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Cilip june 17 2013
This document provides advice and insights on leadership for librarians. It discusses where leadership can be learned, defining leadership as seeing improvements that need to be made and actively working to achieve them. It notes that everyone can lead and discusses lies people tell themselves that prevent them from leading. The document also covers followership, future-driven leadership training, recent research on leadership in libraries, insights into effective leadership, and things that don't help leadership. It concludes with 28 key tips for leadership.
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Cilip june 17 2013
- 1. Leadership and Librarians StephenAbram, MLS CILIP, Cambridge UK June 17, 2013
- 2. Where have Ilearned? • Associations • Jobs • Consortia • Politics • Travel • Mentoring • Training • Projects • Be the change and change the world
- 3. What is Leadership? Leaderssee an improvement to be made – a desirable future state, sometimes before others, and actively seek to achieve those improvements.
- 4. Who is aLeader? Everyone can lead. Leadership is different from managing or supervising.
- 5. Lies we tellourselves • I’m not a leader • Shyness versus introversion • I don’t do presentations to management • People will notice my good work • They’ll read my report, memo . . . • Leadership is someone else’s job • I don’t make the decisions around here… • That’s their responsibility – not mine • Criticism in the absence of constructive criticism and critical thinking
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- 7. 7 Future Driven LeadershipTraining for Librarians • Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute • iSchool at Toronto e.g. Public Library Institute • Crucial Conversations • ALA Emerging Leaders • Mountain Plains Leadership Institute • Tall Texans • Snowbird • iSchool @ Toronto Symposia – MOOCs, Makerspaces, New Measurements… • Etc.
- 8. Recent Research: PhDDissertations on Leadership in Libraries Mary-Jo Romaniuk, San Jose State Univ. Cheryl Stenstrom, San Jose State Univ. Donna Brockmeyer, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Thomas More College Ken Haycock, Marshall School, University of California 8
- 9. 9 Research Insights intowhat Makes a Difference • Passion is foremost • Confidence next • Influence not just Advocacy • Risk Taking – in context • Change Management • Flexibility • Dealing with Ambiguity – having the aptitude to introduce change aligned with the future state. • Influencing Skills = selling ideas
- 10. 10 What doesn’t helpor work • Not taking the long view • A dysfunctional view of time • Being risk averse • Playground competition • Lack of cooperation • Backbiting and blamestorming • Fear of change or, indeed, fear at all • Generally – ‘negativity’
- 11. SLA Alignment Research KeyHighlights: • True Relationships (not just contacts) • Real Networks, Collaboration • Consultation – based on authority, expertise, quality and short conversations • Speed – Save Time • Packaging for Added Value Answers • Educate and Train • Understanding libraries/ians is an underserved and regularly expressed need 11
- 12. Positioning the Libraryand Librarian / Library Staff Real professionals have names and reputations What is your value proposition? You versus the library versus the institution? Why do you, the library, or your institution exist?
- 13. Librarian Magic What areyour magic tricks?
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- 15. Communication theory: Foradults to use a librarian effectively they have to admit that they don’t know something and that requires openness, trust and a peer relationship.
- 16. Risk Taking inLibrarianship Avoiding the triple diseases of: 1. Conflict avoidance 2. Passive resistance 3. Risk aversion
- 18. Too Much Respectfor Rules
- 19. Fear of LookingSilly
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- 21. Studying Things toDeath
- 22. Not letting ideasgrow . . .
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- 25. Digital risk hasraised the bar on risk taking in library land.
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- 28. Too Much Respectfor Tradition While Neglecting to Curate the Future
- 29. Are there anyof these in your library? The Black Hole Sucking the life out of initiative(s)?
