‘Influencing up’ in a library setting Roisin Gwyer University Librarian University of Portsmouth Summer Conference 18 th -19 th June 2015

University Librarian job descriptions - behaviours ItemNumber of instances Leadership33 Relationship building29 Communication skills27 Emotional intelligence25 Interpersonal skills14 Influencing skills12 Negotiation skills10 Resilience10 Vision9 Motivation8 Change management7 Service excellence7 Professional development6 Creativity5 Inspiration5 Advocacy skills4 Credibility4 Equality and diversity4 Integrity4 Strategy implementation4 Time management4 Conflict resolution2 Listening skills2 Profile2 Accountability1 Consultation skills1 Decision making1 Library awareness1 UK HE awareness1

Influence styles and tactics

Influence techniques Rational persuasionThe agent uses logical arguments & factual evidence to show a proposal or request is feasible & relevant for attaining important task objectives ApprisingThe agent explains how carrying out a request or supporting a proposal will benefit the target personally or help advance the target person’s career Inspirational appealsThe agent makes an appeal to values and ideals or seeks to arouse the target person’s emotions to gain commitment for a request or proposal ConsultationThe agent encourages the target to suggest improvements in a proposal or to help plan an activity of change for which the target person’s support & assistance is required

CollaborationThe agent offers to supply relevant resources & assistance if the target will carry out a request or approve a proposed change IngratiationThe agent uses praise & flattery before or during an influence attempt, or expresses confidence in the target’s ability to carry out a difficult request Personal appealsThe agent asks the target to carry out a request or support a proposal out of friendship, or asks for a personal favour before saying what it is ExchangeThe agent offers an incentive, suggests an exchange of favours, or indicates a willingness to reciprocate at a later time if the target will do what the agent requests Coalition tacticsThe agent seeks the aid of others to persuade the target to do something, or uses the support of others as a reason for the target to agree Legitimating tacticsThe agent seeks to establish the legitimacy of a request or to verify the authority to make it by referring to rules, policies, contracts or precedent PressureThe agent uses demands, threats, frequent checking, or persistent reminders to influence the target to carry out the request

Influencing Skills Styles Profile of health library and information managers (Sutton & Booth, 2011) Leadership stylePreferred tactic StrategistWork to a strategy in a planned way Reason Assertion Partnership OpportunistReact to situations as they arise and develop Ingratiation Exchange CollaboratorAdapts position to fit in with others Partnership Reason Exchange Ingratiation BattlerConcentrate on getting what they want to achieve and are prepared to use sanctions Coercion Assertion

Being more opportunistic Develop an ‘elevator pitch’ to use when the occasion presents itself (Aurora used this method) Encourage your staff to be influential (crib-sheets) Say what you want in one sentence Use any opportunity to demonstrate professionalism and show value of the service to the organisation Talk up your ideas to others who may have influence (the core team) Talk about your ideas in other places (committees, meetings) to get ideas generally accepted (20 times?) Be ready to move quickly when an opportunity arises Prepare a compromise so you look flexible

Influence as part of leadership style

Transformational v. transactional leadership Transformational leaders inspire and motivate others to build a shared vision (use rational persuasion, consultation, collaboration & inspirational appeal) Transactional leaders reward others in return for work towards a prescribed goal

Influential leadership Burton and Dalley (2007)* summarise ‘the art of influencing’ as: An understanding of who you are and what you stand for Congruence and authenticity Empathy with others Communication capability Intent (operating from values such as truth, trust, integrity) Ease with uncertainty Ease with interdependence *cited in Roberts & Rowley, (2008)

The values of librarianship These include a belief in: The value of information Accessibility to information, services and support A customer focus A belief in social inclusion CILIP’s ethical principles expand on these values e.g. providing the best possible service within the available resources

Effective library leaders … Manage resources well (staff, space, money) Use information critically and ethically Manage information well, and in an ethical and legally compliant way Focus on customer service – both customer service as a set of skills and attitudes and understanding the needs of a variety of ‘customers’ Use space imaginatively (and provide services over extended periods of operation) Work through building relationships with stakeholders (and networking with each other) Commit to quality enhancement Promote their service and the organisation Act entrepreneurially, offering solutions to institutional problems

The way we work

Effective strategies : within the organisation Build good social networks and enlist allies to your cause Identify the core group and maintain good relations with them Engage with the wider organisation by working outside the library (perhaps on a secondment) or by serving on organisation-wide committees. This builds knowledge of the organisation to complement your own specialist knowledge

Effective strategies : within the organisation Become an active policy entrepreneur, take advantage of any opportunities to advance the library’s agenda (make presentations, attend away days) Consider how the values and competencies inherent in information work can add value to other parts of the organisation, take an holistic approach and work collaboratively Make the needs of users or customers your priority

Effective strategies : leadership style Practice transformational leadership, in particular develop rational persuasion and inspirational appeal influence strategies Use different strategies to those employed to influence downwards, match the strategy to the situation Maintain congruence between your values and your message. Make it authentic

Effective strategies : the message Be prepared to sell your idea and to take responsibility for it Focus on the larger good not on achieving individual objectives Provide a realistic cost-benefit analysis Use user demand to back up arguments, especially issues which will affect a large number of people or which will have a dramatic effect on a smaller number

Effective strategies : the message Make the task/resolution seem incremental rather than imposing Develop a preferred way to address an issue and have this ready in advance so that if a crisis does happen you are in a position to influence the reaction

Cohen, A.R & Bradford, D. L. (2012). Influencing up. New Jersey, Wiley Gwyer, R. (2009). Theory, research and practice in library management 7 : Influencing up. Library Management, 30 (6) : Roberts, S. & Rowley, J. (2008). Leadership the challenge for the information profession. London, Facet Sutton, A. & Booth, A. (2011). What type of leader am I?: a training needs analysis of health library and information managers. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 29 : Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organisations. 8 th ed. London, Pearson Pacelli, L. (2006 Nov 17). Thirteen tips to effective upward management). Blog post. Retrieved from