Posted on by hildaweisburg

From Adversity to Success

Life is tough, and nothing suggests that it’s going to be getting easier in the immediate future. Between personal and professional fears, being able to slog through the days is a real challenge. But you don’t want to drag your way through them. You want to shine and make your program seen for the value it brings to the entire school community.

If you can’t shake off the weight of stress, continuing the way you are will only lead to overwhelm and burnout. You need a plan. Dr. Christian Marcolli has one. In his article “Setting the Gold Standard: What CEOs Can Learn from an Olympic Champion” he outlines five steps to get you back on track for success. We need to “adapt to adversity” because we cannot avoid or outrun it. To do this, Marcolli recommends we:

  1. Rigorously manage your energy to build up a strong foundation for sustained high performance – You are not the energizer bunny. You can’t keep going at full speed. You need to develop your resiliency. Part of this can be done by setting and managing priorities. Be honest with yourself. What must be done? What must be done now?  Identify what can be dropped, deferred, or shared with someone.
  2.  Think through a robust strategy that will lead to success – Keep your goals front and center. Review your Mission and Vision. Develop a strategic plan complete with action steps, timeline, and assessments as you go along and at the completion. With a plan in motion your energy will be focused rather than diffused.
  3. Work on creating a winning mindset – Find ways to nurture your desire to live your Mission statement. This will allow you to tap into a positive mindset that will give you the boost you need, even when the results aren’t (yet) what you want. When things feel hard, remind yourself of past successes.
  4. Be ready to adapt to changes and setbacks – Fighting change, expected and unexpected, is a waste of energy. It happens. Know how you best bounce back. Leaders recognize setbacks happen but know how to create the path for going forward. Look to your strategic plan to take the next best step forward.
  5. Visualize success – This is a common technique for athletes. It’s not something we think to do. Think about the end result. Imagine yourself getting there – what will it look like? What will it feel like? Hold on to that feeling and do what it takes to live into it. If you’re a visual person, consider creating vision board. Or, if you prefer, make a list of the feelings you are hoping to have, the results you are looking forward to seeing. As an extra benefit, the process of constructing these and envisioning the end will lift you up and improve your mindset.

This quote from Barbara De Angelis serves as a good reminder, “We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” Leaders always need courage. The path forward is continually filled with obstacles to overcome.

Tough times require tough leaders. With a clear plan and vision, no matter what else changes, you will get to your goal and enjoy a well-earned success.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

The Chance in Change

Whether or not we like it, change is a constant. Generative AI is advancing with incredible speed. Politics has invaded the school library. The turnover of principals and superintendents has been dramatic. Sometimes the old refrain “stop the world, I want to get off” seems to be a great idea. Fortunately, that isn’t an option. As school librarians we are well equipped to handle the rapid changes in technology and are comfortable making the adjustments. But changes in personnel or new regulations? Those are more difficult to embrace and manage.

So what are the tools of managing change? In her article, Embracing Change: A New Leader’s Imperative, Karen Carey offers advice to the business world on how to manage change. They apply to us as well.

  • The ever-changing landscape – Carey notes “understanding the fluidity” of a landscape is crucial. She quotes Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, “Don’t be a know-it-all; be a learn-it-all.” Fortunately, librarians are lifelong learners. We need to translate that mindset into our daily practice. Use your PLN to fill in what you don’t know. Be aware of what’s happening in your community and have the resources from ALA on hand to deal with any upheavals that occur. Start building a relationship with your new principal who may have radically different ideas about the library or no interest in it. Learn the ways to recognize AI generated work.
  • Embracing the uncomfortable – At some point, you may find that you need to see the bigger picture. Leaving your comfort zone is a necessary part of change. Look for new things to try or groups to join, including your state organization or even AASL.
  • Learning from failure – The fear of failure keeps us from leaving our comfort zone. We teach kids that failing is part of the learning process, but we must embrace this in ourselves as well. It will happen. Your successes will far outweigh your failures if you work on growing.
  • Tech in leadership – Your teachers may be having trouble dealing with the changes in tech. By helping them cope and learn, you strengthen your relationships and build new ones. Developing a collaborative or cooperative project will ease their way and further the perception of you as a leader.
  • The challenge of transition – Find ways to work with new personnel. The new principal may be a concern to staff and is undoubtedly dealing with their own uncertainty. Invite them to the library. Share brief (they don’t need to be overwhelmed) information you have on trends or any issues they might be interested in based on comments they have made. And don’t engage with the teachers who consistently make negative comments about the change. That doesn’t make for strong relationships.
  • Cultivating the agile mindset – According to Carey, this involves “building deeper human connections, continuous learning, and the ability to unlearn behaviors, beliefs and values. It’s about capitalizing on new opportunities by staying open to different perspectives and embracing change as a constant force for progress.” In essence, this speaks directly to our strengths since we know building relationships and finding new ways to deliver our Mission is vital for the success of our program.

