Posted on by hildaweisburg

Step Into The Limelight

You work hard, but who notices it? Does your principal recognize what you do? Are teachers aware of the many ways you can make their jobs easier and promote student learning? What do parents know about the library program? How about the school board and the community?

Learning how to promote your program is as important as anything else you do. Being visible is crucial for being valued. And if you are not valued, you are likely to become history.

For many of us, self-promotion seems like bragging, which has a strong negative perception. But you don’t have to boast about your accomplishments to make sure people are aware of them. There are more subtle ways to get your message across.

In her blog article, Jessica Chen, author of Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons. presents ideas on How to Get Noticed at Work as a Quiet Person which can be useful for those who feel less comfortable sharing their wins:

  • How you talk about your wins – Even if you were the driving force in a project or event, focus on those who benefited. Talk about what students achieved. Inform your principal about the great job the teacher did in working with you. In the explanation, you will show them your contribution. As an additional benefit, the teacher will appreciate the recognition and share that with others. Relationships will deepen and new connections may be created.
  • Shaping your career brand – This is about getting noticed for those aspects of librarianship you most value. Chen has several steps for doing this.
  • Get crystal clear on your core values – This should include AASL’s Common Beliefs, your Vision, Mission, and whatever else you find vital to a school library program
  • Find your differentiating factor – What part of your job do you love the most? What are you best at? Is it tech? Do you most love designing learning opportunities? Is it interacting with students? This is your talent, your superpower. It’s what you bring that allows your program to shine in a way only you can.
  • Link your talent to opportunity – Seize any chance to use your talent more widely. If tech is your superpower, see if you can find a place the district’s tech committee. Get friendly with the IT department. If you enjoy the student interactions most, start a club or lead an extra-curricular activity.
  • Advocating for yourself – While this is the biggest challenge for many, Chen makes it easier using the acronym ACCT.
  • Ask for what you want – No one is going to give it to you if they don’t know you want it. Whether it’s a budget increase or collaboration with a teacher, you need to take the first step by asking.
  • Circle back – You are not likely to get a positive response on the first request. Ask again, perhaps modifying the request. Some people say no to learn if you are truly committed to the idea. (I had a Superintendent like this!)
  • Celebrate your wins – Share any positive feedback you receive whether from students, teachers or parents. Forward any positive email to your principal saying this made your day.
  • Turning down requests – This is the hard one because usually, we can’t do that. Since we don’t want to load up our day with tasks that don’t forward or promote our program look for ways the ask can be modified to align it better with what you want to achieve.
  • Speak up in meetings – Introverts tend to stay quiet, and the result is they are unseen. Chen recommends The 4A Sequence:
  • Active listening – To help you engage, listen for key words and the right moment to speak up.
  • Acknowledge – Acknowledge the last speaker so it doesn’t sound as though you interrupted them.
  • Anchor – Using one or two words from what the last speaker said, you are connecting your ideas to what has gone before.
  • Answer – Now briefly make your point. Be clear and concise so that the listeners know your focus.

Hiding your light under a bushel won’t get you or your program noticed. As a leader, you need to be visible in a positive way. It’s an important skill to learn to show the people in your community  how you make a difference.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Developing Confidence

A baby takes its first steps and falls. The child gets up and tries again. Totally confident that success will happen. When does that innate confidence in one’s ability disappear?

It’s usually not the failures that make us lose self-confidence. It’s the comments and criticisms we have received and the comparisons we make with other people that have nibbled our confidence away. The result is we struggle to leave our comfort zone, often question our decisions and are fearful of making a mistake.

But you are a leader. You need self-confidence to take your program to the next level. Is there a way to get back what you once had instinctively?

In Where Does Confidence Come From?, Frank Sonnenberg offers ten way to strengthen your confidence. As you read through them, acknowledge the ones you can do immediately and lean into those first, then consider which one you want to add next:

  • Successful Track Record – Sonnenberg starts with something simple – every win can boost your confidence – no matter the size. If you have trouble recalling these, consider a Success Journal or Win Folder on your computer so you don’t forget your accomplishments. And take a little time to celebrate and cheer yourself.
  • Courageous Action – Look for ways – big and small – to step out of your comfort zone. It can be intimidating, but you know when something needs to be done, and not doing it doesn’t give you the results you want. Take those first steps (and then add that win to your Success Journal).
  • Prepare and Practice – Athletes don’t just walk out into the field and turn in an outstanding performance. They practice. If you are giving a presentation, write it out, tweak it, tweak it again. If it helps you, learn it almost by heart. For a big project, outline the steps. Create a timeline. Be prepared to adjust that as the project progresses.
  • Self-improvement Efforts – We are lifelong learners. Be committed to your own growth and improvement. Since it’s rare for the Professional Development offered by your district keyed to librarian needs, seek out your own PD. Or you can use your Professional Learning Network, find a mentor, or attend a library conferences.
  • Mindset and Attitude – “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.” Our brains are powerful. Don’t let yours defeat you. You have been successful before (you have proof!) and will be again. Use your failures as learning opportunities to take into your new endeavor.
  • Supportive Environment – Every school has people who only see the negative. While you must have a collegial relationship with them since the library is for everyone, you don’t need to take in their gloomy view of everything. Be closer to people who can see what is good and enjoy what they do.
  • Encouraging Comments – Savor positive feedback. Knowing that others see your achievements is validation. It helps to power you forward. Be mindful of that and do the same for others. (And when someone gives you positive feedback – that goes in the Win Folder!)
  • Self-reflection – Make time at the end of the day, perhaps on your commute home, to reflect on what you accomplished. Was there a student whose eyes lit up as you helped them find the “just right” book? Did you strike something off your to-do list that you had been putting off? Focusing on these large and small achievements improves self-confidence. (Yup – Success Journal time!)
  • Goal Setting and Achievement – What is something large you wanted to achieve and did? Good news – you can do it again. Write the goal and develop the action steps needed to attain it. And of course, Prepare and Practice.
  • Personal Values and Beliefs – This is what holds you steady. Confidence comes from within as do these values and beliefs. As librarians, we hold to the ALA’s Code of Ethics and the Library Bill of Rights. As school librarians we consider AASL’s Common Beliefs are intrinsic to our program. Build your confidence on your values and you’ll see some amazing results.

Sonnenberg concludes with this quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” When you build your confidence, you grow into the leader your library program needs. Take those baby steps. Get up when you fall. You can do it.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Put Purpose in Your Journey

Famous American baseball coach Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you are going to wind up someplace else.” It sounds funny at first, but there is truth. First, you need to know where you want to go if you have any hope of getting there. Some people like the “Dream it and do it” concept, but dreaming has an amorphous quality makes clear action tougher. In addition – what if your dreams have nothing to do with working?

So what can help us reach our goals? In my experience, clarity of purpose is the best guide for where you want to go and what you need to do to get there. I once clarified and wrote my purpose which is: “I reflect back to others the greatness I see in them, and, where appropriate, I help them manifest it.”  I want to support more people (specifically librarians) being the leaders they can and need to be. As for the doing, I put this purpose into action in my blog topics, in the amount of curation I do on leadership, and is intrinsic to the books I write.

My view on purpose is echoed in LaRay Quy’s blog article, 4 Reasons Why “Follow Your Dreams” Is Terrible Career Advice. As she notes, following your dreams is more likely to lead to you to spending your life searching for happiness and jumping from one career path to another as your dreams change. In real life, happiness is something you find at the end of a rainbow. It comes from within as you reach the goals you set for yourself.

Here are Quy’s four reasons:

  1. Follow dreams, passion or purpose – Quy observes it is easy to see these three approaches as being the same, but they are different. Dreams are fairy tales and tend to be either lofty or intangible. Passion, Quy notes, is about you. It’s about what you care about. Last week I blogged about passion, speaking to the librarians who lost theirs and were looking to quit. We should have passion for our purpose. But purpose takes the step forward. According to Quy, purpose is about what you can contribute to the world. She recommends you identify what drives you, who you want to help.
  2. Dreams grow and change – Your dreams as a child are far different from the ones you have now. Their frequent change makes them unsuitable for planning and offer little guidance on how you want to live your life. Quy doesn’t ask you to give up your dreams, but rather ask yourself which ones can help as you work toward achieving your career path. The dream in this case supports your purpose.
  3. Find your worth – Reflect on what you do as a school librarian. How does it help and improve the lives of your students? Your teachers? Your administrator? Consider what you bring to the whole community. Embrace the value of it. You may be disenchanted because others do not see that value. Here is where your purpose — or Mission Statement which is your purpose—comes in. Look for ways, get suggestions from your PLN, and make your presence and value known.
  4. Differentiate between dreams and reality – Quy notes that many of our dreams are impractical and would impose an unrealistic financial burden on our lives. Some have nothing to do with our professional lives. Where you can use your dreams, at least the ones for your library program, is to incorporate them into your Vision Statement. My frequent maxim is that your Mission is your perspiration, your “why,” and your Vision is your inspiration and your aspiration.

