LIS 650 FINAL PAPER Kyle Butler April 28, 2011 I: Intro/Leadership-Professional Model The main focus of this

section is to attempt to sum up my leadership philosophy into a one-sentence action statement. Trying to narrow this down to one sentence is enormously challenging, but after some thought, I would sum it up with the simple statement: Work Hard, Listen Harder. Certainly, the importance of working hard is obvious, and you cannot become a great manager without putting forth strong effort and achieving the goals you lay out for yourself and your organization. Having said that, working hard is only half the battle to running a successful organization. A supervisor must also be a good listener, and constantly aware of what other employees are saying. Many workers may bring forth ideas for improvement in various areas, along with other suggestions that better the organization as a whole, but if supervisors fail to pay attention, they fail as managers.

As for my fundamental values, I believe in open communication, honest assessments, diversity of (and respect for) other opinions, hard work, and constantly striving for ways to improve myself. I feel that any organization that has managers and employees that follow these values has a far greater chance of accomplishing their goals and achieving success in their fields.

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II: Talents and Personal Development Plan I have been in the LIS program for over a year now. While I still remain unsure of the exact career road I want to take, working in a reference position in an academic library stands out as an appealing prospect. I feel that I possess a number of talents that would be beneficial in a reference position. For starters, I enjoy doing research and finding answers to questions, which seems to be one of the primary job tasks for reference librarians. When it comes to working with other employees, I feel that my ability to work well with others, and be respectful of other opinions would make me an asset in any library setting. At the moment, I remain uncertain at the prospect of holding a leadership/management position. While our group work in this years class went quite well, I felt much more comfortable when not having to make tough decisions on my own, generally preferring to make decisions collaboratively with other group members. At the same time, it should be noted that our group was so often on the same page that there were never any sharp disagreements that required any members to really take an individual stand. So, while I dont write off the prospect of management, I still feel I have a great deal to learn before feeling more confident in my managerial abilities.

In terms of a 3-5 year plan, I just hope to begin my career in an academic library. The unsettled economic picture clearly casts a dark shadow over the library field, as

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well as most fields in general. So in the short-term, I would feel very fortunate to be employed, and dont have a specific timeframe for achieving more specific 3 year goals. However, should the economic future eventually improve, then in 15 years I would either still like to be involved with reference work in an academic setting, or possibly working with archival information. It seems entirely possible that in 15 years, Google will have taken over the informational world completely and there wont be any need for reference librarians. While I certainly hope that isnt the case, working with archives and possibly some rare artifacts/books would be an enjoyable outlet for me as well.

III: Cover Letter

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my interest in the Reference Librarian position you recently listed on the Librarians R Us website. I recently graduated from the LIS department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and am actively seeking a reference librarian position in an academic library setting.

As noted in the enclosed resume, I have spent two years volunteering at the Guilford Branch Library located in Greensboro, North Carolina. During that time, I had the opportunity to learn many facets of librarianship, including how to best organize library holdings, catalog items, and assist patrons with computer-related questions. In

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addition, the classes I took while pursuing my degree taught me valuable experience in how to answer patron questions, as well as accessing databases and archives.

I have a great deal of passion for working in a library setting, and particularly when it involves reference work. I enjoy helping people find answers to their questions, and helping ensure that the information is reliable and accurate.

I believe I would be an asset to your library. I am thorough in research and preparation of projects. I also feel that I possess strong organizational skills and am particularly detail-oriented. Furthermore, I pride myself on being an excellent team worker and respectful of other workers opinions.

I would very much like to explore the Reference Librarian position with you further. I will be in town next week and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. Should you need any additional information in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks very much for your consideration, and I hope to talk with you soon.

Sincerely,

Kyle Butler

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IV: Top Five Questions One of the first discussion board assignments handed out at the beginning of this semester required us to list the five questions we most wanted answered prior to the courses conclusion. At that time, there were about 10-15 questions that easily could have made the cut, but after some consideration, I was able to narrow it to the following five queries, which at least to some extent, were successfully answered thanks to a combination of readings, lectures, and discussions.

1. As an administrator, what are the best ways to motivate your employees to maximize their potential? There are several methods that administrators can employ which raise the likelihood of staff members putting forth their best possible effort in the workplace. As Max Messner writes, To achieve the best results, consider developing a formal program that offers meaningful awards. (Messner, 2004) One of the common themes throughout the readings centers on the idea of providing perks and/or bonuses to employees that go above and beyond expectations. Perks can come in many forms, including extra money, extended vacation time, or even through providing free passes and discounts to area attractions. When employees know they can be rewarded for doing a good job, it provides extra motivation.

