The Successes that can be found.
We'll conclude with a Q&A. And remember about your "leadership tools."
I'll be asking you to identify a few of them.
I. Let me begin with a story that I believe illustrates, allegorically, the value of
taking time out for DACOLT sessions.
My home state of North Carolina is well known for its timber, textiles, tobacco, and
high tech. This particular story is about timber. It takes place over 200 years ago.
The title is:
THE CHAMPION AND THE CHALLENGER
It was the custom a long time ago to have a contest between the best wood cutters in
the Appalachian Mountains.
There was a champion wood cutter. Each spring he faced a worthy challenger in a one day
contest of speed, strength, and skill.
Early in the morning of the contest, the Champion and the Challenger met in a clearing.
Crowds gathered. Food and drink appeared. Teams of horses were readied to drag out the
felled trees for trimming and stacking.
At a signal the Champion and the Challenger hefted their double-edged, 4 1/2 pound axes
and headed toward the trees tagged for cutting.
Spaced apart so that they could not see one another, they began their work.
A rhythmic, thwack, thwack, crack was heard. The first trees came down in unison.
Horses were maneuvered into position to drag out the trees. Men began trimming and
stacking the logs into separate piles.
The crowd settled down to watch - - - and listen.
The Champion and the Challenger continued chopping. Stroke matched stroke. Another,
then another tree fell.
A break came for water. Chopping continued.
In time, the Challenger became aware that the Champion had stopped chopping. The
Challenger was puzzled. Then he smiled. The Champion must be tiring. He's resting. The
Challenger pressed on. Shortly, the Champion returned to wood cutting.
Lunch came. The Champion and the Challenger ate and rested - - - briefly.
They resumed their wood cutting.
The Challenger realized that the Champion stopped chopping yet again. A short time
later he resumed. Too tired, too weak, the Challenger thought, although he was tiring,
too, but he didn't stop. His axe grew heavier. He missed his mark again and then again,
but he pressed on.
At last, the final signal came. The contest was over. Worn and weary the Challenger and
the Champion made their way toward the clearing.
The Challenger saw the size of his wood pile and he was pleased. Then he saw the
Champion's. Stunned, the Challenger called out to the Champion:
"How could you have cut more wood? You stopped chopping - - - several times. What
were you doing when you stopped?"
The Champion responded quietly, "I was sharpening my axe." |
The moral of this story is clear:
To keep on the cutting edge of whatever you do,
take time out to hone your leadership "tools."
Let's consider what your leadership tools are. Are you ready? There will be
rewards. [Note: OFFER WHETSTONES TO THE FIRST THREE RESPONDENTS TO THE QUESTION.]
[Return to slide presentation.]
SLIDE PRESENTATION: LEADERSHIP IN SLA
DACOLT 1999
Leadership Models:
In the Industrial Age:
It was "Leader as Boss"
In the Information Age: It was
"Leader as Strategist"
In the Knowledge Age: It is
"Leader as Coach, Guide or Sponsor"
The trend has shifted (but not completely) from
P. O. E.
M.
PLAN -- ORGANIZE -- EXECUTE -- MEASURE
toward
D. N. A.
DEFINE -- NURTURE -- ALLOCATE
Knowledge leadership, especially in volunteer professional
organizations, emphasizes and rewards COLLABORATION and CREATIVITY. Be advised that not
everyone has these qualities in abundance, but they can be nurtured!
Leadership Definitions
Definitions are elusive. I'll need your ideas here. This is
what I've uncovered so far:
We recognize it when we see it, especially if it's poor.
It's original, can't be copied or transferred.
People don't identify themselves as leaders; others do.
There's no one definition that fits all leaders.
Your suggestions????
Managers and Leaders
Poor managers are all alike; good ones are unique.
Good leaders are individuals, but work well in teams.
Good managers are successful with projects.
Good leaders are successful with people; they bring out the best in others
Good managers do things right.
Good leaders do the right things.
Both good managers and good leaders communicate well, but good leaders inspire.
Managers and leaders are two sides of the same coin.
Organizations need both.
Leaders also face demands, challenges, and
frustrations. But the trade off is that they learn, develop, and mature. They learn from
their colleagues, SLA leaders and mentors. They discover new opportunities and trends and
filter the rest. They face troubling issues, undertake demanding tasks, overcome reverses.
They do not do all this alone. They share this learning with their associates and their
top management. They learn to communicate, collaborate, delegate, and celebrate.
Leadership Learning Curve
As leaders continue to learn about themselves, their jobs
and their profession, they become skilled multi-taskers; juggling priorities. [Note:
Let's step aside here and think about multitasking. Sometimes personal events require
people to "just say no" to the multiple burdens of professional volunteer
activities. We all understand that. But, when those times come, I encourage all of you not
to drop out. Rather, drop back and transfer the leadership responsibility to someone else.
Remember, this is the time when SLA can support you!]
Now, they don't learn this all at once and they don't do it by
themselves. Be prepared to invest your time and learn from your SLA coaches, guides and
mentors. Spend time reading leadership guidelines and management manuals. Discover WHAT
HAS to be done, WHEN it should be done, WHO has done it successfully, and then try out
some of your own ideas. There are no hard and fast leadership rules, just some useful
guidelines and common sense about building professional relationships. Remember to Keep
track, check back, report back, stand back, and cheer.
