Perceptions of Transformational Leadership in Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

Transformational leadership is highly correlated with effective organizations and successful change, yet few studies of this leadership style exist in the library literature. This study examined perceptions of transformational traits in academic library leaders. The study asked academic librarians at 4 year institutions to rate their library's leadership using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. While the librarians perceived their library leaders to be more transformational than transactional, the mean score for transformational leadership was middling, as were the scores for each of the transformational components. This could indicate a lack of change readiness in these libraries.     

Collaborative Leadership at Ripon College

ABSTRACT

Lane Library's director left in 2002 during a time of financial uncertainty and administrative change at Ripon College. A temporary recommendation to utilize the talents of the remaining librarians to oversee the library until a new administration was in place was accepted by the librarians and the interim administration. After a great deal of research and discussion, the library implemented a permanent rotating chair model based on collaborative leadership to replace the position of Library Director.     

Frustration and language intensity

This study investigated the functional relationships among orientation behavior, leadership, and consensus. The study posited that orientation, when viewed as a message variable, is significantly related to the emergence of task leadership     

Providing Leadership for Change in Distance Learning

Abstract

Change in distance learning is occurring at a rapid pace. As new technologies appear, institutions of higher education incorporate them into their course delivery options. Library services must also change to meet new user needs. This article examines the meanings of change and leadership within a distance-learning setting. After describing several strategies used by the author to lead change, the process is outlined in a checklist, with notes to especially relevant current literature. The checklist is intended to help others work through a similar process.     

Build Your Program by Building Your Team: Inclusively Transforming Services,Staffing and Spaces

ABSTRACT

User feedback told the story of the largest and busiest campus library being dated in both physical form and programmatic function. Under the framework of a newly-developed strategic plan, library leadership initiated a comprehensive and inclusive assessment program to understand fully user needs by engaging users, campus partners, and, importantly, library personnel. Simultaneously, they embarked on a review of change management literature for guidance on implementing the required transformation. Informed by the change management philosophy of John Kotter, the library utilized the findings of the assessment program to craft and implement a sustainable transformation of its services, staffing, and spaces.     

Strategie Plan for Improving Access to Global Information Resources in U.S. and Canadian Research Libraries

Abstract

Technology-related organizations have several important leadership roles to play in creating an environment to nurture a successful transition of libraries into the new roles they will play. Among these roles are helping to create standards and protocols, advocacy, mentoring, creating heroes, and underwriting leadership training for new members of the profession. The willingness to take a leadership role presents several potential traps, which must be avoided diligently, through humility and vision.     

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership at 30 Rock: What Librarians Can Learn from a Case Study of Comedy Writers

ABSTRACT

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage one's own and others’ emotions and build relationships with people. Emotionally intelligent leadership is more and more important in today's ever-changing organizations like libraries. This article uses Goleman's five-point framework of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills) to analyze the leadership in the comedy sitcom 30 Rock and critique the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership.     

Collaborative Leadership

Abstract

In 1991, Joseph C. Rost published Leadership for the 21st Century (Praeger) in which he presented a definition of leadership that focused on the influence relationship among leaders and followers rather than on the traits of the leader or the functions of leadership. Rost's model is useful for academic reference leaders who usually head a group of professionals who are involved in a variety of responsibilities that require them to be leaders. This article applies Rost's theories to academic reference leadership and explores a model that will provide for better job satisfaction for librarians and improved services to library users.     

Academic Library Leadership in South West Nigeria and Recession: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

Academic libraries in developing countries are underfunded and require transformational leadership to manage the resultant changes and ensure organizational effectiveness. This study attempts to identify the prevalent leadership styles in academic libraries in South West Nigeria using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The study reflected that the library managers portrayed mostly a mix of transformational and transactional leadership styles. The library budget, equipment, and acquisition were most affected by recession. The library leaders preferred a mixture of investment and retrenchment (cost controlling) strategies to cope with recession. Leadership assessment using transformational model for coaching and recruitment is recommended for libraries.     

Service matters: Single Service Point as a collaborative and professional learning initiative for service excellence

ABSTRACT

Changes and innovations in higher education learning and teaching acted as a catalyst for rethinking the way in which service was delivered to library clients at Australian Catholic University. The Single Service Point was piloted at one campus library in 2014 to develop a best practice approach to service delivery. The merging of cultures within the library environment was achieved through committed leadership, with staff agreeing on shared values and goals and applying the university mission. All staff were responsible for seeking solutions to challenges and becoming autonomous in their professional development and training. Overall, in a Single Service Point model, service efficiency, excellence, and quality increased through staff teamwork, contribution, and collaboration.     

Unpacking the metaphors of leadership using the Leadership Communication Grid: Knowledge,skills, and abilities

Courses: Leadership, Organizational Communication, Small Group Communication

Objectives: After completing this activity, students will have greater awareness of a variety of metaphors of leadership and how these metaphors highlight different sets of instrumental communication knowledge, skills, and abilities.     

A study of the characteristics of student raters of public speaking performances

Social psychologists generally have rejected the notion that leadership can be explained by divine inspiration, inherited characteristics, or by a fortuitous combination of personal traits. Some modern theorists have proposed instead a situational theory of leadership, arguing that persons who emerge as leaders do so because their special talents are essential to the group at the moment. The same person, therefore, is unlikely to persist in a position of leadership from one group setting to another unless the conditions are similar.