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Financial recognition isnt the only means of motivation; personal recognition also plays a role. In Raving Fans, the employee at Varleys Department Store points out how much she appreciates the fact that management congratulates us when we do well and helps us when we dont. (Blanchard, 1993) As a manager, it is an excellent strategy to deliver positive feedback and advice. By contrast, should a manager fail to recognize good efforts and instead, solely hand out negative feedback is a recipe for poor performances from disheartened employees.

Creating a positive culture can also lead to stronger work performances from employees. By promoting teamwork, collaboration, openness, and friendship in the workplace, managers can help build camaraderie among employees. Some companies attempt to turn their organizations into one big happy family. Employees at Wegmans Supermarket routinely report that management cares about them and that they care about each other, which leads to better productivity from happy employees. (Nohria, 2008)

A final method that managers can employ as a means of motivating workers is to demonstrate each individuals importance to the organization as a whole. Managers must assure employees that their opinions count and that they play a vital role in the organizations function and success. By following the concept that every role, performed at excellence is a respected profession, employees will focus their energy

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and strengths towards that particular position. (Buckingham, 1999, 184) If employees realize that their suggestions and opinions arent being tossed aside and recognize the importance of their productivity, they are far more likely to deliver consistently strong performances in the workplace.

2. When things dont run smoothly, what are the best ways of dealing with the situations to avoid stress?

I feel that the best two answers I received for this question came from the administrator interview assignment, as well as Primal Leadership. When interviewing an archives librarian at a local academic library, he specifically mentioned the need to prioritize in the workplace. He mentioned that Trying to take on more than you can handle results in not enough attention towards any project and instead, puts you in unnecessary stressful situations. By prioritizing projects, a manager stays on task and avoids the temptation to do too much at once.

Other good ways of dealing with stressful situations include the ability to maintain self-control. One of the marks of an effective leader is somebody who manages their emotions and remains calm during high-stress situations. (Goleman 2002)

Finally, should managers choose to take on multiple projects at once, they can still succeed if they possess the ability to adapt. As Goleman writes, Leaders who are adaptable can juggle multiple demands without losing their focus or energy. A person

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possessing the ability to adapt and remain flexible during periods of unpredictability is far more likely to succeed as a manager in the workplace.

3. What are the best methods for dealing with conflicts between employees in the workplace? Conflict resolution was one of the main focal points of this course in the final few weeks, and there isnt really a one-size-fits-all approach. So much depends on the individual personalities of the people embroiled in a dispute, because clearly, not every person responds the same way to various tactics.

However, some methods seem to work better than others. Masters & Albright list several ways to solve conflicts, including negotiation, facilitation, and mediation (Masters, 2002). A good negotiator has the ability to listen well, along with being a team-oriented individual who expresses confidence in reaching a satisfactory conclusion to a dispute. Facilitation requires one to be flexible and to effectively adapt to the needs of the parties involved. Mediation is best used when the dispute takes an overly emotional turn to the point that the parties are unable to communicate, therefore requiring an outside person to interject.

Negotiation, facilitation, and mediation have fairly good track records at resolving conflicts. While these methods are reasonably successful, others struggle to reach satisfactory conclusions. Desivilya, Somech, and Lidgoster write about conflict

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management in work teams, including groups that employ dominating and ignoring styles. (Desivilya, 2010) While some dominating styles can reach effective conclusions, the styles are more likely to turn people off. Additionally, ignoring the conflicts and simply hoping they go away has never worked in any group conflict Ive ever encountered, and in the end, fails to solve any problem.

4. How can I improve the employer/employee relationship?

At the beginning of the year, I asked this question because, based on past experience, there seems to always be a substantial gulf between bosses and employees. The best way to bridge this divide is to follow the 12 Questions laid out in First, Break All The Rules. If an employee can answer Yes to each of the 12, the manager is doing his part to foster strong relations within the organization, including praising employees, encouraging their development, considering their opinions, and helping them find ways to learn and grow. (Buckingham, 1999)

In addition, as stated earlier, if employers provide incentives and show appreciation for strong work efforts, as well as staying positive, it also helps improve relations. Again, when mistakes are made and bosses respond by helping their employees instead of losing their cool, it can only help the relationship between the two parties.

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A final method is making sure employees are aware of their responsibilities and company expectations. In some organizations, employees dont know whats going to happen from one day to the next. This can result in a great deal of stress and even distrust from employee towards employer. Employers should be extremely clear with regards to workplace expectations and be consistent when handing out tasks and projects to where employees have a good idea what to expect and wont be constantly caught off-guard by unexpected, stressful assignments.

5. What are my responsibilities as an administrator? First and foremost, the administrator should provide the vision that the rest of the organization can follow. Administrators must make objectives clear, understandable, and make sure employees remain focused on the goals at hand. Also, employers should concentrate on creating a high-performance environment, as well as providing employees with tools to enable them to do their jobs effectively. (Jones, 2010) Administrators cannot reasonably expect workers to perform to the best of their ability without possessing the tools necessary to help them succeed.

