A new year

While answering the question, how much time do circ staff spend on email, on a recent in-house survey, I began to think about a better communication method for us. Since we are looking at using this for SRC, I thought I'd start a staff blog. No hoopla, just a tool for us to use on a regular basis. Please, please do respond to posts, and add your own additions to our collective growth and development.

Aaron, this is a great place for you to post all of your wonderful sites and articles.

To start this one off, I am adding some things I found when weeding the reference collection.

The book, Empowering Your Library (now in my office for your ease of access) is a reminder of things that may now be second nature to us (empowerment and leading from any position) and I have included excerpts from it here.

From chapter 6, the managers role, Summary:

'The roles of the manager in a traditional hierarchial organization and the empowered library are quite different. Before embarking on a new role, it is important for all employees not only to understand the rationale for empowerment but also to have an opportunity to develop a personal vision of their new roles. This minimizes resistance and facilitates buy-in.

As the work previously done by managers is gradulaly turned over to self-directed teams, the manager must shift focus from command and control to that of coach, facilitator, and troubleshooter. Managers also play a critical role in helping align work plans with organizational goals, serving as an information conduit, and facitating planning, product development, acquiring resources, community outreach, training, and employee development.

The manager or supervisor also makes certain that employees are appropriaterly encouraged, recognized, and rewarede for their efforts. Rewards need not be monatary. They should, however, be sincere and appropriate to the individual or group being recognized'.

In the chapter on Empowered Library Leadership, it lists Warren Bennis' "10 factors for coping with change, forging a new future and creating learning organizations":

1. Leaders manage the dream.
2. Leaders embrace error.
3. Leaders encourage reflective backtalk.
4. Leaders encourage dissent.
5. Leaders possess the Nobel Factor: optimism, faith and hope.
6. Leaders understand the Pygmalion effect in management.
7. Leaders have what I think of as the Gretzky Factor, a certain "touch".
8. Leaders see the long view.
9. Leaders understand stakeholder symmetry.
10. Leaders create strategic alliances and partnerships.

CML and I both believe in leading from any position. The summary for this chapter goes on to say that "Fear, stress, and anxiety are best overcome by involving all employees in planning and implementation". Fortunately for me, you all are the best team for this type of work. Take some time to look at this book as it is a great tool for understanding where we are and why.

My next post will be about teens and SRC. It will be an ongoing theme and one I hope you all will jump on.

It's a new year, folks!

SO