Establishing, Growing, & Sustaining Law Library Associations Susan E. Fox Executive Director American Associations of Law Libraries Chicago, Illinois USA World Library & Information Congress 72 nd IFLA General Conference Seoul, Korea August 2006

Life Cycle of an Organization Birth Childhood Adolescence Adulthood Aging Dying

BIRTH Dream, Vision, Opportunity: Can this dream be realized?

Characteristics Birth Overlapping tasks; operational board Often one-person rule No written rules

Characteristics Birth No professional staff Nonexistent internal systems No teams, task forces, or organized means for coordination

Characteristics Birth Strong commitment and purpose Action oriented, opportunity driven, vision focused Limited to no budget

Requirements Birth Strong visionary leader who can maintain a high degree of commitment Leader is often hands on with significant input, but must nonetheless listen to and include others

Requirements Birth Action often more important than decisions Develop preliminary systems for the organization

CHILDHOOD Found and Frame: How are we going to pull this off?

Characteristics Childhood Some division of labor More than one person rule Few rules

Characteristics Childhood Some administrative staff support Some internal systems: basic budget and information systems Top leaders coordinate

Requirements Childhood Ability to attract and develop additional leadership Develop diversified funding sources Continue to strengthen internal systems

ADOLESCENCE Ground and Grow: How can we build this to be viable?

Characteristics Adolescence Expanding scope of operations and actions Take on more difficult challenges Take responsibility for action or inaction

Characteristics Adolescence Learn from and receive mentoring by those with more experience

Requirements Adolescence Policy and procedures manuals Increasing professional staff support Control systems in place, budget, performance reports, etc.

Requirements Adolescence Some use of task forces, lateral teams for coordination

ADULTHOOD Produce and Sustain: How can the momentum be sustained?

Characteristics Adulthood Organization assumes a greater level of responsibility Takes the lead on an issue even without significant credit Takes appropriate risks even if defeat is possible

Characteristics Adulthood Nurture and mentor organizations in their childhood and adolescence

Requirements Adulthood Expand board of directors to be more diverse, more professional Paid management team responsible for day-to-day operations Division of labor throughout the association is extensive and well documented

Requirements Adulthood Mission and image are well established. The message is consistent and highly visible. Financially Sound

AGING Review and Renew: What do we need to do to redesign?

Characteristics Aging Membership is in decline Original vision and mission are unclear or no longer relevant Decline in member involvement

Characteristics Aging Movement from nostalgia to questioning Emphasis on how things are done rather than what and why they are done

Requirements Aging Develop a new strategic focus, mission, and vision (re-dream the dream) Review programs and policies for obsolescence

Requirements Aging Engage in active and continual environmental scan of opportunities and threats Develop the courage to return to the birth stage

DYING Assess and Decide: When is it time to let go?

Characteristics Dying Total loss of purpose and hope Mission not understood Internal conflict

Characteristics Dying Lack of interest and participation Changes impossible to achieve Passive and maintenance oriented

Requirements Dying Keep vision fresh and alive Set clear priorities Avoid maintenance mentality

Requirements Dying Broaden the diversity of membership, intentionally recruit new and different members

Life Cycle of an Organization Birth Childhood Adolescence Adulthood Aging Dying

CREATING A VISION What is our preferred future?

Creating a Vision Draw on the beliefs, mission, and environment of the association Describe in vivid terms what you want to see in the future Be specific

Creating a Vision Be positive and inspiring Do not assume that the association will have the same framework it does today Be open to dramatic modifications to the association. Dream big dreams!

Key Components for Your Vision Incorporate your beliefs. They must: Meet your association goals as well as those of the profession Be a statement of values Be a public and visible declaration of your expected outcomes

Key Components for Your Vision Be precise and practical Guide the actions of all involved Reflect the knowledge, philosophy, and actions of all

Key Components for Your Vision Be a key component of strategic planning

AALL Vision The American Association of Law Libraries is a thriving professional association whose members and libraries – whether physical or virtual legal information services – are recognized as critical to the success of their organizations and as central to society. AALL members possess the knowledge and skills to maintain effectiveness in a constantly changing legal environment. Since the ready availability of legal information is a necessary requirement for a just and democratic society, AALL and its members advocate and work toward fair and equitable access to authentic current and historic legal information, and educate and train library users to be knowledgeable and skilled legal information consumers.

Benefits of Visioning The process of creating a vision may seem vague and superfluous. However, the long- term benefits are substantial.