A second responsibility is to hire the right people. One of the best pieces of advice from First Break All The Rules involves tips on recognizing, and interviewing for, talent. The best managers study their top employees, and have the ability to determine the reasons why these particular workers deliver top-notch performances on

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a consistent basis. Managers can then take that knowledge with them into the interviewing process. Then, by listening for specifics during the interview as well as asking a number of open-ended questions, great managers can clearly see who the best fit is for a particular position. (Buckingham, 1999)

Finally, the best administrators need to strive for achieving the third key to creating raving fans: Delivering Plus One. Once managers know what they want, then determine what customers want, its time to deliver the total package. In order to turn customers into raving fans, employers and employees must go the extra mile, listen to customer needs, alter your direction if necessary, and always deliver with consistency. As Charlie, the golf-loving guardian angel says, Consistency is critical. Consistency creates credibility. (Blanchard, 1993)

V: Review and Discuss Course Learning Outcomes At the beginning of this course, the syllabus listed four Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) that were to be met by the end of the semester. These objectives included: Advanced Communication Skills, Organizational/Personal Management Skills, Professional Development/Teamwork Skills, and Knowledge of Leadership and Management Theory. Without question, I feel that the great majority of these objectives were successfully met in this course, though there were a few exceptions.

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Advanced Communication Skills: Communication played an enormous role in LIS 650. There were very few instances that required verbal communication, but the ability to utilize effective written communication was absolutely essential. Between weekly class discussions on class readings, alongside group discussions with a narrower focus, it was imperative to comprehend readings and lectures, and then effectively transcribe our thoughts on the discussion boards. There was no need to employ techniques of conflict resolution, solely because our group didnt have a single conflict! Our group was often on the same page when it came to ideas and opinions, and when opinions did differ ever so slightly, each of our group members respected the various points of view. There was no need for mediation, negotiation, or any other form of conflict management, though I did learn to recognize cases in which these methods should be employed in future settings.

Organizational/Personal Management Skills: Of the subareas listed in this category, the ones that stand out the most are the diversity of thought and value and the Needs Assessment. I feel this course definitely teaches the importance of obtaining a variety of ideas and not simply dismissing those which you may not agree with. In addition, the needs assessment project took up the majority of the course, and clearly showed the amount of work that must go into such a project, and the various considerations that need to be made once the project is undertaken. The readings and lectures also stressed the importance of establishing and refining policies. Policies

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should be clear and understandable from the start. While budgeting isnt exactly my strong point, I do feel like I understand it to a slightly higher degree than I did at the outset of the course.

Professional Development/Teamwork Skills: As I mentioned before in the questions section, resonant leadership was covered in depth, both in lectures and in Primal Leadership. Naturally, a revised resume and professional development plan was also covered and appears in earlier sections of this paper. Im not certain there was a great deal of group development, but again, thats primarily because we were on the same page about 90 percent of the time. There was no real need to adapt to each others personalities or various work styles.

Knowledge of Leadership/Management Theory: Without question, this fourth and final objective was met to a high degree. A plethora of management styles were covered, ranging from meticulous, hands-on approaches to more laid-back methods of supervising. The readings focused a great deal on the pros and cons of each style. Not every employee will respond the same way to a particular managerial method, and getting to learn about and understanding each employee as an individual goes a long way towards effectively determining which approaches will garner the most positive response.

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In conclusion, while I still have a great deal to learn about what it takes to be an effective manager, I feel that the lessons taught in this course have been tremendously helpful. Whether I will ever hold a managerial position in a library setting remains unclear at the present time, but the teachings from this course have given me a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in management. The readings, lectures, and group assignments have shown what skills, talents, and philosophies are necessary in order to become a great manager, and in turn, create a great organization.

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REFERENCES

Blanchard, K. & Bowles, S. (1993) Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service. William Morrow and Company, Inc.: New York. Buckingham, M. & Coffman, C. (1999) First, Break All the Rules. Simon & Schuster: New York. Desivilya, H., Somech, M. & Lidgoster, H. (2010) Innovation and Conflict Management in Work Teams: The Effects of Team Identification and Task and Relationship Conflict. International Association for Conflict Management and Wiley Periodicals. 3, (1) 28-48. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. & McKee, A. (2002) Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Harvard Business School Press: Boston. Jones, G. (2010) Thrive on Pressure: Lead and Succeed When Times Get Tough. McGraw-Hill: New York. Masters, M. & Albright, R. (2002) The Complete Guide to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace. Amacom: New York. Messner, M. (2004) Ten Tips for Motivating Employees. Business Credit: Publication of National Association of Credit Management. 106, (4), 26-28 Nohria, N., Groysburg, B. & Lee, L.E. (2008) Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model. Harvard Business Review. 86, (7-8), 78-84.

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