LIS 650 Final Assignment 1 of 16

Meredith Reardon
LIS 650
April 30, 2012


Leadership and Management Treatise


Leadership and Professional Model


Leadership Mission and Values

Mission Statement: As a leader I aspire to educate, motivate and empower those I lead
while building and maintaining meaningful relationships.
Education, motivation, empowerment and relationship building are the
cornerstones of my mission as a leader. These four cornerstones are also indispensable
elements in the foundation of my leadership philosophy. I have brought these four
concepts together based on years of leadership experience and formal management
education.
Education, the first of the cornerstones, is vital to the success of those we lead.
The first step in the process is to ensure that appropriate training is provided to
everyone based on their role. We cannot expect our employees to succeed if we are
setting them up for failure by not providing adequate training. Throughout the training
process careful attention should be paid to ensure that the role is the right fit for the
employee. If it is not we should not merely cast them aside to fail. It is our duty as
leaders to determine their talents and do our best to find a role that is a better fit.
LIS 650 Final Assignment 2 of 16
Motivation, the second cornerstone, can present a challenge it but must not be
forgotten. Motivation can be a challenge because there is no one size fits all approach.
However, we can use Maslows hierarchy of needs, a fundamental theory on personal
motivation, to help us customize our motivational techniques. Sadri and Bowen (2011)
explain:
Each need has to be satisfied substantially in order for an individual to progress
to the next level. Managers are able to motivate their employees by providing
rewards that help satisfy the need that is operational and prevalent at any point
in time. Once a need has been satisfied substantially it ceases to be a motivator.
Then, employees move to the next level in the need hierarchy and work on
satisfying those needs. (p. 45)
I believe that understanding this concept and using it to develop a custom approach for
each employee will lead to a successful ability to motivate.
Over the years it has become clear to me that the threat of punishment alone is
not a successful motivator. With this in mind I have found that reinforcement theory
provides a solution. The New Penguin Business Dictionary (2003) provides a great
explanation:
A theory of behaviour. In a personnel context, higher performance is achieved by
nudging people in a particular direction through a process of behavioural
reinforcement. For example, an employee works on a project and receives praise
for the budget statement (positive reinforcement) but is admonished for the lack
of strategic thinking (negative reinforcement). Over time, the employee learns to
LIS 650 Final Assignment 3 of 16
build on her budgetary skills and to change her approach to strategic thinking. In
practice, positive reinforcement (with rewards) tends to be more effective in
shaping behaviour than negative reinforcement.
This is why reinforcement theory plays a vital role in my leadership philosophy.
Empowerment is the next cornerstone in the foundation of my leadership
philosophy. As a leader you must be able to empower others to make decisions and to
make things happen. If you fail to do this your time will be spent micromanaging instead
of being an effective leader. If you have spent the time to properly educate and
motivate your employees then you should be able to trust in their abilities and should
have no problem empowering them.
The final cornerstone in the foundation of my leadership philosophy is
developing meaningful relationships. It is here were you can make the biggest difference
or do the most damage. According to Buckingham and Coffman (1999) in First Break all
the Rules, mangers trump companies (p. 34). It does not matter if the organization
you work for is the greatest in the world, if you have a bad relationship with an
employee and there is little chance for success. This is why developing meaningful
relationships is so important. It is also important to note that the relationship has to be
more than just smiles and nods or insincere niceties. You should take the time to get to
know the employee and really care about their success.

Talents and Personal/Professional Development Plan

First Break all the Rules presents three basic categories to simplify the diverse
talents that exist. First are striving talents which explain the why of a person. Next are
LIS 650 Final Assignment 4 of 16
thinking talents which explain the how of a person. Last are relating talents which
explain the who of a person.(Buckingham & Coffman, 1999 p. 85) My strengths lie
within the thinking and relating categories. I thrive in situations where problem solving
is required; in fact I really enjoy these situations. I also find much success in building
meaningful relationships.
I am currently finishing my first year in the MLIS program and expect to graduate
in two years. Even though I have not explored all avenues of librarianship I imagine
myself working as a reference librarian in an academic library upon graduation. I am not
sure if I will decide to pursue management at this point. However, I find that I always
desire to be moving forward, learning new things and facing new challenges. Its this
desire that will either lead me into library administration or will send me back for
further education. While I dont know where I will be in 15 years I am sure I will not be
in position where I started.