Dreams. Passion. Purpose. You need all three. Your Dreams will lend greatness and excitement to your planning. Your Passion will be at the root of what you do. And your Purpose will be the stalwart guide for achieving it. Embrace all three, and your leadership will shine through.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Rediscover Your Passion

I have been hearing more often from librarians who are so stressed they are considering early retirement. Given the hostile political climate and its impact on many schools and communities, this is more than understandable. Most of you became school librarians because you were passionate about the differences you can make and the important role school librarians play. When you can’t follow that passion, what do you do next?

Your students and teachers need you to be fully present and engaged in what you bring to learning and growth. That means being as connected as possible to your commitment. In Alaina Love’s article, Are You Sacrificing Passion to Fit in at Work?, she discusses the changes that can be necessary to accommodate our work environment and help us reconnect to what matters most.

To get back to your passion while still being able to fit your environment, Love identifies ten passion archetypes: Creator, Conceiver, Discoverer, Processor, Teacher, Connector, Altruist, Healer, Transformer and Builder, saying we all have at least three. We are at our best when we work from them. Once you know your key archetypes, Love poses looking through that lens and answering these four essential questions:

  1. What is the most essential work you can accomplish to ensure success now and in the future? Think of your Mission Statement. It’s your Why. How have you been dealing with it? It may need some tweaking, but it’s your purpose and your perspiration. By that I mean it’s what you are working toward accomplishing in all the tasks you do and the responsibilities you have.
  2. From which activities do you derive the greatest fulfillment and how can you be more directly engaged in those activities? Is it creating a learning activity with a colleague? Perhaps it is in the one-on-one contacts with students whether guiding them in the research process or finding that perfect book for them. Do you love finding new tech resources and apps and sharing them with teachers? There is a long list of ways you connect with your school community that give you a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Look for ways to identify them.
  3. What behaviors are you demonstrating at work that are misaligned with who you are? Have you been so upset and stressed that you are no longer reaching out to teachers? Have you been brusque with students because there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done? Have you unwittingly been telling yourself that teachers are too busy to care about that new app? Make sure you’re doing what you can to build relationships even with colleagues who may have ideological differences.
  4. What do you want to be remembered for by those you’re closest to? When you do retire, what do you want your administrator to be grateful for? What do you hope teachers will still continue to do because you introduced it to them? When students return, what would you like them to say to you about the impact you had on their time in school? Would you want to be remembered for the person you are today or the one you used to be?

You need to be the leader you were and still are underneath all that stress, frustration, and anger. Reflect on all you have to offer and re-ignite your passion for what you do. Don’t let outside forces take that away from you. Consciously bring back that passion you started with and you will bring back your best. You are too important to your school community to be less than that – and your own mental health will benefit from being aligned with you living from your values.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Failure Is Part of the Path

When we plan a project, set a goal, aim for a target, we think of all the things we need to do and what will think and hope will happen along the way. Something we generally don’t factor in is the times when we will fail.. Although we often tell students that Fail stands for “First Attempt In Learning,” we rarely accept it as true for ourselves. Failure is scary. It makes us look bad. We do everything we can to avoid it. But is also necessary. Without it we don’t learn, and we don’t get better.

Nothing great is ever achieved in one step. The steps along the way will always include some failures. And if you let the fear failure get in the way, you will either back away from what you are doing when it happens or not start at all. As a leader, you need to take risks, and risks bear the possibility of failure. But without risk there is no reward – and no success.