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- 34. The new bibliography and collection development AskUs, KNOWLEDGE PORTALS KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING, INFORMATION & RESEARCH COMMONS
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- 36. THE EXPERIENCE OFTHE LIBRARY So let’s talk about . . . 36 Human Resources Service Learning Value
- 37. SHARING YOURSELF ANDYOU Up Your Game • Embedded team member • Embedded teacher • Embedded research coach • Embedded personal librarian • Re-intermediation • Tools – business cards, e-mail sigs, web pages, social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr,…)
- 38. UNCOMFORTABLE CHOICES: SACRIFICE Up YourGame • Dog, Star, Cow, Problem Child/? • Reduce investment in successes – This isn’t a typo • Increase investment in future successes – learn from failing • Look at TCO - Do NOT value your own time at $zero • Look at all costs incurred and not just hard costs • Review the opportunity costs in soft costs (e.g. ILL …)
- 41. Being Open toAmbiguity Be the Change We Want to See
- 43. Entering the KnowledgeEra • Right answers/facts give way to consensus answers/informed guesses • Information combined with Insight rules • Knowing where and how to look is infinitely more valuable than knowing facts • Knowledge is an immersion environment - an Information Ocean - where are the maps that work here?
- 44. Five Laws ofLibrary Science • Books are for use. • Books are for all; or, Every reader his book. • Every book its reader. • Save the time of the reader. • A library is a growing organism. S.R. Ranganathan
- 45. Five New Lawsof Library Science • Libraries serve humanity. • Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated. • Use technology intelligently to enhance service. • Protect free access to knowledge. • Honor the past and create the future. Walt Crawford and Michael Gorman
- 46. Librarian Core ValueCommitments • Democracy • Stewardship • Service • Intellectual Freedom • Privacy • Literacy and Learning • Rationalism • Equity of Access • Building Harmony and Balance – Michael Gorman, Library Journal, April 15, 2001 VALUES
- 47. To have theright staff Get the right information In the right format To the right people At the right time To make the right decision RIGHT
- 48. Differences in thePrivate and Public Sector Approaches to Development Private Sector Competitive advantage is the ideal Innovation is key to long-term existence Focus on clients and marketshare Business strategies Responsibility to shareholders or owner/investors Increasing revenue Risk oriented Economic success is a prime personal motivator Competitors, partners and allies e-Business is the challenge Focus on “results” Public Sector Collaborative advantage is the ideal Good service is the key to long-term existence Focus on citizens and social contract Political agendas and government imperatives Responsibility to parliament and to citizens Wise use of tax dollars Risk averse Making a positive impact on society is a strong motivator Other departments, levels of government, unions e-Government is the challenge Focus on “process”
- 49. Leadership is Peoplenot Projects • "Successful knowledge transfer involves neither computers nor documents but rather interactions between people." Tom Davenport People like librarians, teachers, faculty, counselors, therapists, social workers, advisors, . . .
- 50. Taking The KnowledgePositioning • Data >>> • Transformations are: • Applying standards • SGML, HTML, Fields, Tags, MARC, normalizing . . . • Information >>> • Transformations are: • Representing data: • Display, Chart, Format, Publish, Aggregate, Picture, Graph, Sort, Rank, Highlight, etc.
- 51. Taking The KnowledgePositioning Data >>> Information >>> Knowledge > Apply standards Tangible Representations of Data Learning Knowing Filtering Evaluating Balancing
- 52. Knowledge is notthe path to: WISDOM
- 53. Taking The KnowledgePositioning • Behaviour • Decisions that result in action, even if that action is non-action • Key success factors are intelligent, informed and impactful results • Has value in proportion to its results in the context of the individual or social organization • Measure behavioural impact – don’t just collect statistics.