This study reports an attempt to measure the degree of consistency in leadership status of twenty‐five subjects who were randomly assigned to groups solving problems of a motor, artistic, mathematical, literary, social, and spatial character. At the conclusion of each stage of the experiment, nominations for group leaders were made for a second round of a similar activity. Status scores, based on perceived leadership adequacy, were then compared for the various group tasks, and correlation coefficients determined. On the whole, the results of the study tend to support the view that leadership is dependent upon situational variables, at least two of which seem to be changes in group tasks and membership.     

Interim Leadership

ABSTRACT

Leadership training tends to focus on development and performance of leadership skills with the implied understanding that the position is permanent or the appointment is formalized. Yet organizations require temporary leaders during leadership gaps but there is limited information on serving in an acting role or for a short period of time. Serving as an interim leader has unique challenges and opportunities but several considerations should be made to make this a positive experience providing smooth transitions for an organization.     

Leadership or Management

Abstract

This paper considers leadership and management issues affecting libraries in general. Specific attention is devoted to academic libraries and their reference departments. It focuses on the dynamics of leadership and management of academic library reference services and what is expected of the reference department head of the 21st century. It explores the changing roles of reference librarians and those of their leaders or department heads. It examines the leadership skills, traits, and competencies and attributes expected of the department head of reference in the new millennium. The paper also examines the paradox of leadership and management and draws distinction between the two terms. It finally looks into whether it is appropriate to have a manager from outside the library profession to be the head of an academic library reference department.     

A bibliography of rhetoric and public address for the year 1967

The purpose of this investigation was to isolate personality correlates of leadership by determining the unique personality profiles associated with autocratic and democratic leadership styles. Based on a multiple discriminant analysis which separated the autocratic from democratic groups on the basis of seven personality variables (of 53 considered), subjects were classified as autocratic or democratic with a 75.66% accuracy. Also, a personality profile emerged from the pattern of scores on the variables from the discriminant analysis which allowed for a useful personality‐based characterization of autocratic and democratic leaders.     

Speech teacher certification: Communication and self reception: An editorial

Professor Andrew T. Weaver has a remarkable record of leadership in Speech for the last fifty years. His contributions as a writer, as a teacher and as an officer in the Speech Association of America can well serve as an example and an inspiration to people interested in teaching Speech.     

Leadership,an essential requirement for effecting change in media companies: An analysis of the Spanish market

Abstract

As afield of study, company leadership can be examined from many angles. In this paper our aim is to study leadership in the way it effects change. The qualitative value of the information compiled is considerable since it helps to understand the grounds on which the success of the directors who effected change of the Spanish media market was based. The interviews afford us a closer look at the minds of the leading players in action.

The cases analysed show that, in media companies, radical transformations do not come about without the existence of one or several leaders, capable of mobilising the organisation where they work.

Through the literature review, the companies'internal documentation and interviews with the directors we have been able to demonstrate that our hypotheses on leadership are not only reasonable but also help to explain, to a great extent, the profound transformations which the Spanish media market has undergone in the last 25 years.     

Organizational Change and Renewal: Can Strategic Communication Methods Ease the Pain? A Case Study from the University of Southern Queensland

ABSTRACT

Strategic communication is not solely the remit of library managers and directors, but is the product of internal culture and engagement with the organization's brand. Libraries need to communicate strategically, in order to demonstrate to individuals across the organization that their message is on point, and that they understand, are committed to, and actively support the university's goals. Much of this work happens via the myriad of interactions library staff at all levels have with students and staff (and indeed community members) of all kinds. When the attitude and behavior of library staff does not truly reflect the library's and the university's branding or goals, this undermines more explicit measures of value. It is important for the leadership of academic libraries to understand and influence how every library staff member views his or her role in the organization, so that their communication is reflective of a confidence in themselves and their profession, and a solid understanding of their institution and the higher education landscape. In large-scale organizational change, both intellectual and emotional buy-in to the organization can wane. We seek to show how a people-centered change process, rather than adversely affecting staff buy-in, could instead increase buy-in to the organizational change.     

Leadership Reflections: It is Not About the Perks

Abstract

Our guest columnist is Karl Bridges who has served in a variety of leadership roles in academic libraries. I have gotten to know Karl over the past few years as he was asked to serve in an interim dean role and then hired into the permanent dean positions. At the time, I was at the University of Wyoming and serving as a leader in sparsely populated state where everyone knows your name. Western leaders have to form a tight bond – there are fewer of us and the distances are great. But regardless of geographical situations, leaders need and depend on peer networks that provide a safe space for frank conversations and sharing ideas that help all libraries achieve their goals. Karl has dealt with changing university leadership, library transformations, and dire budget situations. Well, pretty much what every library leader must face. Despite these challenges, library leaders have an opportunity to make a real difference. Karl draws upon his years of experience to provide a thought piece about library leadership noting the complexity, the importance of leadership, and the real joy of making a difference in someone’s life. I hope you enjoy this raw look at leadership and that it reminds you of the purpose of leadership.