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Nurturing Leadership at the Library
This document discusses nurturing leadership in libraries. It emphasizes flattening organizational hierarchies, empowering employees to act, and nurturing emergent leaders. Emergent leaders are passionate, motivate others, and initiate new ideas. The document suggests nurturing leadership by saying yes to new ideas, encouraging risk-taking and failure, giving creative control and feedback, and modeling good leadership behaviors like calling out issues directly and aligning actions with goals.
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Nurturing Leadership at the Library
- 1. Nurturing Leadership LMI SummerConference July 9, 2012
- 2. But First⌠A little perspective Why Are We Here Today?
- 3. Why Are WeHere Today?
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- 13. Why Are WeHere Today?
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- 16. Why Are WeHere Today?
- 17. Why Are WeHere Today?
- 18. Nigel: It reallyputs perspective on things, though, doesn't it? David: Too much, there's too much f*#%ing perspective now.
- 19. Why Are WeHere Today?
- 20. Nurturing Leadership in Your Library http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/01/12/offshoots-working-title-blog/
- 21. Exponential Pace ofChange 1.5 mill yrs lever, wedge 500,000 yrs control of fire 50,000 yrs bow & arrow 5,000 years wheel and axle; sail 500 years printing press with movable type; rifle 100 years automobiles 50 years satellites 30 years IBM Home Computer 25 years Windows / Mac 20 years World wide web 10 years ago iPod, Netflix, Tivo 5-7 years ago Ubiquitous Broadband, Blogging, Skype 4 years ago iPhone, Android, App Store, Geolocation < 4 years SMS/Smartphone ubiquity, Twitter, Facebook < 2 years Tablets, iPads, Cloud AMAZON-APPLE-GOOGLE-FACEBOOK
- 22. Pace of Change âEverythingâsamazing and nobodyâs happyâ -Louis CK
- 23. Unfreeze/Refreeze Change Model www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/3251962169
- 24. ThePermanent Whitewater Importance of Leadership at All Levels
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- 26. Waiting for aLeaderâŚ
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- 28. Flatten the Organization WHATDOES 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
- 29. Nurture Emergent Leaders 2. No formal authority 3. Are passionate and involved 4. Motivate Others 5. Initiate new ideas 6. Seek othersâ opinions
- 30. Emergent Leaders Speak Thoughtsfrom ALA Think Tank
- 31. Emergent Leaders Speak Say âYesâ and LISTEN âSay yes to the dreamers. Listen to the ideas/insights and then encourage attempts to address the problems. Sometimes the most insightful ideas come from people who are new to a task or duty.â - Aaron
- 32. Emergent Leaders Speak Say âYesâ and ENCOURAGE Try to find a "yes" answer first to all requests. When a staff member has an idea, encourage it with a "yes". Ideas about service or functions mean an employee is engaged and willing to work. Never discourage that. -Gina
- 33. Emergent Leaders Speak Let People Fail âLet people fail without freaking out. Partly because for someone to fail they have to try something new first, and partly because I always learn more from my failures than from things that go well.â - Lauren
- 34. Emergent Leaders Speak Give Creative Control âLet everyone have a pet project, and give them a forum to share them- newsletter, minute meeting, bulletin board- so that each staff person gets an opportunity to use their talent and that everyone feels like they have something special and valuable to contribute. - Jaime
- 35. Emergent Leaders Speak Let us Take Charge âGive us opportunities to take charge, and let the scope of those opportunities grow as we prove our competency. To whatever extent is possible, be a service-oriented manager: not just focusing on serving the patron/customer, but also serving your employees.â -Beth
- 36. Emergent Leaders Speak Get out of the way âHire smart people and get the hell out of their way. Be patient... if you sit back just a bit longer than you're used to, the solutions are discovered by your staff and because they discovered it, they most likely will want to own it - Chris
- 37. Emergent Leaders Speak Give us Feedback Give people ongoing feedback. They WANT to know how they are doing and what the impact of their work is from your perspective. - Kathryn
- 38. Emergent Leaders Speak Model it for us Be role models. This doesn't mean they have to have the ideas, but they need to live out the qualities of a leader to encourage/nurture new ones. Taking risks, owning mistakes, listening to new ideas, encouraging experimenting, and accepting failure.. - Erica
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- 41. Calls Bull-&#!+ ifneeded http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 42. Calls Bull-&#!+ ifneeded http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 43. Appreciates alternate perspectives http://justinmaier.com/2006/05/09/amazing-3d-art-by-julian-bever/
- 44. Appreciates alternate perspectives http://justinmaier.com/2006/05/09/amazing-3d-art-by-julian-bever/
- 45. Adaptable: Can Puton a Happy Face http://www.flickr.com/photos/bgsulib67/5148528014/sizes/m/in/set-72157625192282865/
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- 49. Doesnât Overthink Things ? ? ? http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 50. Doesnât Overthink Things http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 51. Or⌠http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 52. OrâŚstudy things todeath (have a bias for action) http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
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- 55. Tells it toâem http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 56. Tells it toâem straight http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 57. Aligns actions withmission/goals http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html
- 58. Be Relentlessly Optimistic http://s2.hubimg.com/u/834401_f260.jpg
- 59. Most Valuable LeadershipAssets Judgment (intuition, intelligence, experience) Information Mastery Courage Self-awareness Stamina Sense of humor Decision making Compromise (how and when) -Nannerl Keohane Sense of responsibility Commitment to a cause beyond yourself Passion and proportion (Detachment) interview: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S29/92/73G64/
- 60. Ways to NurtureLeadership ⢠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
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- 62. âMy job isto awaken possibility in other peopleâ -Benjamin Zander http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiorover/2787677403/
- 63. Peter Bromberg Thank you! Peterbromberg.com | peterbromberg@gmail.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/2602728681
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- 65. Sources of Influence â˘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
- 66. âI am notso much rejecting the distinction between leadership and management, but I am saying that the best leaders and managers do something that might be most properly called a mix of leadership and management.â
Editor's Notes
- #2Â Good Morning Everyone! Itâs an honor to be here with you today to help kick off the LMI Summer Conference. Before we properly begin, Iâd like to create a little bit of perspective by asking a simple question: Why are we here today
- #3Â Why are we here today? A seemingly simple question , and one I try to continually ask and answer every day So before we begin this wonderful conference, please take a moment, and reflect on the question. Why are we here today at the LMI Summer Conference in Glenside, PA? Why are YOU here ?