- 54. Taking The KnowledgePositioning Data ====> Information =======> Knowledge ======> Behaviour ======> Apply Stand- ards Store & Move Display Chart Graph Publish Picture Format Knowing Learning Filtering Evaluating Gerunds Do Decide Choose Apply Enact Action Verbs
- 55. Transformational Process • Data •Information • Knowledge • Behaviour • Norm • Form • Transform • Perform Success
- 56. The Five Stagesof Technology Adoption • Awareness • Interest • Evaluation • Trial • Adoption
- 57. The $60 MillionDollar Question How do we more speedily process our organizations through this cycle? CHANGE
- 58. • Innovators • EarlyAdopters • Early Majority • Middle Majority • Laggards • Non-Adopters 2.5% 13 % 17.5 % 33.5 % 17.5% 16% The Classic Corn Research
- 59. The Classic CornResearch
- 60. What Favours RapidAdoption? • Relative Advantage • Compatibility • Complexity • Trialability • Observability
- 61. The Market AdaptationSequence • Product Acceptance • Motivation • Confidence Level • Education / Attitude • Acceptance Criteria • Selling Strategy
- 62. Understanding Adoption Types: Innovators •Technology fascination • Motivation -- Implement New Ideas • Confidence Level High -- experiment, risk • Self taught, independent • Latest technology, few features, performance • Self sold, when turned on, word of mouth
- 63. Understanding Adoption Types: EarlyAdopters • The coming thing • Motivation -- leap frog the competition, prove business • Willing to try new things, reasonable risk • Will attend night school to learn • Innovation, better way to do job, selective • Sold on benefits, references, word of mouth
- 64. Understanding Adoption Types:Late Adopters • Obvious solutions to problems • Motivation --social pressure, fear of obsolescence • No risk, slow to change, needs references • Seminars, proven products, hand holding • Brand important, pay for needed features only, terms & conditions important • Examples, address cost/technical support
- 65. Understanding Adoption Types: Laggards •Absolute need • Extreme competition/social pressure • Reluctant to change • Will send someone to a seminar, needs proof, ease of use • Lowest cost, competitive terms, brand • Productivity increases, fear
- 66. What kind oflibrarian are you? Critical thinker or Criticizer? What is your library culture around change or innovation?
- 67. Four Key Questions •What changes will be offered (i.e. the breadth and depth of the product line)? • Who will be the target users (i.e. the boundaries of the market segments served)? • How will the products reach those users (i.e. the distribution channels used)? • Why will users prefer these product(s) to those of competitors (i.e. the distinctive attributes and value to be provided)? • Bonus: Are they (clients/users) different from you, as librarians?
- 68. Making Decisions andSacrifices Tools for effective decision management and idea frame generation: – Four Square – Six Thinking Hats – Six Action Shoes – SWOT – Diverge / Converge – Post-its – Mind Maps – Fish Bone – Rory’s Story Cubes
- 69. Making Decisions andSacrifices Nice to have Must have Low Value High Value The 4- Square Value Decision Box
- 70. Making Decisions andSacrifices Value Time
- 71. Making Decisions andSacrifices Strengths ThreatsWeaknesses Opportunities Results
- 72. De Bono’s SixThinking Hats 1. White Hat 2. Red Hat 3. Black Hat 4. Yellow Hat 5. Green Hat 6. Blue Hat • What do we need to know? • How do I feel about this? • Let’s ask critical questions. • What are the opportunities here? • How can we grow this idea? • What’s the process here? Have we thought of everything?
- 73. De Bono’s SixAction Shoes 1. Navy Formal Shoes 2. Grey Sneakers 3. Brown Brogues 4. Orange Gumboots 5. Pink Slippers 6. Purple Riding Boots • Routine Behaviour • Collect Information • Pragmatism and Practicality • Emergency Response • Human Caring • Use Your Authority
- 74. Bringing the Userinto the Loop • Advisory Boards • Editorial Boards • Reactor Panels • Neighbourhoods • Feedback tools (e-mail, etc.) • Focus Groups • Surveys • MBWA and Observation
- 75. Leaders have manymodes. They choose to use the personal behaviour that works in the situation. Be 3D or 6D, but not 1D
- 76. "An optimist issomeone who says a glass is half full. A pessimist says it's half empty. A leader might say, "Looks like we've got twice as much glass as we need. Let discuss it."
