flashlight? (it depends on how fast you carry the flashlight)When you roll out new services, will customer’s value them? It depends.Don’t try it once, stick it three levels down on your website and then conclude that the offering is a failureDon’t stick your self-check in the corner w/o instructions and conclude that no one wants it…Does self-check work? It depends on…Does IM reference work? It depends on…Does starting a blog work?A wiki?Offering classes?It depends, it depends, it depends. It’s not just what you got, it’s how you communicate it. It’s giving something time to grow.It’s how you frame it, what context you put it in. and it’s how you package it.
PLEASE READ THE Most People can understand this text because the words are contained within a clear context. If the words were randomly joined without conveying something that made sense ,it would become gibberish. [CLICK]
Consider this sentence:This is a random selection of some of the same words in the above paragraph that aren't arranged to convey any meaning. Without the context of coherent speech, it's far more difficult to decipher the meaning of the individual words.Context mattersNow think about the services you offer. [CLICK}
What if you created a context and packaged what you offer along the lines of what we know about value.Offer a series of short classes, blog posts, tech tips, or screencasts and package them according to what we know about the value equation.Three technologies that will save you time Three databases that will give you info you can’t find anywhere elseThe three best free “hidden web” sources. (quality)By Packaging your services you get their attentions and help your customers understand what the library means to them. You help them see your value in ways that are relevantThe library means information they can trust. ReliabilityIt means human connection. You care.It means Quality. You find the good stuff.It means Convenience. They can IM you. You deliver!It means they feel smarter, less stressed, more competent. Find ways to package your services and connect them to the things people valueWhen you package, you define a clear and relevant context for your offerings. Just as the gibberish was understandable when woven together into cohesive sentences, packaging services, databases, programs, makes it easier for your clients to understand and value what you do.[CLICK]
So there’s this famous antique collector, and he’s strolling through the city when he notices a mangy cat outside a shop lapping up milk from a saucer. He does a double-take as he recognizes the saucer as one that is very old and extremely valuable. The collector enters the shop and says, to the shopkeeper, “You know I have a terrible mouse problem, I could use a hungry cat around. I’ll give you $20 for that cat. “Sold” says the shopkeeper and hands the cat over. The collector takes the cat and says, hey for my $20 bucks can you throw in that old saucer, since the cat’s already used to it. It will save me the trouble of picking one up. “Sorry buddy” says the shopkeeper. But that’s my lucky saucer—so far this week I’ve sold 38 cats![CLICK]
So what do you have that brings ‘em in the door?This is related to packaging of services, but I wanted to point out the value of doing something, anything, to bring them in (either virtually or physically). A few ideas Appropriate non-fiction collection/displaysTechnology petting zooLunch chats on hot topics (that may or may not be directly related to work)Using Twitter or other social media for CRM (cust. Relation. Mgmt)Technology petting zoo.The value in offering lucky saucers is:Helps you build/reinforce relationshipsCreates continual positive contactGives you platform to show expertiseGives THEM platform to show expertise if you “insource” Gives you a platform to mention other services.Creates/reinforces the idea of the library as the HUB. As a place to go that’s stimulating/fun.A place where it feels good to be…
We’ve been talking abouthow change affects our conceptions of valueAnd we’ve talked a bit about how libraries can leverage some of the opportunities in the new information landscape.I want to turn now specifically to discussing what type of leadership is called for.
A grandmother is walking down the street with her two grandsonsShe runs into a neighbor who says, “Gladys, your grandsons are gorgeous! Tell me how old are they?”And grandma responds[click]
Leaders stand in the futureLeaders plant that vision in the future, and make strategic choices that move the organization in that direction.I said earlier that long-range planning is out; that it doesn’t make sense any more.But more than ever, leaders have to have one foot in the future and some vision of what the future will be, and what the library’s role will be in that future.To do that effectively, Leaders also need to.[CLICK]
STAY CURRENTWith the pace of change there is an even greater premium on staying current. Not just with technology, but with societal trendsLeaders must continually scan the environment for microburst changes.Watch what’s happening and have conversations about what it means…Do you all need to be twittering? NoBut you do need to know that twitterers (the twitterarti) were responsible for the huge backlash that quickly built against Amazon when an entire class of books was stricken from their rankings. You do need to know that twitter is being taught to 8 year olds. Yes.Do you need to know that it’s the fastest growing site on the Internet, and ponder what that might mean? How it many be changing user expectations? What opportunities it may present for you? Yes.