In her article, How That Wretched Slog Makes Way for Your True Potential, Laura Gassner Otting says, “Each time we accomplish something — big or small — we see a version of ourselves that we didn’t yet know existed.” Ironically coupled with this, each success often brings new worry about being good enough, capable enough to do it. Even in our success we are fearing future failure. If this is the case, we need to accept and get through this fear. Gassner offers this way to get past the fear of failure:

  • Let’s Not Fake It Till We Make It – Playing it safe will not bring big changes. Doing only what has been done before, the way it has been done before, won’t get you anywhere. Think of what it must have been like to be the first or one of the first to generify the collection. Give up Dewey? Unheard of. Who would ever think we would suggest dropping fines or even charging for lost books. Out of the box thinking isn’t safe, but it moves us into the future. Embrace the fear that may be part of taking the risk as part of the process – and a sign that you’re moving forward.
  • Re-Categorize Failure from Finale to Fulcrum – Gassner suggests we adopt a beginner’s mindset. We need to see failure as the point from which we learn something that will help us accomplish the next step. Failures should raise new questions and give us the opportunity to see something we didn’t anticipate and pivot. Think, why didn’t this work? What was missing? What, if anything, needs to be changed? How can I do it differently? And never forgot to consider, who can I ask for help?
  • Take a Lesson from the Pros – Professional athletes spend a great deal of time perfecting what they are already doing right. But they also face the fact that they aren’t perfect. They watch videos of their performance and see where they are not doing it well. Then they work on that. It’s harder and uncomfortable, but they do it. Go back to the basics first so you have those to build on, make changes and see if they work. If they don’t take a step back and adjust. Remember – athletes don’t expect perfect, but they are always looking for how they can improve.

Fear is part of the process – but it doesn’t get to stop the process. What fears are keeping you in a safe place? Don’t let fear of failure keep you from stepping out of your comfort zone – and making it bigger. Accept the possibility of failing and embrace that it isn’t saying anything negative about your or your plan. Take a chance. Although you will fail some time, as you pile up your successes your reputation as a leader will grow – and so will you.

Posted on by hildaweisburg · 2 Comments

Your Body Is Talking – Do You Know What It’s Saying?

We are communicating constantly. Because our communications go beyond what we say, write, and text, in my book, The Art of Communication: A Librarians Guide for Successful Leadership, Collaboration, and Advocacy (Libraries Unlimited, 2022), I devote a whole chapter to the “Silent Messages You Send.” We can never forget that our bodies speak for us as well.

Our posture, the position of our arms and legs, and the full range of our facial expressions are all conveying a message. Most of the time, the non-verbal message is, hopefully, aligned with what we are saying. Sometimes it isn’t. When we are uncertain, we are prone to sending mixed messages which can push our audience away and inhibit trust.

Those mixed messages are more likely to occur when we are giving a presentation. Whether we are teaching our colleagues about a new tech app or speaking at a state or national conference, we are nervous. We might have some stage fright. The Imposter Syndrome kicks in. And now you are facing your audience. If your body is apt to be telling your audience how uncertain you are, you won’t be able to get your message across as clearly as you want. This is where practicing in front of a mirror or even taking a video can help. Be honest about what you see and soon you’ll be more comfortable.

One of the things that can benefit your ability to connect with whomever you’re speaking to (whether an individual or a group) is supporting gestures that correspond with what you are saying. Is learning this worth the effort? It is according to Frankie Kemp. In his blog article (you’ll need to sign up for SmartBriefs to read it), he describes these seven Unexpected Ways That Gestures Can Up Your Leadership Communication:

  1. Become more trusted – Based on studies, including an analysis of TED speakers, those who used gestures were trusted more, People saw those who didn’t use them as cold and logical. You would think being logical would be good, but audiences want and need to connect to speakers. Additionally, I think they are also reacting to that mixed message. Your body is indicating uncertainty and stiffness. The message becomes: Why should they listen to you?
  2. Dispel nervous energy – Hand gestures that correspond to your message give you something to do to keep them from shaking. Meanwhile your messages are in sync.
  3. Be more succinct – You won’t need as many words when your verbal and nonverbal messages are in accord. This gives you more time to interact with your audience, improving the quality of your presentation.
  4. Increase problem-solving capacity – Suppose someone in your audience asks a difficult question. One of the easiest ways to draw on your expertise when you answer – is to move. According to Kemp, studies show we problem-solve better when we move. While you are doing so, you are also taking in more of your audience and maybe standing more directly in front of the person who asked a question, making them feel seen.
  5. Increase your self-confidence – In another study, it’s been shown that positive posture (head up, shoulders back, spine straight) not only affects the viewer but has an important impact on the speaker. Testosterone goes up and cortisol (stress hormone) goes down; your self-confidence automatically lifts. If this feels new or uncomfortable for you, practice your posture-pose before presenting. You might want to do so before a meeting with your principal, too.
  6. Achieve more credibility and presence – Kemp points to research showing those who use hand gestures and had more frequent eye contact with the audience (as opposed to darting around) and were more trusted. From what I have experienced, it is also because the gestures send the same message as the words.
  7. Be seen as fair – When making eye contact, don’t focus on the same few members of the audience. That can send a message of excluding people. According to Kemp, it can even be seen as a micro-aggression. Allow your eyes to sweep the attendees, resting on different people each time.

