by Fe Angela M. Verzosa (Lecture presented at the MLIS Seminar on the theme “ From Theories to Practice: Mastering Key Areas of Library and Information Services,” held on October 4-5, 2008 at Café Hasmin, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila) Taking over the Reins : How are the Young Librarians learning to lead in Academic Libraries

Objectives Determine what defines a leader Understand your style as a leader Develop strategies to lead with greater effectiveness Choose an effective leadership style

Determine what defines a leader

Understand your style as a leader

Develop strategies to lead with greater effectiveness

Choose an effective leadership style

Focus How members of the external environment view the effectiveness of the individual library leaders What changes in the organizational domain of the library relate to the effectiveness ratings of the library leader What activities effective library leaders perform in their relations with the library’s external environment

How members of the external environment view the effectiveness of the individual library leaders

What changes in the organizational domain of the library relate to the effectiveness ratings of the library leader

What activities effective library leaders perform in their relations with the library’s external environment

Leadership… “ like swimming, cannot be learnt by reading about it.” Henry Mintzberg So, I can teach you to become managers, but I can’t teach you to be leaders!

“ like swimming, cannot be learnt by reading about it.”

Henry Mintzberg

A Challenge Can you give a One Sentence Definition of LEADERSHIP

Leadership “ We are unable to define leadership, but we seem to know it when we see it..” Henry Mintzberg 1982

“ We are unable to define leadership, but we seem to know it when we see it..”

Henry Mintzberg

1982

Management “ the exercise of responsibility for the effective use of the human, financial and other resources available to meet an organization’s objectives.”

“ the exercise of responsibility for the effective use of the human, financial and other resources available to meet an organization’s objectives.”

Ingredients of an Effective Manager Leadership Vision Time management Effective Communication Public Relations Self-knowledge I am competent! Digital or traditional I am great!

4 Factors of effective Leadership Influence Integrity Inspiration improvement

Influence

Integrity

Inspiration

improvement

Leaders don’t create followers “ The job of a leader today is to create more leaders.” Ralph Nader “ And when we think we lead, we are most led.” Lord Byron Great leadership senses what is emerging. It’s about leaders being part of things, not an external agent acting upon them. Great leaders ride change, they don’t manage it.

Leaders vs Managers Managers dictate, leaders inspire Leaders lead by asking questions, not by issuing instructions Leaders do strategy, managers do details

Managers dictate, leaders inspire

Leaders lead by asking questions, not by issuing instructions

Leaders do strategy, managers do details

Leadership and Management “ Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Peter Drucker

“ Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

Peter Drucker

Are you a Leader or a Manager? OR BOTH!

Are you a Leader or a Manager?

Library leadership implies... Librarian seeks to influence members of the parent organization to provide resources to support expansion plans to accept the goals of the library as valid and thus deserving of support

Librarian seeks to influence members of the parent organization to provide resources

to support expansion plans

to accept the goals of the library as valid and thus deserving of support

3 dimensions used to measure library leadership Leader activity Reputational effectiveness Management of organizational change

Leader qualities measured in terms of activity categories Managerial role activities professional involvement membership in committees strategies for influencing the environment

Managerial role activities

professional involvement

membership in committees

strategies for influencing the

environment

1 Six managerial activities categorized into roles supervisor liaison environment monitor spokesperson entrepreneur resource allocator

supervisor

liaison

environment monitor

spokesperson

entrepreneur

resource allocator

Supervisor Role directing the work of subordinates integrating subordinates’ goals with library’s goals and objectives allocating human resources to tasks evaluating subordinate job performance resolving conflicts between subordinates providing new staff with training

directing the work of subordinates

integrating subordinates’ goals with library’s goals and objectives

allocating human resources to tasks

evaluating subordinate job performance

resolving conflicts between subordinates

providing new staff with training

Liaison Role attending social functions for contacts attending conferences and meetings representing the library at formal / social functions staying attuned to informal communication networks developing contacts with people outside

attending social functions for contacts

attending conferences and meetings

representing the library at formal / social functions

staying attuned to informal communication networks

developing contacts with people outside

Environment Monitor Role initiating new ideas for services and operations keeping up with professional trends/changes keeping up with technological developments scanning the environment for new opportunities to improve services/operations gathering information about users touring facilities to observe reading reports of other units / offices

initiating new ideas for services and operations

keeping up with professional trends/changes

keeping up with technological developments

scanning the environment for new opportunities to improve services/operations

gathering information about users

touring facilities to observe

reading reports of other units / offices

Entrepreneur Role planning and implementing changes in the library initiating controlled change in the library solving problems by instituting needed changes in the library

planning and implementing changes in the library

initiating controlled change in the library

solving problems by instituting needed changes in the library

Spokesperson Role serving as an expert or advising people outside the library keeping others informed of the library’s plans and programs answering letters or inquiries on behalf of the library serving on committees, representing the library

serving as an expert or advising people outside the library

keeping others informed of the library’s plans and programs

answering letters or inquiries on behalf of the library

serving on committees, representing the library

Resource Allocator Role distributing budgeted resources preventing the loss of human or capital resources deciding which programs to provide resources to allocating equipment or materials obtaining adequate resources to administer library programs and build collections

distributing budgeted resources

preventing the loss of human or capital resources

deciding which programs to provide resources to

allocating equipment or materials

obtaining adequate resources to administer library programs and build collections