Leaders experiment and playBut perhaps more importantly, they encourage experimentation and play in othersThey create an environment for it to happen; for their employees and their customers.You don’t have to be an early adopter, but you do have to try things. Experience them. Organizational cultures that punish failure do not encourage learningPractice reframing “failure” as outcomeThere are no failures, only resultsWhatever happens, it’s just more data.It’s all learning
Two years ago I saw Mary Catherine Bateson, a cultural anthropologist (and M. Mead’s daughter) at the Library Futures ConferenceAnd she suggested that the best way to adapt to the pace of change is take an improv class. In a strange coincidence, had just started taking improv classes at that time.And it struck me that indeed the principles of good improv correlate highly with the what I see as the principles of leadership in times of rapid change…
LET GO AND BE WILLINGLet go. Of what? Of your fear of failureBe willing to fail and fail spectacularly. If Edison wasn’t willing to fail we’d be doing this presentation by candlelight, and instead of powerpoint I’d be using sock puppets.In improv, messing up is a positive sign. Because if you’re not messing up and falling regularly, you’re not taking enough chances. You’re not pushing the boundaries of your creativity and so you’ll never do great work, or get any better. Messing up also gives you feedback about what doesn’t work; it actually speed up your progress. I’m not suggesting recklessness. Your focus should be on making “Excellent Mistakes” which Dan Pink (the author and commentator on the modern work place) refers to as “screw ups where the benefits of what you learn are greater than what you lose by screwing up.”
LISTENGood improvisers are not necessarily more clever, or more quick-witted. They just listen better… You pay attention to what is happening in the moment.Whatever is happening is an “offer” and you pay attention to what is offered, and what response will build on the offer and move things forward.This is antithetical to having a detailed, planned agenda. To trying to make something happen. It is a state of high awareness, and it puts you in a place to rapidly respond and take advantage of opportunities that you would have otherwise missed. It is an orientation that asks, “what can I make of this?”
Action beats inactionDoing something, beats doing nothing.One of the rules of improv (yes, there are rules) is that you don’t talk about doing something, you DO something.Talking about it doesn’t move anything forwardAnother rule is that your choices should be as specific as possible, and you make them with commitmentSpecific choices move things forward, and give others something to build off of.
GIVE UP CONTROL (OR THEIR ILLUSION THEIROF)The only thing we can control are our own choices. Realizing that we are not in control of anything else is the key to de-stressing and getting into the flow. And the flow is where we are creative. The flow is where we are productive. The flow is where we are connected to others. The flow is where we are happyWhat happens when we stop focusing energy on things that we can’t control? That energy is freed to be focused on things that we CAN controland ironically, we end up exerting more influence.
NO MISTAKESEarlier I said that we have to be willing to make mistakes. But moving beyond that, in improv we learn to not see choices as mistakes.In improv, there are no mistakes or bad ideas, there are only interesting choices. And there is always learning.We respect all the choices (aka offers) made by others, and find ways to build off of them, no matter how challenging they may be. There are no mistakes because everything can be built upon. Everything that happens is an opportunity. It’s all grist for the mill.What is the opportunity here? What can we build?
Lastly, there really is no such thing as a one-person improv showThe only way to do improv is with other people. You must work together.Draw on everyone’s strengths. Everyone is empowered to bring whatever is necessary to the sceneThat includes walking on in the middle of a scene that you’re not involved inOr even ending it if you think it needs to end.It’s about empowering everyone to do what is necessary (mention Nordstrom?)As a group, we learn to focus on solutions. As individuals we learn to focus on getting results (i.e. moving the scene forward) as opposed to being right, or angling for attention or credit.
Finally: There is one over-riding principle of improv that sums it all up: YES, And…Yes, and\" means that we accept everything that happens as an offer, as a gift. Yes and, means that it is our job to bring our unique perspective to bear, and build off of whatever is given to us.“Yes, and…” means we continually Focus on making a contribution. What can we add?\"Yes and\" implies acceptance of what is,, but not acquiescence. \"Yes and\" acknowledges the reality of the moment, but also inspires us to create the future.
I’m am optimistic about our futurethe future that we are going to create together.Since the popularization of the Internet, people have been talking about the demise of the library.We’ve heard people say, “With information so freely available, why do we need librarians any more?”Well true, it is easier for your average person to quickly find more information than they ever could before.But as Jimmy Wales himself was asked about whether he saw Wikipedia replacing librarians he responded:“Everyone tells jokes, but we still need professional comedians.” Wales realizes that our skills are still appreciated and highly valued by users in this age of info glut.
