This document provides guidance for new library supervisors on managing people. It discusses the differences between managing and leading, and emphasizes the importance of soft skills like communication, team building and conflict resolution. The document recommends that supervisors understand their own and their staff's skills and personalities. It also provides tips for managing change, stress and basic management tasks like setting expectations, evaluating performance and resolving conflicts. The overall message is that effective supervision requires a balance of results and relationships.

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Accidental Library Supervisor
Deb Hoadley, Advisor
November 2014

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How did I get here?
What do I want to learn?

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Managing or Leading? (or both)
Managing: skills focused on things, processes
and procedures; nuts and bolts; easy to teach
& measure
Leading: focus on people, vision and
development; future direction; difficult to
measure; results in effective teambuilding
“You manage things; you lead people.” Admiral
Grace Hopper

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Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
Hard Skills: specific abilities & skills; learn at
school. Writing, core skill set, analysis, design,
budget
Soft Skills: subjective and hard to define; not
learned in school. Communication, problem
solving, negotiation, motivation
“Projects rarely fail – but people do.” -Richard
Murch

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Balance
Getting results Building relationships
Library’s Mission, Vision & Goals

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Top Management Basics
1. Know yourself & your staff
2. Knowledge of jobs, skills and
expectations
3. Team building
4. Negotiation & conflict resolution
5. Change management
6. Communication

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Know Yourself & Your Staff

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Different Assessment Tools
• Values – looing at what is important to you
and how they align with your staff’s values
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Enneagram
• DISC – Styles for communication

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DISC
Task-
Oriented
People-
Oriented

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Knowledge of jobs, skills and
expectations
• Job descriptions
• Personnel policies
• Shared vision – managing up and down
• Customer service impact
• Performance evaluations
“Fair, firm, friendly – not familiar.” George
Needham

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Teamwork & Collaboration
Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development:
Forming Storming Norming
Performing
Management
Soft Skills
Expert
Knowledge

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Conflict Management
Five Conflict Management Styles:
1. Collaborating
2. Competing
3. Avoiding
4. Harmonizing
5. Compromising
Sometimes there is a reason to use one style
over another, even if it is out of your comfort
zone

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Levels of conflict and when it
happens
Levels:
1. Everyday stuff-resolved quickly
2. Uncomfortable – not out of control
3. Beyond normal skills
4. Formal processes – require mediation
5. Intractable – no going back
Why?
1. Anger or other emotion is present
2. Based on past behaviors and interactions
3. Cycle of feeling threatened, getting angry, reacts,
repeat

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Change (it’s inevitable)
“Embrace change. It’s going to happen
whether you like it or not.” -Odette Pollar
1. Understand why people are resistance and
what is the level of resistance
2. Active listening
3. Acknowledge feelings
4. Peer influence
5. Next steps – clear path and expectations
6. Let it go – when to pick your battles

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Keys to Effective Communication
Do’s
• Talk with them
• Speak with respect
• Be clear about what
you want
• Use “and” not “but”
• Define benefits for
them
• Engage them
Barriers
• External distractions
• Internal distractions
• Rebuttal tendency

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Stress Management
Mindful breathing
Shift your perspective
Laughter & humor
Listen to music
Take charge of your
schedule
Healthy eating
Exercise/Walking
Get up and shake

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Final Thoughts
• Get a mentor
• Ask questions
• Keep work/life balance
• Create positive environment – this does not
mean you are everyone’s friend.
• Walk around – gain perspective
• Allow greater kindness & grace, without
accepting bad behaviors
• Be generous with your time, not direction
• You are not alone

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Questions?
Contact information:
Dhoadley@masslibsystem.org
Resource guide:
www.guides.masslibsystem.org/supervisor