Transcript SLAIS Libr 504 Management of Information Organizations

SLAIS Libr 504 Management of
Information Organizations
Organizational Culture and Leadership
Lynn Copeland
Simon Fraser University Library
Feb. 7, 2008
Culture of a group
Shared basic assumptions
Learned by group
Response to external and internal
Works ‘well enough’
Taught to new members
Organizational culture
Artifacts
Espoused beliefs and values
Underlying assumptions
Institutional cultures
UBC
‘Canada’s number 1 university’
Trek 2010
SFU
‘Thinking of the world’
‘Radical campus’
VCC
‘BC’s number 1 college’
40 years: improve lives, job opps, career
prospects
Leadership
process of communication that involves
coaching, motivating/inspiring, directing/
guiding, and supporting/counseling others.
This results in the timely production of
predetermined organization goals.
Includes: behaviour, personal
characteristics, situations
[good] Leadership
4 characteristics (Bennis)
provide direction and meaning
Keep team aware of important stated
goals and objectives
prefer action and risk taking
communicators of hope
Listen?
Leadership types
Fact-based
Creativity based
Feelings-based
Control/power based
A good leader has all four
Leadership Environment
Each person different (personality, abilities
aptitudes, skills)
Therefore each task is different for each
person
Therefore managing each process/task is
different for manager
Stereotypical examples
 Systems:
 Like everything spelled out
 Directive communication
 Intolerant of ambiguity
 Reference
 Like to discuss alternatives, try things out, rethink
 ‘Speak for users’
 Cataloguers
 ‘follow the rules’
 Loans staff
 ‘follow procedures’
More stereotypes in ULs’ welcome
UBC Library
Focus on size, collections
SFU Library
‘Our Library is where YOU are’
VCC
‘offer our students and staff the best service
possible’
Communication
“The single biggest problem in
communication is the illusion that it has
taken place.”
-- George Bernard Shaw
(as quoted over staff copy machine)
SFU Library
About 150 FTE employees
About 40 FTE librarians
About 13 Prof/supervisory
SFU Library
University Librarian
12
AUL Projects,
budget
Theses
56
34
AUL Systems,
Processing, Doc
Del, Data
Systems
Special
Collections
22
AUL Student
learning
commons,
Bennett
Reference
AUL Collections
services
11
Collections
Reference
Surrey Library
17
Belzberg library
Building
Serials
21
Student Learning
Commons
Loans
31
ELN
Office staff
Cataloguing
Doc Del
Maps/Data/GIS
12
Questions
Communication:
How do you communicate effectively in a
large organization?
How do you receive communications
effectively in a large organization?
How do you ensure that people perceive both
have taken place?
How do you ensure the messages get all the
way down/up the chain?
Questions
What do you communicate about?
Information exchange
What are good communication vehicles?
Informal vs formal communication
Formal
Strategic planning process
Senior hiring process
Organizational: Library Council
Informal
Staff development day
‘Appreciation’ events
Oct. 19 Library support staff day
Ice cream in the parking lot
CLA staff appreciation proclamation
Regular meeting with staff
Brown bag lunches
Is there a librarian culture?
Collaborative
User focussed
Innovative
Self righteous?
Culture bound?
Passive aggressive, whiny?
If you want to be an academic
librarian:
• intellectual interests
• technology skills (Web, database, large complex systems, local area
networks)
• interest in planning, management
• analytical people
• a ‘get on with it’ approach to problem solving
• maturity
• inclusive, service-focussed (the customer is always right)
• communicators, listening, negotiating skills
• energetic
• sense of humor
• people with ideas, flexible
• balanced involvement in professional activities
Communication around dramatic
events
Each situation different
Often situation contextual (university-wide)
Policies in place to cover generic
Safety paramount
Legal issues – agreements, laws
Emotions
Ultimate goal is return to normalcy
Thanks! Questions, Comments?
Lynn Copeland
Dean of Library Services, SFU
[email protected]