Not only are we needed, I believe that as the creation of and access to information explodes we are needed now more than ever.Special Librarians, and SLA have been doing great work for 100 years. We’re going to do it for 100 more. The tools may change, but our missions won’tWe may be shifting from breaking down barriers to putting up dams, but our mission is the same.We will continue to help people connect with the information they need and we will continue to help them to make meaning in ways that empower and enrich them.[click]
Not only are we needed, I believe that as the creation of and access to information explodes we are needed now more than ever.Special Librarians, and SLA have been doing great work for 100 years. We’re going to do it for 100 more. The tools may change, but our missions won’tWe may be shifting from breaking down barriers to putting up dams, but our mission is the same.We will continue to help people connect with the information they need and we will continue to help them to make meaning in ways that empower and enrich them.[click]
Deleted Scenes and alternate takes that landed on the cutting room floor.
I’m a big fan of the TED talks (Technology Education Design)I recently watched a talk by David Hoffman, where he discussed a very disruptive change that had just happened in his life.He talked about a fire that raged through his house and in 20 minutes destroyed everything.His life’s work was gone. Copies of his films; 175 films including the only existing print of his film “King Murray” that won Cannes in 1970. Gone.His camera equipment, his books, his fathers books and photographs, letters. All goneAnd his reaction was to remember something he was taught as a child: “You gotta make something good out of something bad.”His response was to try and take what happened and make a documentary about it.Hearing him repeat, “you gotta make something good out of something bad” rang a bell for me.For the past few years I’ve been taking improv classes, and I thought to myself. Hoffman’s talking about improv. No matter what happens, you make something good out of it. You take what’s offered – whatever it is and you build on it.And then I remembered seeing Mary Catherine Bateman, a cultural anthropologist (and M. Mead’s daughter) at the Library Futures Conference a few years ago. And she suggested that the best way to adapt to the pace of change is take an improv class. And it occurred to me that the principles of good improv correlate highly with the what I see as the principles of leadership in times of rapid change…
Not only are we needed, I believe that as the creation of and access to information explodes we are needed now more than ever.Special Librarians, and SLA have been doing great work for 100 years. We’re going to do it for 100 more. The tools may change, but our missions won’tWe may be shifting from breaking down barriers to putting up dams, but our mission is the same.We will continue to help people connect with the information they need and we will continue to help them to make meaning in ways that empower and enrich them.[click]
Not only are we needed, I believe that as the creation of and access to information explodes we are needed now more than ever.Special Librarians, and SLA have been doing great work for 100 years. We’re going to do it for 100 more. The tools may change, but our missions won’tWe may be shifting from breaking down barriers to putting up dams, but our mission is the same.We will continue to help people connect with the information they need and we will continue to help them to make meaning in ways that empower and enrich them.[click]
So , I’d like to share with you some Improv principles of leadership:First: Warm Up. Prepare yourself mentally, emotionally.In improv class we didn’t rehearse scenes, but we did practice. Before each class or show we played games, designed to get us out of our heads, and get our internal censor out of the way. To silence the voice that says, “that’s stupid”, or “boy you’re really lousy at this.”The goal of warm up was to both relax us, while at the same time sharpen our awareness. Slow down and pay attention.In my life, I translate this in number of ways:Do some light blog reading in the morning, before work, and some light writing. This is not goal directed. I simply read a number of blog that I find stimulating and then write whatever I’m inspired to write. Inevitably many of these ideas percolate for a few days, weeks or months and then pop out in some way that is applicable.The second thing I did was to start scheduling lunches and get-togethers with colleagues that I have stimulating conversations with. I try together with my library garden bloggers 4 times a year, not only because we have fun, but because my head bursts with ideas whenever I see themI also do a few regular lunch time chats with friends who are not local.Think about what might work for you.
STAY IN THE MOMENTIn David Hoffman’s TED talk he says, “I always live in the present. I love the present. I cherish the future.” And I think there’s a connection between his orientation to the present moment, and his creative reaction to his situation. He didn’t spend time lamenting the past. Because what is happening NOW is the key to clarity and discovery. Don’t try to plan 3 steps ahead. Don’t waste energy lamenting mistakes in the past.Over-thinking and over-planning during uncertain times is a sure-fire way to paralyze yourself with fear and indecision.Just stay focused on what is before you, and how you can build off of it.
BE HONESTIn improv we are taught to express whatever is coming up in us at that moment. To do that we have to learn not to censor or judge our own thoughts, which requires some major rewiring of the brain… It’s not until you start the practice of not judging your own thoughts that you realize how much you do…In the end, the only value we bring to the scene is our honest response to what’s happening. And in the end, the value you bring to your library and your organization is the courage to speak your truth.To say, “this is how I see it.” That is our value to each other.
TRUSTImprov only works when you completely trust others and ourselvesWe trust our impulses and our choices And we learn to trust in others and weave their offers into the fabric of the scene.When learning to trust our ideas, it helps to remember that ideas are infinite. So no matter what strange hole it seems we’ve dug ourselves into in a scene, there are an infinite number of ideas that can help dig us out.You trust in the your own creativity and resourcefulness, and you trust in the creativity and resourcefulness of those around you to see you through.