- #4 Letâs further define some terms âŚ. What do we mean by âhere â
- #14 For a little more perspective⌠What do we mean by Today
- #17Â Well, who are WE?
- #18Â Of the 108 billion people who have ever lived , we get to meaningfully interact with a few hundred, maybe a few thousand. So look around you at the people in this room, the people who have come to this conference And now think about your colleagues back at the library, and think about the people you serve in the library. Of all of 108 billion people who have ever lived, these (along with your family and friends, of course) are the few people you get to spend time with on your journey. Our time here together is precious.
- #19Â Really puts things in perspective
- #20 So I will ask again: Why are we here today? Because Our time together is precious We want to use our time here to make a difference I want to be awake and fully present and⌠Use my time to enrich my life and the lives of those around me .
- #21Â The theme for the conference is âNurturing Leadership in Your Library. Why is it important that we be nurturing leadership in our libraries? There are a number of reasons. For me the primary reason is: Because the pace of change has fundamentally changed the game. And simply put, I believe that to be successful in this new landscape of rapid change, we need a radically different type of organizational structure â one that develops and empowers staff at all levels. Letâs explore a little bit more about whatâs happening with the pace of change.
- #22 Here are two charts that demonstrate the pace of change You 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 grandfatherâs life was virtually indistinguishable from his fatherâs 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 grandfatherâs life were the same as his fathers In 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 orbit Space travel a moon landing, Television, Microwaves, Portable radios and tape players In other words, my grandfather saw more significant change in his life than his ancestors saw in the 500 years previous. To contrast, my 15 year old nephew has never known a world without: Internet, 156 HD channels, Invisible braces, DVDs, Cell phones, Text Messaging The pace of changeâ the introduction of âdisruptive technologiesâ continue to happen at an exponential pace⌠In October 2008, the comedian Louis CK was on the Conan OâBrien Show and he shared some observations about technological change and how our expectations rapidly shift in light of new technologies. Lets watch. [click]
- #23 SHOW VIDEO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Funny right, but he captures something there, about how customers expectations shift very quickly when they are exposed to new technologies that make their life easierâor at least technologies that they value. Back when we started QandANJ.org in late 2001 and I started going around doing presentations, I would ask, âhow many of you have been on the internet in the last 24 hours.â In the beginning Iâd see 10-25% of hands go up. Each year, Iâd 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? The fact is, that technology doesnât just expand whatâs 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 . But weâre getting a little bit ahead of ourselves⌠Letâs finish this discussion on the pace of change [click]
- #24Â Up until recently, there was an accepted model of how change happens in society and organizations: 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 time Some fundamental change occurs, and for a period of time, things unfreeze. We all get used to the change, itâs 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 donât even get to the refreeze point. With regard to change we are now more in a state of continual fluidity . Peter Vaill, a Professor of Mgmt at Antioch Univ . observed this phenomena and suggested a new model to help us understand change .
- #25Â We are now in what Peter Vaill and other change mgmt experts call: Permanent whitewater. Whitewater suggests a number of things It suggests a fast-pace ; It suggests that the situation changes by the second It suggests that we need to vigilant, aware and responsive moment by moment It also suggests that we can have a general sense of shape of the riverâthe direction of current â Maybe know where the really big rocks are . We canât control the ride, but we can influence it . So, what can we do to be successful in this new reality?
