staff development pre-conference gems
June 23rd, 2006 by Mary WepkingAt the full-day LAMA pre-conference, “Cultivating the Future: Growing the Staff You Really Need,” a number of great presenters addressed staff development and positive organizational psychology. Here are a few kernels of thought from the day:
- What is your organization’s “bench strength?” The basketball-team analogy is an excellent one. A good coach knows that the starters are important to the team, but players 6, 7, 8, and 9 should also contribute to the organization and be ready to step up.
- Staff development depends on learning, and learning can sometimes be uncomfortable. A remarkable speaker at this session, Shelley Phipps of the University of Arizona (remarkable because she not only gave her own excellent presentation, but ably filled in for organizational development consultant Maureen Sullivan who had flight problems) used this phrase: “Lean into your discomfort.” I love it.
- From author Brian Quinn - “High-performing companies have employees with very high emotional states.” Several presenters today expressed this same sentiment. A whole person walks through the door each day to work in your library. They don’t leave their personalities at home or in the car — their happiness & ability to find fulfillment in is very much the concern of a good manager.
- Self-efficacy of employees - the belief that they can succeed is what allows them to do so.
Here’s a great real-life example from a public library director in Michigan & one of the pre-conference participants: She asked her employees to think about & identify a co-worker and to state what it is about him or her that they admire. All employees responded, and from the list of traits, they developed a list of 8 “core competencies” to guide employee performance. The funny thing? None of these competencies had to do with job know-how. The director added that one to the list, for pragmatic reasons, but most of the traits identified as admirable were qualities like supportive, nice, funny, a great communicator. As part of their performance review, employees & managers identify a few of these traits to improve or enhance in the coming year. She reported this as very effective. I can believe it.
Another great presenter: Ginnie Cooper, currently director at Brooklyn Public, but soon to be in DC. She identified 7 principles of “growing the staff you need.” Here they are:
1. Find out who the library is (get to know the staff, the branches, etc.) and who it’s becoming.
2. Early work with new staff is critical. The first 5 weeks is especially key. Here’s a radical thought she shared; When hiring a new employee, think first about the best manager under whom they might thrive, and think second about the vacancy they’re filling. It’s more important to have them under a good wing…
3. Leadership training is key. Staff should follow a clear path to a position of leadership: committee work, projects, teams, opportunity to speak & write. Meet with promising new staff after they’ve been with you for 6 months and ask, “Where do you want to be in 5 years?” Then listen.
4. Institute a formal leadership program. (3 & 4 are kind of the same, but she gave great reasons to list leadership training twice. It’s that important.)
5. Be explicit. We assume people can read our minds.
6. Praise the staff. Praise in every way you can find to do it. Here’s a great, easy plan to make this praise meaningful & to spread the leadership around: Buy a little statue or something in the $1.79 range. Put it on the desk of a staff member who’s done a great job, or is consistently doing fine work. A nice little surprise for them in the morning. They may keep the statue for a couple of days or a couple of weeks — but when they see a colleague they think might deserve a little recognition, they may sneak it onto their desk for a little secret reward. Repeat.
7. Hire kids. Young people in your workforce make a huge difference both internally & externally.
Hats off to LAMA for lots a great food for thought for library directors & managers. Lots of sharing, so lots of action ideas, too, in this terrific pre-conference. Special accolades for Shelley Phipps. Talk about bench strength!
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