As a leader, there will be many occasions when you must speak professionally and when it’s important that your message be received. Whether before an important individual or a group of teachers, parents, or fellow librarians, you need to become comfortable in these situations. Be mindful that you are always communicating and work to send the consistent, clear messages you want.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Face Your Fears & Reach Your Vision

Over the years, I have read and supported the writing of countless Mission and Vision Statements. Most people write good to great Missions even on the first try. The Vision Statements, however, have been far less successful. They often are variations of the Mission. What’s the problem?

Missions are your Perspiration, your Why. It’s what you do each day. Visions are your Inspiration and Aspiration. What would you like the library to be? How do you want it to be perceived by others? These are frequently harder to write because we aren’t convinced can ever be true. The other thing that stops us – fear.

We worry that if we write a big Vision, we are committing ourselves to achieving it. But here’s the thing – a Vision is not a goal. It’s a potential destination. What we need to do is create a big Vision and then through our fears of the goals that will help us get there.

In his article, Conquering the Fear of Goal-setting, Naphtali Hoff explains why setting such big goals is hard, why it is necessary to do it, and some simple ways to get started.

What Makes It Hard to Do

  • Fear of Failure – It’s risky putting a big goal out there. I recommend hanging your Vision along with your Mission in a prominent place in your library. Everyone will know what you’re striving for and what you want them to be a part of. And you will see it. Every day.
  • Fear of Commitment – Now that you said it, you must do it. It’s a huge task. And you have just signed on to work on making it a reality. Follow through can be very scary.
  • Uncertainty and Overwhelm – Now that you have written it, is this really what you want that reality to look like? Maybe you should rethink it for a while. (HINT: No). After all, your workload is heavy enough just dealing with your Mission and its daily responsibilities. How are you going to fit this in?
  • Self-doubt – You may find yourself thinking this Vison involves so many component, I don’t know nearly enough. Remember – you’re a lifelong learner. What you don’t know… you don’t know yet.
  • Fear of Change – What we know is more comfortable than the new. You know what to expect and how to deal with it. What if the changes don’t work? But remember – if nothing changes, nothing changes.

Why It’s Important to Set Goals

  • Provides Direction – As Yoga Berra allegedly said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up someplace else.” Once you know your Vision, it gives you a focus for your your strategic plan.
  • Motivates and Inspires – Your Vision is your Inspiration. Remember the Disney quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” This is your dream. Goals will help you make it a reality.
  • Measures Progress – Once you are into it, you can see how you are moving forward with each step you achieve. And when you see how far you’ve come – you’re more likely to keep going.
  • Enhances Focus – In our over-busy world, knowing where you are going keeps you on track. A goal gives you something to come back to when day to day things pull you away.
  • Builds Confidence – You began by getting past your fear. Now you are seeing what you can achieve when you are working on a big goal.

Simplifying the Goal-setting Process

  • Start Small – If you look at this huge project, you will convince yourself you can’t do it. You can drive across the entire country as long as you can see a few feet in front of you. Take the next step. Then take the next.
  • Use the SMART Framework – You know this well. Specific, Measurable, Achievable (yes, it is), Relevant, Time-bound. Search for other goal setting techniques if this one doesn’t speak to you.
  • Write It Down – Your Vision should be 50 words or less, written in the present tense, and hung in a prominent place in your library next to your Mission. You goals should be written out, too, creating your ongoing road map.
  • Visualize Success –  Spend time thinking about what it’s going to be like as this Vision comes into being. If it helps you, create a vision board to give you something to focus on.
  • Seek Support – Use your PLN and trusted vendors as needed. Connect with your library advocates and other librarians.
  • Be Flexible – Life happens. Expect delays and the need to tweak things as you go along. There will be bumps. You can keep going.
  • Celebrate Progress – When you set the goal, also set a reward or a way to acknowledge your accomplishment. Having that to look forward to as well as celebrating what you’ve achieved will help you keep going.  