What you got + What you create + How you present it + If they know about it + Is it relevant? to them? += VALUE[CLICK]
A coke and a donut, you call that breakfast? Treat them like adults. They’ve been eating for 40 years now…
And then there’s twitter (do brief intro). Which is now being taught to elementary school kids in the UK…I’m not going to dwell too much on twitter, but I do want to make one point: The objection that I hear most frequently to trying twitter is, “I don’t have the time—I already have information overload”. But the fact is that Twitter, when you learn how to use, it is an incredible filter. True, Twitter brings you a steady stream of information, but it’s from a pre-selected group of people and news sources.And that pre-selected stream can then be easily filtered by keywords and custom search terms.Twitter can be a wonderful alert service—great for trend watching. It can be an amazing, “point of need” information service.Download tweetdeck and try it. I think you’ll find it very valuableOK, I’ve been talking a lot about change, and what that means for libraries.I think it’s important to look at the how these changes have affected our customers and our conceptions of value.[CLICK]
Leaders develop cultures
Make library the place where idea exchange sharing takes placeRecruit staff to do presentationsDo your own, put up powerpoint or screencast on a blog (let them comment)
The biggest barriers to making any knowledge-sharing effort happen is inertia. It’s easier to continue doing the same thing, even if it is ineffective.Some concluding remarks….They NEED you!You’ve been doing great work for 100 years. As information explodes, they need us more than ever.We’re going to do it for 100 more. The tools may change, but our missions won’tWe may be shifting from breaking down barriers to putting up dams, but our mission is the same.We will continue to help people connect with the information they need and we will help them to make meaning in ways that empower and enrich them.
Drowning in a sea of info(info overload; tyranny of choice; signal to noise)We need to help them with signal to noise ratio
Trickle down is dead; bubble upGet them to teach your classesShare bookmarks (diigo)Start a blog of new materials, interesting articles; let them comment.Start learning 2.0 with subject versions appropriate to your officeShared wikiGet together in person and online to discuss.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/technology/internet/14twitter.html?hpwAlready doctors use Twitter to ask for help and share information about procedures. At Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, surgeons and residents twittered throughout a recent operation to remove a brain tumor from a 47-year-old man who has seizures. “A portion of the skull is being removed to allow access to the dura, the lining of the brain,” an early tweet said. Medical residents and curious laymen following online asked the doctors what music they were listening to (Loreena McKennitt, a Celtic singer), whether the patient felt pain in the brain (no, just pressure) and how big the tumor was (the size of a golf ball). As is convention on Twitter, they tagged all their tweets with a keyword so anyone could search for the keyword and read the stream of posts.“Twitter lets people know what’s going on about things they care about instantly, as it happens,” said Evan Williams, Twitter’s chief executive and co-founder. “In the best cases, Twitter makes people smarter and faster and more efficient.”
Tell Barrington story.
Let’s start with change.Back about 2500 years ago Heraclitus of Ephesus (Heraclitus to his friends) observed that there is nothing permanent except change.So Heraclitus looked and around and saw a lot of change. I’d like to point out that his when Heraclitus said this, life was fundamentally the same as it had been 500 years prior, and was fundamentally the same as it would be 500 years. Later.\\ I think it’s fair to say that if Heraclitus were alive today, the pace of change would absolutely freak him out.[click] (next slide historical pace of change)
Everyone that’s had a psych 101 class probably remembers Maslow’s Heirarchy of needs:Physiological (hunger, thirst)Safety Social (love, belonging)Esteem, recognitionSelf-actualizationYou have to meet these needs in order…Well here’s a suggested hierarchy of needs for your users. This might be helpful when you’re thinking about what to offer, and how to communicate what you offerFunctionality: Does it do what they need. Does it work?Correctness: Does it do it correctlyLearnability:
http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/guest-column-computers-vs-brains/?ref=opinionBRAIN V. COMPUTERThis projection overlooks the dark, hot underbelly of Moore’s law: power consumption per chip, which has also exploded since 1985. By 2025, the memory of an artificial brain would use nearly a gigawatt of power, the amount currently consumed by all of Washington, D.C. So brute-force escalation of current computer technology would give us an artificial brain that is far too costly to operate.Compare this with your brain, which uses about 12 watts, an amount that supports not only memory but all your thought processes. This is less than the energy consumed by a typical refrigerator light, and half the typical needs of a laptop computer. Cutting power consumption by half while increasing computing power many times over is a pretty challenging design standard. As smart as we are, in this sense we are all dim bulbs.

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