2 Reputational effectiveness results from leader activities affected by the feedback that the external environment receives from the user environment

results from leader activities

affected by the feedback that the external environment receives from the user environment

Reputational effectiveness is developed thru … Years in managerial positions Libraries worked in Active involvement in continuing education Professional journals scanned / read Papers published / presented Association memberships University / school assignments

Years in managerial positions

Libraries worked in

Active involvement in continuing education

Professional journals scanned / read

Papers published / presented

Association memberships

University / school assignments

3 Changes in the organizational domain Changes in physical facilities Introduction of major automation Introduction of revenue-generating activities

3 Changes in the organizational domain Changes in relationships with other community entities Internal organizational changes

Key Leadership Types Reputational effectiveness Organizational change Leader activity Energizer Professional involvement Dimension Sustainer Politician Retiree

Profile: Energizer enjoys a high reputation dynamic as : spokesperson entrepreneur resource allocator supervisor career development is rapid low on professional involvement

enjoys a high reputation

dynamic as :

spokesperson

entrepreneur

resource allocator

supervisor

career development is rapid

low on professional involvement

Profile: Sustainer enjoys a high reputation dynamic as : liaison entrepreneur resource allocator supervisor cautious in introducing changes in organization focused on providing stable & comfortable leadership

enjoys a high reputation

dynamic as :

liaison

entrepreneur

resource allocator

supervisor

cautious in introducing changes in organization

focused on providing stable & comfortable leadership

Profile: Politician enjoys a high visibility & therefore reputation dynamic only as entrepreneur active in professional and community involvement slow in introducing changes

enjoys a high visibility & therefore reputation

dynamic only as entrepreneur

active in professional and community involvement

slow in introducing changes

Profile:Retiree engages in limited leader activities held in low esteem by colleagues dynamic as resource allocator experiences little changes very high on professional involvement

engages in limited leader activities

held in low esteem by colleagues

dynamic as resource allocator

experiences little changes

very high on professional involvement

Key Leadership Types Reputational effectiveness Organizational change Leader activity Energizer Sustainer Politician Retiree High High High High High High Low Low Low Low Low Low Dimension Professional involvement Low Low High High

Understanding library leadership Innovation is a cyclical phenomenon . Periods of high innovation are followed by periods of sustained implementation and consolidation. Alternating cyclical behaviors may find some relevance in an organization’s life. Thus low-change Sustainers and Politicians have a crucial role as the ideal Energizer.

What Leadership Style to use depends on… You : your personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences. What will work? Them : different personalities and backgrounds of people around you. The leadership style you use will vary depending upon what they will respond best to. The organization : traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the organization influence how a leader acts.

You : your personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences. What will work?

Them :

different personalities and backgrounds of people around you. The leadership style you use will vary depending upon what they will respond best to.

The organization : traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the organization influence how a leader acts.

Determining the Best Leadership Style Should leaders be more task or relationship (people) oriented Leaders have a dominant style, one they use in a wide variety of situations No one best style - leaders must adjust their leadership style to the situation as well as to the people being led Many different aspects to being a great leader - a role requiring one to play many different leadership styles to be successful

Should leaders be more task or relationship (people) oriented

Leaders have a dominant style, one they use in a wide variety of situations

No one best style - leaders must adjust their leadership style to the situation as well as to the people being led

Many different aspects to being a great leader - a role requiring one to play many different leadership styles to be successful

Summary What activities library leaders perform in their relations with the library’s environment to be effective How the effectiveness of the individual library leaders are perceived by members of the external environment What changes in the organizational domain of the library relate to the effectiveness ratings of the library leader

What activities library leaders perform in their relations with the library’s environment to be effective

How the effectiveness of the individual library leaders are perceived by members of the external environment

What changes in the organizational domain of the library relate to the effectiveness ratings of the library leader

Leadership… “ like swimming, cannot be learnt by reading about it.” Henry Mintzberg So, “if you ain’t got what it takes, you ain’t gonna make it!”

“ like swimming, cannot be learnt by reading about it.”

Henry Mintzberg

Thank you for listening! You can get in touch with me at my email address – verzosaf@dlsu.edu.ph – and at our PAARL website– http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PAARL/