Nurturing Leadership at the Library

Nurturing Leadership

LMI Summer ConferenceJuly 9, 2012

Why Are We Here Today?

But First…A little perspective

Why Are We Here Today?

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Here

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Here

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Why Are We Here Today?

Today

Today

Why Are We Here Today?

Why Are We Here Today?

David: Too much, there's too much f*#%ing perspective now.

Nigel: It really puts perspective on things, though, doesn't it?

Why Are We Here Today?

Nurturing Leadershipin Your Library

http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/01/12/offshoots-working-title-blog/

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, CloudAMAZON-APPLE-GOOGLE-FACEBOOK

Exponential Pace of Change

“Everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy”-Louis CK

Pace of Change

Unfreeze/Refreeze Change Model

www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/3251962169

The Importance of Leadership at All LevelsPermanent Whitewater

Reimagine the Organization

Waiting for a Leader…

Part Two

WHAT DOES FLAT LOOK LIKE?

• Strong shared Vision• Less Hierarchy• Bias for action• Bias for risk-taking• Employees empowered to act

Flatten the Organization

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220457

Nurture Emergent Leaders

1. No formal authority2. Are passionate and involved3. Motivate Others4. Initiate new ideas5. Seek others’ opinions

Emergent Leaders SpeakThoughts from ALA Think Tank

Emergent Leaders Speak

“Say 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.” - Aaron

Say “Yes” and LISTEN

Emergent Leaders Speak

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

Say “Yes” and ENCOURAGE

Emergent Leaders Speak

“Let 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.” - Lauren

Let People Fail

Emergent Leaders Speak

“Let 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

Give Creative Control

Emergent Leaders Speak

“Give 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.” -Beth

Let us Take Charge

Emergent Leaders Speak

“Hire 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

Get out of the way

Emergent Leaders Speak

Give people ongoing feedback. They WANT to know how they are doing and what the impact of their work is from your perspective.

- Kathryn

Give us Feedback

Emergent Leaders Speak

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

Model it for us

Model Good Leadership

http://imgur.com/gallery/CzGfQ

Model Good Leadership

http://imgur.com/gallery/CzGfQ

Calls Bull-&#!+ if needed

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Calls Bull-&#!+ if needed

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Appreciates alternate perspectives

http://justinmaier.com/2006/05/09/amazing-3d-art-by-julian-bever/

http://justinmaier.com/2006/05/09/amazing-3d-art-by-julian-bever/

Appreciates alternate perspectives

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bgsulib67/5148528014/sizes/m/in/set-72157625192282865/

Adaptable: Can Put on a Happy Face

Makes Good Decisions

Understands ComplexityCommunicates Simply

Doesn’t Personalize

http://wisefoundations.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/image1.jpg

? ? ?

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Doesn’t Overthink Things

Doesn’t Overthink Things

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Or…

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Or…study things to death

(have a bias for action)

No Surprises

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

No Surprises

Tells it to ‘em

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Tells it to ‘em straight

Aligns actions with mission/goals

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Funny_Stuff.html

Be Relentlessly Optimistic

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/834401_f260.jpg

Most Valuable Leadership Assets

Judgment (intuition, intelligence, experience)Information MasteryCourageSelf-awarenessStaminaSense of humorDecision makingCompromise (how and when)Sense of responsibilityCommitment to a cause beyond yourselfPassion and proportion (Detachment)

interview: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S29/92/73G64/

-Nannerl Keohane

Ways to Nurture 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

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiorover/2787677403/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiorover/2787677403/

“My job is to awaken possibility in other people”

-Benjamin Zander

Thank you!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/2602728681

Peter BrombergPeterbromberg.com | peterbromberg@gmail.com

Deleted Scenes

Sources of Influence

• Purpose

• Knowledge

• Personal history

• Faith in self

• Speak truth to power

• Set/Model Standards

• Choose your reaction

• To follow direction or not

• Relationships/Networks

• Communicate

• Organize others

• Withdraw Support

Adapted from: Ira Challeff, The Courageous Follower

”I am not so 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.”