Benefits of Visioning Breaks you out of boundary thinking Provides continuity and avoids the stutter effect of planning fits and starts Identifies direction and purpose

Benefits of Visioning Identifies direction and purpose Alerts stakeholders to needed change Promotes interest and commitment

Benefits of Visioning Promotes laser-like focus Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions Encourages and builds confidence

Benefits of Visioning Builds loyalty through involvement (ownership) Results in efficiency and productivity

Vision Killers Tradition Fear of ridicule Stereotypes of people, conditions, roles, and governing boards

Vision Killers Complacency among stakeholders Fatigued leaders Short term thinking Naysayers – those who constantly find reason to say No

Creating a Mission Statement Draws on your belief statements (core values) Must be future oriented and portray your association as it will be

Creating a Mission Statement Must be specific, not generic Must be short, not more than one or two sentences

AALL Mission The American Association of Law Libraries supports and serves its members, promotes and enhances the value of law libraries, fosters law librarianship, and provides leadership and advocacy in the field of legal information and information policy.

The Essence of Leadership Leaders are “people who leave their footprints in their areas of passion.”

Developing Leadership A high functioning board is key to a high functioning association Board development is constant no matter what stage in the organizational life cycle

Roles, Characteristics, & Competencies of Effective Boards Develop Vision & Mission (Values) Articulate a future Craft short- and long-term goals

Roles, Characteristics, & Competencies of Effective Boards Develop and allocate necessary resources to reach goals Ask good and timely questions Board’s job is to be in the crow’s nest sighting the horizon, not down in the galleys rowing the ship

Four Obligations of Leadership 1. To ensure that the leadership team has access to a common stream of information from members and stakeholders that allows them to understand their members’ view of the world.

Four Obligations of Leadership 2. To provide a coherent stream of information back to members and stakeholders that allows them to understand not just what decisions have been made, but why.

Four Obligations of Leadership 3. To bridge the gap between members and stakeholders view of the world and the views held by those who lead them.

Four Obligations of Leadership 4. To understand that in the voluntary nature of associations, people choose to engage because they perceive that it is in their own self interest to do so.

Leadership Competence Intellectually Competent: inspire, challenge Emotionally Competent: enable, model Behaviorally Competent: build successful relationships

Effective Leadership Successful governing bodies define and delegate rather than react and ratify. Effective leadership focuses on the outcomes desired rather than on the activity required.

Effective Leadership Strategic leadership means focusing on what needs to happen next, rather than on what has already been done. Good leaders spend their valuable time together using information rather than collecting it.

Effective Leadership Fiduciary responsibility can be exercised by defining desired outcomes consistent with strategic intent and core values, rather than detailing how an outcome is to be achieved or re-managing work after it’s been accomplished.

Asking the Right Questions 1. What do we know about our members/prospective members needs, wants, and preferences that is relevant to this decision?

Asking the Right Questions 2. What do we know about the current realities and evolving dynamics of our members profession that is relevant to this decision?

Asking the Right Questions 3. What do we know about the capacity and strategic position of our association that is relevant to this decision?

Asking the Right Questions 4. What are the ethical implications of our choices?

Developing a Culture of Trust Clarity and consensus about what will constitute success Open access to common information Confidence in the commitment and competence of your partners

Building Capacity

Are You Ready to Build Capacity? The association is open to change and willing to question itself. The association can clearly describe its mission.

Are You Ready to Build Capacity? Key members believe that capacity building will help to further the mission. The association is prepared to commit the necessary time and resources to capacity- building.

7 Elements of Capacity Aspirations: mission, vision, goals

7 Elements of Capacity Strategy: coherent, well integrated, linked directly to major goals --build on core competencies, allocate resources to priorities, delineate unique point of differentiation

7 Elements of Capacity Organizational Skills: the process through which you develop, implement, fund and measure programs. Includes strategic planning, marketing, fund raising, program development and execution

7 Elements of Capacity Human Resources: People – professional staff, volunteers, board members are the lifeblood of the association Invest time and resources in training and educating on an continual basis

7 Elements of Capacity Systems and Infrastructure: The processes, both formal and informal, by which the association functions, i.e. how things work

7 Elements of Capacity Organizational Structure: organizational design supports not only systems and human resources, but also the association’s aspirations, strategies, and skills

7 Elements of Capacity Culture: Make changes in a way that builds positively on a shared commitment of staff and volunteers to the mission.