- #26Â REIMAGINE THE ORGANIZATION Libraries, like many orgs tend to be hierarchical, and slow to act. Hierarchical, slow-moving, organizations were well-positioned to thrive when disruptive change happened one every 10-20 years. No more! We need to rethink and reimagine our organizational structures and cultures in a way that we quickly surface and implement innovative ideas. The ability to move quickly to meet needs and expectations âand beyond that to surprise, and delightâ is what we need to survive and thrive in the new reality. That means we need to flatten our organizations and do a better job of empowering everyone to think creatively , work collaboratively , and take action quickly , and without a lot of red tape. In short we need to create cultures of shared leadership . One extreme example of this new type of organization is Valve . It has NO hierarch No managemen No structu Anyone can launch a project. Or hire. Again, I stress, that their structure is extreme âand Iâm not advocating that we do that far. But Think of it as runway fashion . What theyâre doing is pretty far out there, but some of those far out ideas can be scaled back and used by the rest of us.. If you havenât seen it, I highly recommend taking a look at the Valve Handbook for Employees . (http://newcdn.flamehaus.com/Valve_Handbook_LowRes.pdf) Not just for the ideas , but for the wonderful spirit of honesty and playfulness that it embodies.
- #27 While we may not need to go as far as Valve in empowering people to use their good judgment, think creatively and take action as needed, we do need move in that direction and away from THIS ⌠[watch video] Of course, the problem with highly structured organizations , where there are strict divisions of labor , and clearly defined (and often fiercely protected) areas of responsibilityâor TURF âis that even if you have competent people in place, it doesnât protect you from THISâŚ. [watch part 2 of video]
- #28Â We canât afford to have these types of employees any more.
- #29Â WE NEED TO FLATTEN THE ORGANIZATION How does that look? Flatten the organization Strong shared Vision Less Hierarchy Bias for action Bias for risk-taking Employee empowerment to act Encourage Emergent Leadership
- #30Â We need to encourage and nurture what Peter Northhouse calls â Emergent Leaders â: Northouse defines Emergent Leaders as those who : Have No formal authority Motivate others Initiate new ideas Seek othersâ opinions Are passionate and involved So what do these âEmergent Leadersâ need from us by way of nurturing ? I asked them.
- #31Â I posed the question in the âALA Think Tankâ Facebook group. [emerging leaders, movers/shakers, MIH] Iâve identified some main themes and used a quote to illustrate each theme.
- #40Â Segue to: M odel it for us A number of Think Tankers mentioned the need for managers to model Leadership Skills , so letâs talk about that: BTW [click] No baby ducks were hurt in the making of this slide.
- #41 So⌠What are those skills that we need to be modeling ?
- #46Â Example: Library Sleevefacing Bowling Green State University â Way to welcome new students and orient them to the library Take pictures in different parts of the library, then post them.
- #47Â Makes Good Decisions
- #48 Itâs about creating meaningâŚ
- #59Â Optimistic leadership is not about seeing the world through rose colored glasses . We need to make decisions based on in reality. Â But once you have your plan, optimism will inspire the hopefulness and confidence that is required to take action and inspire others to align their energy with the goal Optimism or pessimism is not ultimately about any specific situation -- it is conscious choice in how to frame the reality of a situation that puts us in a greater state of resourcefulness and helps therefore helps us succeed. And the cherry on top is that there is a lot of recent research that suggests that an optimism outlook correlates with longevity, health, and happiness. I highly recommend Sara Kelley-Mudieâs post on Relentless Optimism: http://kmthelibrarian.blogspot.com/2012/05/relentless-optimism.html OK, so what other leadership skills do we need to be modeling?Â
- #60Â Nannerl Keohane former pres of Wellesley and Duke, and author of âThinking About Leadershipâ suggests these core attributes of leadership : (interview: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S29/92/73G64/) Judgment (intuition, intelligence, experience) Information Mastery Courage Self-awareness Stamina Sense of humor Decision making Compromise (how and when) Sense of responsibility Commitment to a cause beyond yourself Passion and proportion (Detachment) Easy! Right? So thereâs our challenge : We nurture leadership by walking the talk. [click] (And the Think Tankers were quite clear about what else they needed)
- #61Â Nurturing 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 (Dan Pink- Drive. Creative Control and ability to solve problems) In closing, Iâd like to leave you with a challenge
- #62 And it is: To take a moment every day and remember that in addition to all of the tasks , all the job duties , all of the meetings and budget spreadsheets , all of the desk schedules , all of the data management , collections , and facilities issues , all of the emails and phone calls ⌠Remember that at the end of the day, the most important part of your job is this :
- #63Â Think about that . And give thought to what YOU want to happen in your life , in your community , in your library , in your profession . Take time to get clear on what you want to see happen and then start making some choices and taking actions -- and encouraging your staff to do the same. Take Actions that move you in the direction of your preferred future.
- #64Â The world needs libraries , now more than ever, and your library needs YOU . So I challenge you to be 100% present and not look to someone else to take the reins, lay out the vision, push for change, or challenge the process. It falls to you . It falls to each of us . We may or may not have positional authority , but in any moment, in any situation , we can all make choices and take actions that exert influence . And we must. Thank you for the great work you do , and for your passion and commitment to libraries. And thank you, for having me.
- #66Â Po