Going for something powerful, like a Vision, will bring up all kinds of fears. They are telling you something – that what you are about to do is significant. Remember, when something is truly Inspirational and Aspirational, you know it will be worth the challenges – and the fears – to see it through.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Is It Time To Quit?

It is more than likely that if you stay in a position for long enough, there will come a time when the job is no longer right for you. Either you’ve reached your goals within the limits of the job or with the current administration, or things around you change and you realize you would be better off searching for a different situation. Quitting has such a negative connotation, yet when you look at it objectively, it can be a highly positive and importantly proactive decision.

Many years ago, I was the librarian in a high school library I helped design. I had been a part of the school system for decades. I was well-respected in the school and an integral part of the teaching/learning process. Then we got a new principal. I used all the techniques I had learned to reach out to him and show the value of the library program. He liked none of it.

Although he caused tension and stress in my life, initially I had no thoughts of quitting. It wasn’t until the Superintendent of Schools, who was an ongoing supporter of my work, announced she was retiring in two years. I could foresee what would happen with my principal without the buffer offered by my Superintendent. Suddenly my future looked very different and quitting became a logical alternative.

Only a month after reaching out to my contacts (your network can be SO important!), I had an excellent job offer. Although the commute was longer and I lost my sick days, I kept my salary and found a far better situation. It was even worth losing tenure. I stayed in my new position for eleven years until I retired. The more I heard what was happening back in my old school, the happier I was with my decision.

With summer break upon us, take the opportunity to ask yourself – Is it time for me to quit? Depending on your years of service, should you retire or find another job?  If your answer is yes (or a strong maybe), use this time to plan your future course of action.

In his article, Quitting Doesn’t Always Make You a Quitter, Frank Sonnenberg discusses when quitting is recommended and ways of deciding if that’s your best option. Here are some of the 10 situations he recommends quitting. He asks, are you:

  • In a toxic relationship – Are you having to work with someone consistently who is detrimental to your work environment? This can have long reaching consequences professionally and personally.
  • Looking to cut your losses – Librarians and other educators stay because they keep hoping things will change, even when they know it won’t happen. Be honest about what’s happening and if it can be changed.
  • Getting stagnant – What if you are unable to make changes and feel you and your program are locked in the past? If nothing changes, nothing changes. Are you happy with how you’re able to grow your program?
  • Afraid of leaving your comfort zone – The devil you know vs. the unknown. Remember, it’s still a devil. Yes, there will be things lost if you move (sick days, tenue, coworkers you like), but there might be something new out there for you that is so much better. Don’t miss it!
  • Compromising your standards – These are difficult times, but it’s hard to face yourself in the mirror when you are afraid to uphold your core values and professional ethics. If you are in a school district that doesn’t align with your beliefs, this is a good reason to look elsewhere.

And here are some of the 15 ways to decide whether you should actually quit (or retire if that’s an option).

  • What, if anything, has changed to evoke these feelings from you? – How has the landscape changed to make you now consider leaving. Are there any you can anticipate?
  • Are you making a spur-of-the-moment decision? – Are you just tired and angry or have you been feeling this way for some time? A bad month or even a tough year my not be enough of a reason to leave – yet.
  • What’s the upside versus the downside? – Look honestly at what you will lose by leaving but look equally honestly at what you stand to gain by leaving. Don’t let fear of the unknown be what gets in your way.
  • Have you sought counsel from an objective person? – Talk it out with a fellow librarian who you trust to keep your conversation confidential. If you can, find someone in your state (or in our Facebook group) who has quit one position and found another.
  • Will you regret this decision five years from now? – Which do you think will honestly feel worse – staying or going? Yes, there are no guarantees either way, but the risk can be very worth the reward.

Sonnenberg closes with this W. C. Fields quote, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it.” You are a leader. Sometimes the person you need to lead is yourself.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Maximize Your Time

There are only 24 hours in a day, and no matter what you do – or how much needs to get done – there’s no way to use them all for work. So the goal becomes using the hours we have to our best advantage. But here’s the thing – what works for one person and seems productive, might not work for you and could, in fact, be detrimental to you in the long run. So before you decide how to organize your time – take the time to learn how you work best.

