Grooming the Next Generation of Public Library Leaders Lindsay Brock, Middlesex County Library Julie DeVries, Middlesex County Library Anne Marie Madziak, Southern Ontario Library Service OLA SuperConference 2010

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service The Advancing Public Library Leadership (APLL) Institute: Launched by SOLS in the fall of 2008, with assistance from an LSDF grant from the Ministry of Culture –In response to a training needs assessment conducted in 2006 –The growing complexity of the environment in which libraries operate New cycle starts in September 2010

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Program Design: A two year certificate program blending online learning with 2-day classroom sessions twice a year A strong focus on peer learning, going through the program as a cohort, learning together and from each other

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Program design (cont’d): Public library community engaged as course reviewers, project evaluation team, mentors, role models, etc. Courses developed and delivered by experts in the public library, municipal and not-for-profit sectors Courses include Strategic Financial Management, Staff Development, Planning, Developing a Healthy Board CEO Relationship, Succeeding in the Municipal Environment

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Program design (cont’d): Participants are also required to undertake local library projects; something of concrete benefit to the library; projects evaluated by 3 library practitioners Other leadership topics explored during classroom sessions, eg. creative thinking, intelligent decision making, True Colors, change leadership, etc. Program endorses a practice based approach to leadership, promoting 9 leadership practices

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service APLL leadership practices:

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service APLL Interest in APLL program Buzz in library world Suggested by mentor Workplace encouragement

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service APLL Participants Libraries across Ontario Range of management experience Varying aspirations

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Intensives Offered a vibrant community of practice Opportunity to share best practices Discuss issues -> Finding solutions Building a community

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Projects – Year 1 and Year 2 Guided by CEO to find an appropriate project Year 1 - Plan Year 2 - Implementation

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Organizational Commitment MCL employs best practices Organization is using APLL as a tool Support from organization Created a culture!

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Reflection and Development APLL vs. Northern Exposure to Leadership Program Longitudinal leadership development Opportunities for reflection

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Working Together Opportunity for discussion and collaboration Mutual support for projects and ideas Contrast of leadership techniques

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Overall Commitment Hours spent at work Hours spent at home Approach to work Benefits the library as well as ourselves

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service What has APLL done for us…

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service What we know about leadership development: It happens best when it’s understood as a process that is collective, contextual and continuous There is a correlation between leadership and learning and an environment conducive to leadership development and a learning organization; leadership can even be understood as the capacity to learn your way out of unforeseen situations It requires a balance of challenge and support

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service What we know (cont’d): A practice of critical reflection is crucial to leadership development Conversation is a powerful means of cultivating leadership at every level of the organization Leadership development is both an organizational imperative and a personal responsibility

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Organizational strategies: Conversation aimed at generating an organizational understanding of leadership An organizational commitment to learning individually and collectively Coaching Mentoring Job shadowing/ exchanges A variety of training and development (build in opportunity to reflect on learning) Special projects

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service Personal practices: Take responsibility for your own development Get good at reflecting on and learning from your own experiences (good and bad) Present yourself as worthy of mentoring and seek out mentoring relationships Seek out peers with whom you feel comfortable learning and sharing perceptions, experiences, etc. Adopt a framework that allows you to see your own progress, eg. APLL practices/ self- assessment Cultivate your own sense of purpose and commitment to that purpose

A Program of Southern Ontario Library Service To paraphrase Lao Tzu, ‘the wicked leader is he whom the people despise. The good leader is he whom the people revere. But the great leader is he of whom the people say, ‘We did it together.’ Co-creation is the process of leaders and employees working together to build a supportive environment. Gretchen M. Spreitzer