Professional Cover Letter and Resume

See attached documents


Vision for an Ideal Library

When envisioning my ideal library I picture a university library, a place where I
loved to study and socialize as an undergraduate student. As I have never worked in a
university library I will undoubtedly fail to address some of the unique issues and
challenges it presents. However ,I will provide an ideal vision of the university library
from my point of view.
LIS 650 Final Assignment 5 of 16
If I may use a clich, location, location, location is my first thought when
creating my vision. Location is crucial to the success of any library. A central location on
campus would be ideal, close to academic buildings, residence halls and parking. There
should be clear directional signing indicating the librarys location as well prominent
signing on the building. At night the surrounding areas and walkways should be well-lit
so that patrons feel safe coming to and from the library.
Once inside we see a space flooded with natural light that. A comfortable and
contemporary design aesthetic is seen throughout the library. A new or renovated
library will attract more patrons than old and run down facilities. There should be
professionally designed signage throughout the library to assist patrons in locating
services and browsing or searching collections. Lastly, there should be clearly defined
and dedicated spaces for quiet study, collaboration and socialization.
The library should provide some amenities for its students. First and most
importantly to me is a caf. Providing access to coffee and food not only attracts
patrons but also keeps them from leaving. Food and drink should be allowed in most
areas of the library to entice more patrons to use the caf. I believe that providing
something like a TV lounge with cable would be a great amenity to add. While I have
never seen or heard of this I believe it could give students a temporary get away when
they need a break from academic pursuits.
The collection should fully support all programs and research being performed
by the university. Popular titles should also be included for pleasure reading. Electronic
resources should be embraced and promoted by all. Library staff should be proactive in
LIS 650 Final Assignment 6 of 16
training and instructing students and faculty in the use of these resources. An
embedded librarian program could help facilitate use by faculty.
Ideally the library would have an organizational structure that is as flat as
possible for its size. I believe that a flatter structure facilitates collaboration and
innovation. All library staff should focus on providing excellent service and promoting
library services.

Example Budget

Salaries Rate Benefits Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Director 69000 33% 91770 94523.1 97358.793
Librarian 1 45000 33% 59850 61645.5 63494.865
Librarian 2 39000 33% 51870 53426.1 55028.883
Librarian 3 35000 33% 46550 47946.5 49384.895
Librarian 4 34000 33% 45220 46576.6 47973.898
Employee 1 29000 33% 38570 39727.1 40918.913
Employee 2 26000 33% 34580 35617.4 36685.922
Employee 3 26000 33% 34580 35617.4 36685.922
Employee 4 21000 33% 27930 28767.9 29630.937
Part-Time Employee 1 17000

17000 17510 18035.3
Part-Time Employee 2 15000

15000 15450 15913.5
Part-Time Employee 3 15000

15000 15450 15913.5

Annual total

477920 492257.6 507025.328

Technology Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Hardware 15000 10000 10000

Software 5000 5000 5000

Collections

Print 20000 19000 18000

Electronic 80000 82000 85000

Miscellaneous

Building Maintained 20000 25000 30000


3 Year Projection


Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Salaries 477920 492257.6 507025.328

LIS 650 Final Assignment 7 of 16
Technology 20000 15000 15000

Collections 100000 101000 103000

Miscellaneous 20000 25000 30000

Annual total 617920 633257.6 655025.328



3-Year total 1906202.928


The Value of Strategic Planning

It is important for any organization to utilize strategic planning as a tool.
Strategic planning is the process in which an organization defines its strategy or
direction. A strategic plan is more than just a document; it reflects a meeting place of
thoughts, ideas and perspectives of an entire organization. (Chow & Bucknall, 2012
p.20) This process forces an organization to determine its mission, vision, organizational
values, core competencies and priority organizational goals and objectives. The result
of the process is an organization united in its collective vision. (Chow & Bucknall, 2012
p.20)

The Value of a Needs Assessment
A needs assessment is the process where an organization determines its needs
by comparing its current state with its desired state. This is achieved by completing a
series of steps. First the organizations stakeholders must be identified. The second step
requires communication with the stakeholders. The purpose of this communication is
to assess the stakeholders needs. Next, data must be collected and statistics complied.
This provides an objective look at the state of the organization. Finally, the results are
analyzed which allows for the creation of goals and priorities.
LIS 650 Final Assignment 8 of 16
The Value of Quality Control
Quality control is the process that allows organizations to ensure they are
providing the best product/service possible. Through the analysis of all inputs and
processes problems can be identified. Adjustments or fixes can then be made to
address quality issues. In my opinion the most important factor in determining quality is
the input. If an organization always chooses quality inputs we can be sure that quality
in means quality out. This is the key to providing a consistent quality in products or
services.

