Creating LeadersA study of the Northern Exposure to Leadership Participants – Before and After

February 3, 2005

Daniel Phelandphelan@ryerson.ca

Ryerson University MCE in Workplace Learning University of Calgary Online Masters degree Began in 2000

Why is there such a great need for Leaders ?

Aging of the librarian population Changing nature of libraries and

information Challenges of new technology, funding

sources and a more diverse clientele Challenge of “competitors” like Google

and other Internet-based resources

There is a strongly expressed need for leaders and leadership development in libraries today

“ If libraries are to be fully recognized as agencies essential to cultural, educational, and economic life of their communities, then they must be staffed by leaders who can reorganize, renew, and redirect resources with vigor and assurance.” Sheldon, 1991

“ The 21st century library demands visionary leadership” Riggs, 1998

There is a strongly expressed need for leaders and leadership development in libraries today

“A major obligation of leadership in a time of wrenching transition is the active development of the successor generation” Battin, 1998

“ To ensure a vital and viable professional future, librarianship must embrace a commitment to the identification, recruitment, and nurturing of the next generation of leaders”

Hernon, Powell and Young, 2003

Leadership is now a major topic in librarianship

But it was not always so Leadership studies began in the

military and later politics Now most leadership research

concentrates on the business world

What does the library world think about leadership ? With few exceptions librarians only began

to seriously discuss leadership a little more than 10 years ago

Still reluctant to use the word “leadership” or prefers narrower terms like “ management”, “administration”, etc.

Far behind other fields ( like nursing for example) in recognizing value of leadership and scholarship in this field

Definitions of leadership vary

In its simplest terms, leaders get out in front or bring people along

Leaders inspire Leaders have vision Leaders share power

Other traits of leaders

Agents of change Apostles of hope Good listeners Coaches and teachers Decisive Risk-takers Enforce standards Tenacious Results-oriented

Is leadership the same as management ? Generally leaders have traits that

make them good managers But managers may not be great

leaders It is not essential to be a manager to

be a leader One can be a leader from the ranks;

indeed leaders can be found at all levels of organizations and groups

Popular Experts Today Warren Bennis and Bert Nanus James Kouzas and Barry Posner John Kotter Daniel Goleman Peter Senge And in libraries

Sheldon Hernon, Powell and Young Battin Riggs Winston and Neely

Managers and Leaders

“The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.”

Warren Bennis

Leaders need followers Not everyone can be a leader in every

situation It is not always necessary but leaders

have probably been followers first Some people do not have the desire or

the qualities to be leaders Followers fulfill very important

functions and they need their leaders to have certain qualities

What followers expect:

Honesty Competence Forward-looking attitudes Inspiration These create credibility

Kouzes and Posner

Today’s Library Leaders

Need the skills to deal with demanding challenges: Change agenda Demands for accountability, improvement Cuts in funding Technological advancement Student-centered educational institutions Globalization of knowledge Diversity

Bennis and Nanus survey In early 1987 ninety “leaders” (CEOs,

company presidents, board chairpersons) were interviewed

Four strategies or “kernels” of truth were developed

Leaders were found to possess Attention through vision Meaning through communication Trust through positioning Positive self-regard

Leaders in Libraries

Brooke Sheldon replicated the Bennis and Nanus study with librarians

Library leaders were distinguished by commitment to the value of their work

She added to the study the role of mentors and found those important

The Need for Library Education for Leadership

Allow students to gain a knowledge of themselves, strengths and weaknesses

Then, gain more knowledge of areas of interest

Leadership internships Create a leadership culture

From Sheldon’s Leaders in Libraries

Mentoring Leadership literature emphasizes the

mentor-protégé relationship Library leadership institutes also

emphasize mentoring Mentoring is a direct outgrowth of the

impulse of generativity – wishing to influence the next generation positively

Mentoring is crucial for succession planning

How do people learn to lead: Trial and error People Education Leaders are made, not born.

Kouzes and Posner

Five Practices of Leaders

1. Challenge the process.2. Inspire a shared vision.3. Enable others to act.4. Model the way.5. Encourage the heart.

Kouzes and Posner Similar to Peter Senge’s 5th Discipline

Leaders and Leadership

Leadership rests in the wise use of power and articulation of a vision others will follow

Leadership encompasses vision and strategy, influencing people through interpersonal skills

General leadership writings Leadership is written about extensively

in the business literature Theories generally stress leadership in

for -profit organizations Qualities of leaders seem to be universal

and may be applied in many situations There have been many theories of

leadership advanced over the years

Are leaders born or made ? Early studies assumed leaders were born

but none of these studies were conclusive

If they are born then leadership training is meaningless

If they are made then anyone theoretically can be a leader

The truth probably lies in between – leaders are probably born with the aptitude but need guidance and nurturing to realize their leadership potential

How can the traits of leadership and the behaviours associated with it be instilled in librarians ?

