Tough Times Call for Tough Leaders

1. Tough Times Call for Tough Leaders New Jersey Library Association 2011 Conference

2. Available at… • http://ivylibrary.com/services/resources

3. It’s All About You! Ultimately the success of any organization depends on the quality of its leadership

4. At almost every level… • Nationally • At the state level • In the profession • In individual libraries …LEADERSHIP has become a rallying cry.

5. Here and now… …there has never been a greater need for tough-minded leaders

6. Tough Times • Disproportionate budget cuts • Elimination of regions • Staff reductions • Decimated state libraries • Cutbacks in hours, programs, materials, resources • Unprecedented use • Focus on diversified fundraising

7. Tough Times Internally • Underperforming Trustees • Board discord/hidden agendas • Poor morale • Floods and fires • PR crises • Strife between Trustees and Friends

8. Your Style Matters Impossible to talk about tough leadership without talking about style

9. 3 distinct styles • Authoritative • Participatory • Delegative

10. What about Librarians? • Predominately participatory • Color inside the lines • Want consensus • Play nice in the sandbox • Make do/re-use/do without • Qualities not advantageous in tough times

11. What about Elected Officials? • Autocratic/controlling/top down • Egotistical • Want to get re-elected • Leverage/value relationships • Don’t like surprises/deception • Bring personal agendas

12. Authoritative Meet Participatory! • Direct/fact-based • It’s all about business • Align with his/her agenda • Demonstrate ways he/her will benefit • Seek buy in • Let them own the success

13. Let’s Celebrate Our Assets

14. Librarians are … • devoted to their work and service • loyal to their libraries • deeply committed • concerned about their future

15. Libraries thrive when they… • operate from strength • give the community what it needs and wants • keep the faith

16. Just for Fun… • Think of all the animals in the animal kingdom and select the one that most reminds you of you. List its characteristics.

17. Just for Fun… • Now, think of the animal that you would most want to emulate and list its characteristics. • How do the two images measure up?

18. Desirable Leadership Characteristics • Honest • Forward-looking • Competent • Inspirational • Committed • Passionate

19. Desirable Characteristics • Supportive • Fair-minded • Broad-minded • Intelligent- they know what they know and what they don’t know

20. Less Important Characteristics • Straightforward • Dependable • Cooperative • Ambitious • Courageous • Empathic • Loyal • Self-controlled

21. And, by the way, great leaders are not always good managers or vice versa

22. Do things “right” Focus on “how to” Focus on efficiency Administer systems, policies, controls, procedures Good Managers

23. Good Managers • Smooth out the wrinkles within the status quo • Focus on the bottom line

24. Great Leadership Only Begins with Good Management Exceptional managers spend their time doing the most important things.

25. ABCs • C work = clean up what happened yesterday

26. ABCs • B work = manage what is happening today or in the immediate future

27. ABCs • A work = the long term, big picture projects that are critical to the future How can we get more people to do really important work?

28. Characteristics of Librarians Tenacity High Service Standards Quality of Information Customer Service Desire to Serve Willingness to Take on User’s Problems Entrepreneurial Characteristics Vision Willingness to Take Risks Customer Focus Initiative Creativity Desire for Success Innovation Great Leaders Take On Entrepreneurial Qualities Source: Guy St. Clair, Entrepreneurial Librarianship

29. Evolving into the Entrepreneurial/ Leadership Mode • Personally going out of your comfort zone and encouraging the same from employees • Raising risk tolerance • Setting priorities appropriately

30. What Might Have to Change? • Change your style • Spend your time differently • Craft new messages/forge new alliances • Eliminate sacred cows • Master risk assessment • Differentiate between essential and discretionary • Move people’s cheese • Push back/say no

31. Preparing for Change • Assess the overall organizational readiness for change • Develop a culture that supports critical new initiatives

32. Cultivating New Thinking 3. Develop an organizational strategy with: • Vision • Values • Critical Success Factors

33. To Lead Change • Design and implement a carefully planned, high- involvement change strategy around: • Communication • Skills • Accountability • Systems • Your marketplace

34. To Lead Change • Identify competencies required for effective performance • Set performance goals to achieve institutional goals

35. To Lead Change 7. Have a communications plan • All hands on deck/every staff person knows the script • Know when to go public • Know when the public has to feel the pain

36. But … adjusting to change isn’t easy

37. Workplace Changes Challenge • Habits • Behaviors • Organizational culture • Basic assumptions

38. Workplace Changes Can Create • Insecurity • Fear • Anger • Withdrawal • Active resistance

39. Tough Leadership is… • Versatile • More authoritative • Makes factual/data driven decisions • Customer-focused, but true to mission/reflect planning priorities • Takes a long term view

40. Tough Leadership is… • Decisive/no waffling • Shares the pain/transparency • Based on objective risk assessment • Willing to call in the chits

41. Tough Leaders… • End up with the right people on the island with them • Take the heat for trustees and managers • Don’t go to the office looking for love

42. To become a tough leader… • Act expeditiously/but have a plan B • Take care of your essential services • Identify and protect the people who are critical to survival • Communicate continuously with financial supporters

43. To become a tough leader… • Continually engage with your Board • Maintain frank communications with key stakeholders • Tighten your belt and streamline internal opportunities

44. Thank You