Leadership Basics
Inventory the ways you communicate with your Board and
unit members. Listservs are useful, but not the only way. Sometimes a personal phone call
seeking advice and active involvement is more satisfying and successful. An enthusiastic
letter of appreciation for service can work wonders for continued support and service- - -
especially if it is sent to the officer's boss. The Lesson of The Second-Hand
Compliment is a good one to know and use. And while you are handing out verbal
bouquets, how about nominations for SLA Honors and Awards on behalf of outstanding unit
members? Consider scheduling lunch (or a picnic, barbecue, tea/coffee break) with past and
current unit officers to discover what ideas they might have and what mentoring
responsibilities they can shoulder? Have you written, called, visited your area's School
of Library and Information Science? Students and faculty can participate, too - - - if
your reach out personally. Keep asking for advice, ideas, and support. You'll get it! But
you have to ask. Remember to: Communicate. Collaborate. Delegate. Keep Track. Check
Back. And Cheer!
Meeting Management
Meetings are ubiquitous and never-ending.
They are essential to decision making in a democratic society.
But, Can they also be enjoyable? [Well, perhaps that is asking a bit much!]
Managing Meetings Involves:
Understanding of how meetings (should) work
Preparation. Previous minutes? Past Agendas? Current Agenda?
Recognize Leadership Styles. Benevolent dictator? Micro-manager? Consensus architect?
Meeting arrangements and meeting conduct
This where Robert's Rules of Order (RROO) comes in. My copy is Mary Ann
De Vries. The New Robert's Rules of Order, 2nd Rev. edition,
1998. It's available from Signet Publishers in paperback for $5.95. I like this new
edition for a number of reasons, but primarily for its inclusion of electronic meetings.
More about RROO later.
Meeting Types
Board meetings, focus groups, ad hoc meetings, document conference, Conventions, and
tete a tetes
[Note: from my perspective unit Board meetings are like dress rehearsals while unit
Business meetings are closer to "show-time" performances. Some of you may
have a better way of distinguishing between the two. If so, please share. ]
Formal or informal
Face-to-face or electronic
But meetings are almost always governed as much by civility and courtesy as by rules,
bylaws, reports, motions, and votes.
Meeting Conduct
Robert's Rules of Order (RROO)
is divided into two sections: one dealing with meeting arrangements, the other addresses
meeting conduct. (BTW, there are portions with suggestions on managing multi-national
meetings as well as working with difficult and disruptive members.) Meeting arrangements
can be variable, even creative and possibly fun! . Meeting conduct has a more formal, even
structured side. This is the part that governs motions, their form and precedence. Beyond
observing that amendments to motions are voted on BEFORE the original motion, I urge great
care here. Avoid making motions UNTIL everyone is absolutely clear about the issue, the
motion is clearly written, AND is ready to make a decision. Further, I suggest that
controversial issues raised be sent to an ad hoc committee for further study and with
direction to return with a report and a recommendation in a specified period of time. Then
the members can vote intelligently. The point here is that motions voted on prematurely
can result in a "win-lose" situation. Leaders should promote "win-win"
solutions if at all possible. This procedure is called "consensus" building. Remember
that while one of RROO's purposes is to provide for majority rule, the rest ensures
protection of minority rights, civil debate and amicable solutions.
Inspiration and Perspiration
The image here is not hard to see. Leaders need physical stamina, mental
agility and emotional stability to do their best work. They and their units flourish when
they assimilate into an effective team. Solo performances need audiences. Leaders need
active, collaborative partners. Effective leaders excell as relationship builders.
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
Communicating with members, officers, and the Association
Recruiting and keeping board officers
Filling committee chairs
Expanding membership
Celebrating achievements
Raising funds and budgeting
Publishing, reporting, and archiving (print and electronic)
Planning programs and meetings
Thinking strategically
Rest assured that all of us in SLA have faced
the challenges of not getting enough members to run for office, or, if elected, they
cannot serve their full terms. We know what it is like to face turnover in committee
chairs, difficulty in finding replacement Bulletin editors, mix-ups with Treasurer's
reports to mention just a few of leadership concerns. We recognize that leadership skills
and styles vary; but we also are well aware that there are no hard and fast rules about
what makes for a successful Association Chapter, Division or Caucus. If troubles arise,
lack of communication with SLA Cabinet officers delays solutions. So reach out and contact
someone.
How many of you will be celebrating anniversaries this year? Think
about this question carefully. The answer is that ALL of you will be celebrating unit
anniversaries this year. Make it a point to have your archivist prepare a one-page
chronology each year for future reference. And if it can be illustrated with photos, all
the better. And if it can be archived on a web site, that would be better yet.
We can also sense occasional feelings of "being out of the
loop," no matter how much effort is expended to be inclusive. Keep working with us.