One answer is…

Library Leadership Institutes Frye Institute ACRL/Harvard Institute Snowbird Institute Synergy: the Illinois Library Leadership Initiative MPLA Leadership Institute Library Leadership Ohio New Jersey Academy of Library Leadership TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute Wyoming Library Leadership Institute YSLead Massachusetts

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI)

A Canadian leadership institute Takes place in British Columbia but

sponsored by University of Alberta Inspired by the Snowbird Institute

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI) NELI is held every 18 months Since 1994 there have been seven institutes Participants nominated by individuals or

groups as emerging leaders who would benefit from leadership training

Participants are generally new librarians with at least one year of work experience and who have graduated within the last 7 years

Between 24-26 participants each institute

What NELI expects of participants Be a graduate of an accredited

librarianship and/or information science programme

Demonstrated leadership potential Excellent communications skills Accomplishments in his/her

academic performance Successful employment experience

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute

THE MISSION THE VISION THE INSTITUTE THE GOALS THE PROGRAM THE MENTORS

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute

THE VISION: To contribute to the vitality, growth

and success of the library profession well into the 21st century, by positioning professionals to be proactive, effective and consequential voices in a dynamic and sophisticated information environment.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute THE MISSION: To motivate professional librarians in

order to assist them in developing, strengthening and exercising their individual leadership abilities so that they are better prepared to create, articulate and achieve organizational visions for the benefit of library service, initially, and society at large, ultimately.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute THE INSTITUTE: Will provide a unique opportunity for

professional librarians to share with peers and mentors a five day experiential and theoretical learning situation in Canada. Participants will explore and experiment with such leadership concepts as vision, risk taking, creativity, communication, change, power, and styles of leadership -- all to be done within a context of self-exploration, evaluation and development. The Institute will also provide an opportunity for those attending to develop integrated professional networks.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute THE GOALS: To instill progressive and effective leadership

strategies, attitudes and skills by: providing participants with an individual and

personal learning experience in order to build a foundation upon which they can develop leadership skills:

encourage participants to recognize and/or initiate creative innovations and seize opportunities, especially when there is a risk involved;

guiding participants to appreciate and thrive in a changing political and demographical environment.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute THE PROGRAM: Combines experiential and theoretical

learning, with an emphasis on the former. The program will:

model leadership, group work, team building and collegiality;

engage participants in a discussion about leadership, what it means, how it is recognized, developed and sustained;

expose participants to a variety of leadership styles, including those that are innovative and may fall outside of traditional North American/European thought;

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute engage participants in a discussion about

vision, what it means, how it is communicated and how it is achieved;

assist participants in learning to manage change by making creative connections in order to create opportunities for themselves as individuals as well as for their profession;

provide participants an opportunity to learn from team-based approaches;

be premised in a theoretical framework which will permeate the Institute in order to provide a consistent foundation upon which subsequent learning may be built.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute THE MENTORS: Professional leaders will be invited to act

as mentors. Mentors will be those who can act as team facilitators, guides, coaches, sounding boards and role models -- without personally needing "center stage". They will be change agents who can demonstrate leadership qualities consistent with the 'Vision' and 'Mission' of the Institute.

Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute Mentors will also engage in group discussions

which will provide them an opportunity to talk with participants about what has motivated, helped, hindered and inspired them in their professional activities. Additionally, they may discuss how they have balanced those activities with their personal lives. Mentors will be asked to engage in daily evaluations as well as act as a project team for each Institute, forming a synergistic support relationship with the Institute organizers.

Mentors will participate on a voluntary basis, which is intended to set a tone and spirit of commitment, individual interest and collegiality.

My Research on NELI

In order to survey a manageable group I chose NELI

As part of my requirement for my Masters degree I am writing a thesis or pursuing a project

Research is at a preliminary stage

Specific conclusions may change Basic trends will probably be the

same This is not a longitudinal study and

there are no control groups Results are therefore very

preliminary and further research beyond mine is needed

Details and Results of NELI Survey 38 Questions Not everyone answered every question Results don’t always equal 100% of

participants All done online using Survey Monkey and

all responses were anonymous 69 usable responses out of a potentail

141 A return rate of nearly 50% !

Details and Results of NELI Survey 141 “graduates” of the Northern

Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI) willing to participate

Closed LISTSERV announced the survey and provided link

Survey Monkey was chosen to create the survey

Survey based on a previous one done in United States regarding the Snowbird Institute

The participants who replied

78% female 22 % male Aged 31-35 (35%) Aged 40 -45 (24%) Other 41% much smaller groups None under 25 years

Length of Time as Librarians before NELI

Slightly over 50% had been librarians from 1.5 to 4 years when they attended NELI