- 78. Are you onthe ‘hits’ train?
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- 82. Are you lockedinto a traditional library mindset?
- 83. What about valueand impact?
- 84. LISTEN TO THEMUSIC IN YOUR HEAD Exercise your mind about the rhythms of your work. . . 87
- 85. Or shall westick with this?
- 86. Algorithms • Search differentiator •Commercial algorithms versus those based on big data • Measuring end user success versus known item retrieval… • “Romeo and Juliet” • Problems with the unmonitored trial – Wrong tests – Poor sampling – Mindset issues
- 87. Sharing Learning andResearch • Usability versus User Experience • End users versus librarians • Known item retrieval (favourite test) versus immersion research • Lists versus Discovery • Scrolling versus pagination • Devices and browsers and agnosticism • Satisfaction and change • Individual research experience vs. impacts on e- courses, LibGuides, training materials, etc.
- 88. Focus and Understandon the Whole Experience
- 89. Statistics, Measurements andAnalytics • Counter & Sushi data are very weak metrics that don’t provide insights into the critical stuff • Database usage (unique user, session, length of session, hits, downloads, etc.) • Web and Google Analytics (6,000+ websites) • Foresee satisfaction and demographic data • Search Samples (underemphasized at this point.) • Time of Year Analysis • ILS Data (from clients &n partnerships) • Geo-IP data, analytics and mapping. • Impact studies and sampling. • Gaining insight from information and data
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- 91. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Good not Perfect It’s not the steps that cause delays in development - it’s the space between the steps No mistake is ever final. Freeze and Go! The right metaphor is seasonal change - not revolution or evolution Prefer action over study: If you’re studying something to death - remember that death was not the original goal!
- 92. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Mock-Up, Build, Rebuild, Beta, Pilot, Launch, Re-Do Remember the rule of six (6). You get very diminishing returns after asking the same question of like people. Remember the 15% rule: Humans have extreme difficulty in actually seeing a difference of less than 15%.
- 93. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Use the 70/30 rule: “I agree with 70% and can live with the other 30%.” Remember the old 80/20 rule standby: No matter how few or many users you have, 80% of your usage/revenue/etc. will come from 20% of your users. Remember the 90/10 rule. 90% of your costs are in implementation, not development.
- 94. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips “Productize”: Be able to physically point at your product or service. Get out of your box! It is unlikely that you are the alpha user profile. You can’t step in the same river twice. Your knowledge of the new development means you probably cannot see the potential pitfalls.
- 95. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Understand the differences between features, functions and benefits. Understand your customer and don’t assume - TEST. Don’t just ask your clients what they do, will do or want. OBSERVE them. Have a vision and dream BIG!
- 96. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Ask the three magic questions: What keeps you awake at night? If you could solve only one problem at work, what would it be? If you could change one thing and one thing only, what would it be? Never underestimate the customer. Seek the real customer.
- 97. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Respect information literacy, learning styles and multiple intelligence. Understand the adoption curve. Do research for yourself too. Set up alerts on your hot issues. Bring management on side first, then customers and users, BEFORE you launch.
- 98. Conclusion: 28 KeyTips Feedback is a gift - you can keep it, return it, hide it in the closet. Don’t overvalue one piece of out-of-context feedback or let it loom out of perspective and balance. Measure - don’t just count: Decision-makers CANNOT interpret your statistics. When you have 100 options to choose from the critical skill isn’t choosing 5 but sacrificing 95.
- 111. The Library asSandbox
- 112. Stephen Abram, MLS,FSLA Consultant, Dysart & Jones/Lighthouse Partners Cel: 416-669-4855 stephen.abram@gmail.com Stephen’s Lighthouse Blog http://stephenslighthouse.com Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr: Stephen Abram LinkedIn / Plaxo: Stephen Abram Twitter: @sabram SlideShare: StephenAbram1