Top Five Questions

1. What are the most important qualities of an effective leader?

Throughout this course I have realized that it is not specific qualities that
make an effective leader. Qualities like fairness or integrity, while important, do
not automatically make for an effective leader. In reality they are effective
because of what they do.
Buckingham and Coffman (1999) presented the idea of what great
managers do in First Break all the Rules. They explained that, the manager role
is to reach inside each employee and release his unique talents into
performance. ( p.58) In a sense the manager role is the catalyst role. (p 59)
This is what great manages/leaders do.
The catalyst role can be broken down into four distinct activities. Great
managers/leaders must be able to perform these four activities extremely well.
The first activity is select a person. This means selecting a person based on
LIS 650 Final Assignment 9 of 16
their talents and their fit for the role. Second is set expectations, this lets the
employee know what is expected of them. The third activity is motivate the
person. This requires a manager/leader to take the time to better understand
the employee and his needs as well as provide recognition or praise. Finally the
last activity that a manager/leader must do well is develop a person. Ensuring
that your employees talents are being utilized and developed is key in being an
effective leader.
2. What is the worst fault a leader can have?

At this point I still dont have an answer to this question. I could have
chosen faults such as, lack of integrity, lack of compassion, failure to listen or
even pride. But listing faults was not the point of this course. The point was to
learn the good not the bad.
In make First Break all The Rules Buckingham and Coffman (1999) teach
us about a mistake leaders/managers often make. Conventional wisdom
encourages mangers to try and change an employee, turning them into a better
version of themselves. All your best efforts as a manager should focus on either
muzzling or correcting what nature saw fit to provide. (p.56)
Great managers realize that this does not work. They realize that each
person is different and there is a limit to what can be changed. The focus should
be capitalizing on their differences, not trying to change them. Simply said,
People dont change that much. Dont waste time trying to put in what was left
LIS 650 Final Assignment 10 of 16
out. Try to draw out what was left in. That is hard enough. (Buckingham and
Coffman, 1999, p. 57)

3. How do you get your employees to care about and support programs they are
not personally invested in?

I believe that the answer to this problem is simply motivation. Motivation
can be a hard skill to master because it requires an understanding of basic
human needs. By subscribing to Maslows hierarchy of needs theory you can gain
the knowledge needed to understand human motivation.
Maslows theory presents the five basic humans needs in a hierarchical
fashion. Starting with the most basic, these needs are physiological, safety,
love/belonging, esteem and self-actualization. Each need must be satisfied
before moving on to the next level. Sadri and Bowen (2011) propose that,
mangers are able to motivate their employees by providing rewards that help
satisfy the need that is operational and prevalent at any point in time.(p. 45) By
taking the time to understand your employees most basic needs you can
formulate a successful strategy for motivation.
Reinforcement theory provides another avenue for motivation. This
theory suggests that higher performance can be achieved through a combination
positive and negative reinforcement. Punishment or reward is not as powerful
alone; by combining the two you attain an optimal outcome. (reinforcement
theory, 2003)
LIS 650 Final Assignment 11 of 16

4. Over time you develop relationships with those you work with. How do you
handle situations when you must reprimand someone you have become friends
with?

Terminating or even reprimanding someone you consider a friend is
never easy. During my time spent in leadership positions I often faced this issue.
I tried to avoid it as much as possible and even began keeping my employees at
arms length not building meaningful relationships anymore. I knew that there
must be a better solution out there.
In First Break All the Rules Buckingham and Coffman (1999) suggest that
Tough love is the right approach. Tough love is a mind-set, one that reconciles
an uncompromising focus on excellence with a genuine need to care. (p.207)
This approach will supposedly allow you to maintain your relationships even
through termination.
I find it hard to believe that the tough love approach will always work
with a friend. If they are a close friend it would be hard for them not to believe
you betrayed them. However, if I face this situation in the future I will use tough
love because it is the best option I have.

