While working on another project, I came across the book Middle Management in Academic and Public Libraries, edited by Tom Diamond. One chapter caught my eye: “Managing the Performance of People Who Do Not Report to You.” This situation happens fairly frequently, and it can be a difficult one to navigate. Some examples I have experienced: My system has a Homework Center. While I am the direct supervisor of my branch’s Homework Center Coordinator, the Center’s tutors report to someone at our Administrative Building. There are several layers of messy supervision…the Coordinator is the person who directly sees the tutors at work. I, as the children’s librarian, visit often but am not in the room the entire time. And the actual supervisor may only see the tutor a few times a semester. I often have to guide the coordinator in addressing tutor issues, as this position was frequently a first…
Tag: Supervision
Supporting Children’s Services through Career Transitions
Recently, I re-read the ALSC Blog post, Why Children’s Librarians Should Run the World (or at least the library), which asked why more children’s librarians weren’t moving into management positions. One explanation was that they prefer not to give up the job satisfaction received by working directly with children. I’ve certainly heard that reluctance from children’s librarians who would make excellent supervisors. If you are on the fence about testing out a leadership role, know that you can shape your job to still feel linked to your original mission. I know firsthand – I was a children’s librarian for nearly seven years before deciding to explore supervision. I’ve now served as an assistant managing librarian, the children’s services coordinator, the youth services manager and a managing librarian. In that time, I’ve learned that you can support children’s services in a meaningful way even as job titles and responsibilities change. Give…
Support Your Leaders
What do you think about when you hear the phrase “support your leaders”? No matter who your mind finds, that person is likely in a position above yours, right? Maybe a director, supervisor, or even a mentor. But what about the leaders that don’t have positional authority? What about the great people on your staff, or those looking to build up their own leadership skills in your organization? Supporting future leaders, empowering them to strengthen their abilities and take on new challenges is one of the most important things a manager can do. As you think about ways to encourage the leadership skills in your staff, consider the following: Meet with your staff regularly: One-on-one meetings provide an opportunity to get to know each other, talk about your employee’s work, share feedback, ask questions, and mentor. This is a critical part of being a supportive manager and encouraging leadership. Help staff think…
Confessions of a Semi-Reluctant Supervisor
I love my job. Really, I do. As a manager in a mid-size public library system, my days are busy and full of variety, but I must confess that the most challenging – even daunting – part of my job is supervising! I have a great group of creative, hard-working, and talented people that report to me, but, let’s face it, they are human (me, too). There are days when I feel like an amateur psychologist, and I often use my commute time wrestling with how best to handle some issue. After four years in this position, I’m certainly not an expert, but here are a few things I’ve learned: Focus on what’s important. Always keeping the library’s mission foremost in my mind helps me make better decisions, but it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture in the midst of juggling staff concerns, personality conflicts, complaints,…