To create your own personal plan for maximizing your time, consider following this 4-step approach Chris Taylor presents in his article How to Make Your Days More Productive:

  1. What To Do –  Start by knowing your priorities – for a project, a semester, a school year. Even knowing this, you won’t get everything done (have you ever?) but if you can get clear on what’s most important and what will get you closest to where you want to be then you can organize your time and to-do lit accordingly.
  2. When To Do It – This is where it gets even more personal. What is your most productive time of the day? When are you most creative?  For me, it’s first thing in the morning.  I know other people who like to work at night when everyone else is sleeping. Schedule your high priority tasks at the times when you are most clear. Of course, if you’re not a morning person but are at work then, as best you can, do the activities that align with your energy and ability to focus.
  3. Where To Do It – Environment can play a large role in our productivity. Is your office space the best place for you to work?  Do you like or not like the buzz of others working nearby?  Do you find being outdoors stimulates your thinking? Be as honest as you can and then see where you can adapt your workflow to fit. Can you clear off your desk? What about adding pictures of favorite places that you can see while you work? When can you close your door?
  4. How To Do It Well – That is the ultimate challenge.  You need to turn off the interruptions that take you away from being as productive as possible.  This is not necessarily other people interrupting you.  It can be seeing stuff popping up in your email.  Or the phone ringing. Turn them off. Don’t see your email when you are working on these high priority tasks.  Turn off your phone until you are ready to attend to those messages. And when it’s time to focus on emails – stay focused on them and get as many answered as you can in the time you give it.

Like anything else, it will take practice and iteration of these four steps to make them part of your routine, but the results are worth it. Be prepared to tweak it as you work with it and learn what supports your success. Maybe you thought you could be creative for two hours at a time, but one is better followed by a break. Do what you can to limit the break, then get back to the priorities. There’s no way to add more time to the clock – so add time to your day by using what you have in the way the best supports you.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Getting Positive Results From Difficult Conversations

Whether it’s with an administrator or a colleague, there are times when you are in opposite corners about how to do something. Ignoring the issue won’t make it go away—and will likely make things worse. When it’s an administrator, you might be seen as being insubordinate, which can cause severe consequences. In the situation with a teacher, your avoidance will hinder future collaboration and having a positive working relationship.

The conversation must happen. The results depend on how you approach and plan it. Go in knowing you won’t get everything you want, but that’s not the objective. Your goal is to make it work, not win an argument. Going in with the intention of winning is a guarantee that you won’t get a result that works.

In her article, Use the “Magic Wand of Destiny” to Get the Desired Outcomes, Kathy Stoddard Torrey puts forth a five-step approach that I believe can be very effective in helping you achieve the best possible results from these difficult conversations.

  • Define the Outcome – What is it you want to achieve and what are different parts of that goal (because remember, you’re not getting everything). Know what you need most. What will make the situation feel best for you? You’ve been told to close the library for several periods to allow for a meeting of the leagues Athletic Directors (ADs), but this restricts usage for others. A teacher wants students to use only books from the library for a project.
  • Create the Proper Space- Since you are initiating the conversion after learning about the challenge, you set the tone for it. An adversarial opening will not get the result you want. In dealing with the principal, you want to open with, “I will definitely give the ADs the space and time they need.” With the teacher, you can start with, “I want to fully understand your planned project.”
  • Ask Curious Questions – Show interest and willingness to help. These are people you want and need to work with. Ask the principal to let you know how many ADs will be coming. How often do they meet? Do they vary their meeting location? Ask the teacher, how many class periods will students be researching in the library? How does this project fit into the larger unit? What resources will they need and for how long?
  • Listen to Their Solutions First – Knowing what the other person expects can help you form your responses. In my examples, you and the library are the solution, so restate them to let them know you recognize what they want. For other situations, when the whole thing wasn’t spelled out in advance, let them explain how they expect to go about it. Continue to ask questions to be sure you have really understood what they want. Sometimes, in those answers, you can find a new solution. Once they have finished, propose your modifications. Ask the principal if you really need to close the whole library. Perhaps you can have a privacy screen around where the ADs meet, and classes can continue as scheduled. Show the teacher one particularly pertinent database and suggest it be offered as well, so students get used to taking notes from print and digital resources.
  • Ask Yourself: Does It Matter? – Choose your difficult conversations wisely. You don’t have to reach your desired outcome all the time. If accepting the recommendation or request doesn’t compromise your ethics, you might strengthen the relationship best by not asking for changes to their original request. When you go along with their plan, it can be a step in building the relationship.

The better you get at managing tough conversations, the stronger you become as a leader – and the more confidence you will gain. In the current education and political climate – in the US and abroad – there are more difficult conversations happening. We all need to work on not letting them become adversarial.