5. How do you gain respect as a new leader?

I never found a straight-forward answer to this question however I
believe the answer lies in being a great manager/leader. If you can understand
LIS 650 Final Assignment 12 of 16
how to be a great manager and then apply that understanding you are well on
the way to gaining respect.
Employees are always suspicious of new leadership and gaining their
respect takes time. It obviously wont happen overnight but with time and
resolve it can be accomplished. This is where building meaningful relationship
plays a vital role. Taking the time to get to know your employees, understanding
their needs and helping them overcome their weaknesses show that you are
investing in their wellbeing. It is these steps that will lead to respect.
While I have outlined the steps to gaining respect I want to warn that it
may not always work. There are always situations where you may face
discrimination for reasons such as age, sex and race. It is quite possible that in
these situations you will be unable to develop the level of respect you desire.

Review and Discuss the Course Student Learning Outcomes


Student Learning Objective (SLO) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
1. Advanced Communication Skills

1. Verbal
2. Written
3. Listening
4. Presentation
5. Discussion
6. Conflict Resolution

2. Organizational and Personnel
Management Skills

1. Strategic Planning
2. Policies (Establishing and Refining)
3. Budgeting
4. Meetings
LIS 650 Final Assignment 13 of 16
5. Personnel Management
6. Resource Allocation & Management
7. Hiring and Firing
8. Diversity of thought and values
9. Research & Development
10. Needs Assessment

3. Relationship Management,
Professional Development, and
Teamwork Skills

1. Lateral Leadership
2. Self-Regulation and Self-Awareness
3. Group Development
4. Conflict Resolution
5. Resonant Leadership
6. Evaluations
7. Professional Development Plan
8. Revised Resume

4. Knowledge of Leadership and
Management Theory

1. Leadership styles
2. Leadership and Management Theory
3. Leadership and Management
Research
4. Case Studies

Overall I believe that all Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) were achieved by
this course. The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) were introduced through a
combination of readings and lecture and were then reinforced by our assignments and
discussions. I will discuss each Student Learning Objective individually while critiquing its
strengths and weaknesses.
Student Learning Objective number one is advanced communication skills. I
believe that all related KSAs were adequately covered. While these KSAs were
presented in the readings and lectures the group assignments forced us to put them
into practice. Luckily for me my group functioned well and I did not have to put my
conflict resolution skills in to action.
LIS 650 Final Assignment 14 of 16
Student Learning Objective number two is organizational and personnel
management skills. Once again I feel that all related KSAs were met through readings
and lectures. The needs assessment KSA was the biggest strength within SLO two. I
gained invaluable experience performing a needs assessment on a real library.
It was in Student Learning Objective number three, relationship management,
professional development, and teamwork skills and number four, knowledge of
leadership and management theory where I felt any weakness regarding the KSAs.
While all KSAs were addressed within the lectures not all were addressed by the
readings. I personally would have liked to have more readings about the various
leadership theories proposed in the course.

Final Thoughts

I am certain that I have leadership and management potential however I am not
certain that I want to pursue it. In the past I have worked in management positions and I
can admit that I wasnt a great manager. With the lessons learned from my own
mistakes and the knowledge that this course has provided I believe that I could now be
a successful leader.
Although I have great confidence in my leadership abilities and potential I am
not sure that I will choose to purse this type of role. In my previous management
experience I dealt with a lot of stress and pressure related to the job. These memories
may discourage me from traveling down the management path again. But there is still
hope because I am always striving to learn new things and take on new responsibilities.
In the future a management position might be the next logical step for my personal and
LIS 650 Final Assignment 15 of 16
professional development.
LIS 650 Final Assignment 16 of 16
References

Sadri, G., & Bowen, R. C. (2011). Meeting employee requirements: Maslow's
hierarchy of needs is still a reliable guide to motivating staff. Industrial Engineer:
IE, 43(10), 44-48.
Buckingham, M., & Coffman, C. (1999). First, break all the rules. New York: Simon &
Schuster.
reinforcement theory. (2003). In The New Penguin Business Dictionary. Retrieved from
http://www.credoreference.com/entry/penguinbus/reinforcement_theory