Slightly less than half had been librarians 5 to 8 years

The two largest groups were those who had been librarians 4 years or 7 years

Length of Time as Librarians at time of survey

One half of respondents had been in the profession from 3 – 8 years

The other half from 9 – 17 years The largest group ( 11) had been

librarians for 9 years

Geographical location

One third of the attendees lived in Ontario and another third lived in the Prairie Provinces before NELI

About 50% lived in a large city This stayed very much the same

after NELI

Type of Library

Before NELI 30 were in academic libraries 22 were in public libraries 9 were in special and

governmental libraries 2 worked in other venues

Type of Library

After NELI 27 were in academic libraries 21 were in public libraries 8 were in special and

governmental libraries 4 worked in other venues

Other experience About 22 respondents had worked as

paraprofessionals pre-NELI Sixty-five respondent held positions in another

non-library field These included

Musicians Bookstore and other business owners Scientists and engineers Teachers and College instructors Professionals in the health care field Research assistants

Work history

47% still in same job as before NELI

52% have changed their jobs

Job titles as of the survey 13 have Manager in their title 7 are referred to as Head 5 are called Assistant or Associate 6 are Directors or Deputy Directors 3 are Chief Librarians or University Librarians 2 are called Administrators 1 is a Team Leader 1 has the term Senior in his/her title 20 had no designation of leadership in their

titles

Education other than MLS or equivalent

39% had another Masters degree The degrees were spread out

evenly amongst all disciples ( arts, social sciences, sciences, etc.)

15% had completed additional graduate courses but had yet to receive additional degrees

Questions asked

Some factual What leadership activities did you

engage in before and after NELI ? Are you in the same job as you

were before NELI ? What is your work history and

education background ?

Some questions asked for opinion and reflection

What do you feel about the impact of NELI on your career ?

Would your career path have been different without NELI ?

Have you consciously decided to eschew a “leadership” role ?

Respondents were surprisingly candid Some did not see any particular correlation

between NELI and their careers Some felt they were on the leadership

track already Many , however, spoke of how NELI

encouraged them to seek or accept leadership roles and how the mentors helped them see their place in the profession

Did NELI have an impact on the participants ?

From the respondents’ point of view the results are mixed

Some felt other things influenced their careers Where they worked geographically What their supervisors’ and

organizations’ attitudes were

Did NELI have an impact on the participants

Others saw the activities in NELI as being crucial to their success Encouragement Mentoring Networking

Choosing not to be a leader More than half of those who responded said they were

interested in a leadership role or at least would not avoid it Remarkably some expressed reservations in assuming

leadership roles I am not interested in becoming a library director I want to get out of management because I am tired of

working so hard I have scaled back my interest in order to focus on my family

life I have passed up some opportunities because they did not fit

who I am The time and commitment of upper management was

obviously seen as unattractive by some Many equated leadership only with management roles Others recognized that “leading from the ranks “ was

possible

What do we get when we create leaders ? Continuity Succession planning facilitation Bridges to another generation Engaged, energetic, and confident

librarians Risk-takers who feel empowered Ambassadors for influencing the

world beyond the library

Are leadership institutes effective ? The activities taking place in these

institutes may or may not help create leaders

There seems no direct correlation However, the personal experiences of

participants indicate that the encouragement and mentoring in institutes like NELI are very important in participants’ decisions to assume leadership roles

Some quotes from the NELI survey respondents The NELI friendships has given me“ a sense of national

community”.

“The program helped me identify those who truly possess leadership qualities, even if they are not in these roles”.

“NELI has been central to my career path”.

“..leadership skills and self-esteem built during the short period of NELI have been the bedrock of my work as a manager.”

“Participating in NELI gave me the confidence to apply [ for another leadership position].”

Some quotes from the NELI survey respondents “NELI [was] interesting and challenging

training…”

“ It helped me see I’m part of a network of people.”

“ I’m more confident and aware of what I can do.”

“ I have a sense of wanting to do so much more.”

Some quotes from the NELI survey respondents “The NELI experience will open some doors

that may not have been there in the past.” “ I think about leadership and its qualities

almost daily.” “ I am likely unconsciously using the methods

we used during NELI.” “ I came away from NELI with a tremendous

desire to change.” “NELI is shaping my career seven years later.” “[NELI] had an enormous impact on my

personal commitment to the profession.”

Some quotes from the NELI survey respondents “ I have gained a ton of confidence in my

abilities.” “ … the role of some of the mentors and the

advice they have given me has been pivotal in the development of my career.”

“ My Director has expressed interest in my pursuing a management position, after I came back from NELI.”

“ It assisted me greatly in recognizing my own leadership capabilities.”

“Invaluable. Inspiring.” “ NELI changed my life.”

Daniel Phelandphelan@ryerson.ca