We can and do listen, and we will help. Sometimes, it is just a matter of validating what
you are already doing. At one time or another as unit leaders we've wondered about where
to turn for advice about problems with membership renewals. What to do about low turnout
for programs. How to cope with lack of money, time, support, and ideas from members. And,
how to stimulate long-term active support and participation in SLA. We need to know your
questions. We also need to know your successes. You'll soon discover that you all will
become SLA leaders, coaches, and guides to whom others turn to for support. That's the
cycle: Each one teach one, reaches others.
From Eugenie Prime (Head of Hewlett-Packard's corporate library and 1998 SLA
award winner) "We live in a volatile environment. We need to be willing to
take risks and to show courage and persistence. With those attributes, we can surely move
ahead and thrive in the twenty-first century."
LEADERSHIP TOOLS
Bylaws and Procedure Manuals
Reports and Directories
Special Lists
Survival Kit (shown at meeting)
URL Citations:
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT GROUPS
SLA Cabinet Chairs
Past Presidents and Committee Chairs
Members and Vendors
Faculty and Students
Family and Friends
LEADERSHIP TIPS
Parse Labor Intensive Task
Divide bulletin chores
Appoint programming co-chairs
Abstract minutes
Prepare motions prior to meetings
Distribute Agendas Prior to Meetings
Keep a "Kudos" File
Discover howto:
| Inspire commitment |
Motivate officers |
Connect with colleagues |
| Attract and keep members |
Mentor students and neophytes |
Prepare for the future;
honor the past |
| Share responsibility; delegate assignments |
Promote their units |
Manage time and money well |
| Face challenges creatively |
Celebrate success |
Advance the profession |
| Plan meetings |
Reward self |
|
SUMMARY
Whether we talk of woodchoppers, symphony conductors, or information professionals,
talent, tools and technique inspire achievement.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE & MEETING MANAGEMENT
INCIDENTAL READINGS
1. Henry L. Ewbank, Jr. Meeting management.
Dubuque, Iowa, Wm. C. Brown Co. Pub., 1968.
Out-of-print LC 68024360
This book is short, concise, readable and gives practical advice. Most of this lecture
is cribbed from it close to verbatim. It would be useful to read the rest of it if you can
find the book.
2. William Evans, Henry M. Robert (Editor). Robert's Rules of Order :
Newly Revised. Perseus Pr, 1991. ISBN: 0062760513 $12.00 paperback
3. Doris P. Zimmerman, Henry M. Scott. Robert's Rules in Plain English.
HarperCollins, 1997. ISBN: 0062734768 $3.95 paperback LC 97011691
4. Mary Ann De Vries. The New Robert's Rules of Order 2nd Rev edition.
Signet, 1998. ISBN: 0451195175 $5.59 paperback
5. William R. Gondin. Dictionary handbook of parliamentary procedure.
Totowa, N.J., Littlefield, Adams and Co., 1969. Out-of-print ISBN:
0-822609234-2 LC 74103912
Combines dictionary arrangement with longer handbook-type definitions and explanations.
Probably more esoteric information than most of us need, but some people may prefer this
format as easier to use.
6. William T. Carnes. Effective meetings for busy people: let’s decide it
and go home. McGraw-Hill, 1983. Out-of-print ISBN:
0-07-010118-3 LC 79019770
Long, but entertaining to scan if not read. Some anecdotes are painfully funny. Some of
the advice and methods are a little extreme and only for the gutsy. Also includes long
sections on how to plan and run programs and conferences. If you really get into the
subject of meetings, it is worth a look.
7. Richard J. Dunsing. You and I have simply got to stop meeting this way.
New York, AMACOM (a division of American Management Associations), 1978.
Out-of-print ISBN: 0-8144-5472-0
LC 78002516
By the time I got to this one, I was wading, but nevertheless, he has some useful
material. Focuses more on human interactions than parliamentary procedures and aims more
at small working groups of 8–10 rather than larger groups. Part II discusses meeting
in their organizational context such as business and industry, government, education,
religion, etc. May be useful for your other meetings.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES ON LEADERSHIP
Leadership Roles for Information Specialists
Author: Jan Wallace, Manager, Information Center, Simons International Corp.
URL: www.sla.org/chapter/cwcn/wwest/v1n3/wallac13.htm
"Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?"
Author: Abraham Zaleznik
Harvard Business Review, March 1, 1992
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/prod_detail.asp?92211.html
"Covert Leadership: Notes on Managing Professionals"
Author: Henry Mintzberg
Harvard Business Review, November–December 1998
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/ideasatwork/mintzberg.html
Leadership by Design
Author: Albert A. Vicere and Robert M. Fulmer
HBS Press
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/products/press/books/vicere.html
Leading Change
Author: John P. Kotter
HBS Press
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/products/press/books/kotter.html
"Work of a Modern Leader: An interview with Ron Heifetz"
Authors: Ronald A. Heifetz and Loren Gary
Harvard Management, April 1, 1997
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/prod_detail.asp?u9704b.html
Navigating Change: How CEOs, Top Teams, and Boards Steer Transformation
Authors: Donald C. Hambrick, David A. Nadler, and Michael L. Tushman
HBS Press
URL: www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/prod_details.asp?7846.html