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Changes in the roles of both information specialists as well as the institutions in which they are employed.

How to Mentor Someone Who Doesn’t Know What Their Career Goals Should Be | HBR

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Mentoring | Coaching | Career Advice

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July 10, 2018
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HBR Staff/Richard Newstead/Getty Images

“Tell me about your career goals.” How often have you said this to a person you’re managing or mentoring, only to get a blank stare in return? Perhaps the person confides that they don’t know what their goals should be, or even whether there are opportunities to advance at your company. How do you begin to provide support?

Career dissatisfaction is a growing challenge in today’s world, which is why we’ve decided to do things differently at Weight Watchers, with the help of LifeLabs Learning. The results of CEB’s 2015 employee survey capture the problem well: 70% of employees surveyed (across many industries) reported being dissatisfied with career opportunities at their company — a disturbing figure given that it is one of the biggest drivers of engagement and retention. At the same time, 75% of organizations said they expected to face a shortage of necessary skills and knowledge among their employees. So, on the one hand, employees feel they can’t advance fast enough, and on the other, companies believe employees are growing too slowly. How can such a blatant and dangerous contradiction exist? And what can we do about it?    Read more…

How Do You Want to Be Remembered as a Leader? | Leading from the Library

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Leadership | Management | Librarianship

by Steven Bell | June 28, 2018

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What type of leader are you? What is your purpose, and who do you serve? Some new research about leaders’ mindsets examines assumptions and beliefs about the nature and purpose of leadership—and how to make the most of it.

Leaders are like experiences. When they are exceedingly good or bad we remember them passionately. In addition to finding their way into our long-term memory, an exceptionally great or toxic leader or experience can alter or shape our personal paradigm of how the world works. That’s why it’s common to hear from librarians how a truly memorable leader influenced their thinking about leadership, as well as the way in which they go on to practice it. A remarkable leader leaves indelible lessons for how to treat followers, lead with humility, and create a lasting legacy of productive accomplishment. Toxic leaders do the same, but the lesson and legacy is about what not to do. If asked, “How would you like to be remembered as a leader?” would any library leader aspire to anything other than “remarkable,” avoiding being seen as the “what not to do” model at all costs?   Read more…

Get Into Learning Mode for Better Library Leadership | Leading from the Library

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Leadership | Librarians | Professional development | Continuing education

by Steven Bell | October 26, 2017

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Telling library leaders that leadership is a constant process of learning is good advice but of minimal help to busy leaders with little time for learning, whether formal or informal. That is why a commitment to a growth mindset may be a leader’s best strategy for continuous improvement.

A foundational premise of Leading From the Library is that good leadership results from a commitment to constant learning. Whether you think leaders are born or made, the job involves a degree of complexity that requires constant attention to progress and adaptation to a rapidly changing workplace. This column has explored multiple vehicles for leadership education, from leadership development programs to studying lessons of great (and flawed) leaders. I hope that Leading From the Library is one of your go-to resources for learning about leadership, but there are dozens of good leadership blogs, newsletters, and Twitter feeds at your disposal. That there are so many good but competing resources points to the big challenge: Where do leaders find the time to develop their leadership skills and how do they develop a smart strategy for keeping up, one that allows for maximum learning in minimal time? The best are able to rigorously motivate themselves to pursue continuous learning despite time and distraction obstacles. Read more…

Simple Ways to Spot Unknown Unknowns

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Entrepreneurship | Career Advice | Professional Development

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  Howard George/Getty Images

Leaders face complex and uncertain situations every day: What will sales be like next year? Will our new product succeed? What will the competition do? But the most challenging circumstances are often completely unexpected, because we never even knew to look for them. (In the parlance of Donald Rumsfeld, the former U.S. secretary of defense, they’re the unknown unknowns).

After I finished my master’s degree, for instance, I was planning on a career in academia. I applied to several doctoral programs, and wondered which I’d get into. The answer: none.

I simply hadn’t realized that the exact quality that made me an ideal candidate earlier in my academic career — a “Renaissance person” who was interested in many disciplines — made me anathema to doctoral admissions committees, which were seeking hyper-specialized applicants. I didn’t know how the game was played, so I was rejected everywhere. The experience taught me an important lesson: I needed to better anticipate my blind spots. But how? Read more…

 

Competency Index for the Library Field 2014

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Competencies | Career development | Library Skills

by Betha Gutsche and Brenda Hough, editors.

19 March 201521752988_10159605896755727_1299874495208785589_o

 

Looking to take your career to the next level? The Competency Index can help! See how 21st century skills, accountability, and community engagement can make a difference in your work. #WebJunctionWednesday http://bddy.me/2xfzafR