Remember, we are not alone. People everywhere are struggling to cope with change, but changing is the only way to grow. The world keeps growing and, uncomfortable or not, we must grow with it. And as leaders, we have no other options. Embrace change as part of your leadership journey.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Letting Go and Moving On

Change is hard. Too often it means letting go of something you were good at – or loved to do. Change is also inevitable, so while you might miss what was lost, it may be an opportunity to think in different ways and find new things to love.

In 1995, I took on a position as the senior librarian in a high school. Automation was in its earliest phase, and this library already had converted to an online catalog. But my co-librarian was heavily attached to the shelf list. Even as all our records were now digital, she persisted in continuing the print shelf list record. She had an emotional tie to the familiar and was unwilling to face the logic of letting it go. Because the relationship was new, I didn’t press for the change. As soon as she retired, I got rid of the print record of our holdings.

Moving into the future carries an element of risk, and therefore fear. Librarians are change agents and lifelong learners. While we don’t want to let go of everything just because something new comes along, we need to embrace the changes that take us to the next level. Whether it’s technology, new instructional approaches, or better ways to help our teachers and students, we must be ready to move on.

For help in moving on, Fred Ende says, “Don’t Let ‘What Was’ Get in the Way of “What’s Next..” He offers several ways to do so:

Know when to move on (or surround yourself with others who do) – Moving on has several meanings here. Ende reminds us we need to move on “when simply continuing on a path will do more harm than good or when we won’t be able to accomplish what we need to do unless we change course.” This happened when the pandemic changed how we interacted with students and teachers. The old ways didn’t work. It took ingenuity, creativity and, sometimes, idea from other librarians to help you adapt.

This also refers to the job itself. For example, tenure sometimes binds us to environments that no longer serve us. Take an honest look at your position. Are you still enjoying it?  Do you see any way it can improve?  If the answer is no, start looking for a new opportunity (but don’t talk about leaving until you find a new position).

Embrace obstacles-to-opportunity approach – Focusing on obstacles when doing something new is likely to get you stuck. Consider where this situation offers an opportunity to do something different. What was the original end goal?  What is another way to get there?

,When you look for the opportunity, you open the door to possibilities, creativity, and collaboration. If others are struggling with the issue as well, and you might end up leading the way to a new path. And as the leader, you and your program will be seen as more valuable.

Zoom out- Being stressed makes it hard to lift your head and see past the tasks at hand. Looking at things only on a day-to-day, task-to-task level results in things always being done the same way. Taking a big picture view is essential in being able to see and then let go of what is not contributing to your goals.

Ende suggests looking down the road. Where will this take you in future? Can you picture where you will be in five years with this approach? Is it where you want to be? You may not be right, but you will gain a sense of where this direction is taking you and where you may need to make a change.

There is always “the next thing” coming up. Holding on to the way things were may keep you from recognizing it and incorporating it into your practice. As they say, “When you love something, let it go.” Holding on tight never works.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Being Effective

As you pivoted your way through the pandemic, goals and needs kept changing. Being effective was and is a challenge. Being efficient was even harder. With the heavy time constraints we have, we need to improve our techniques for being more effective – and by doing so – become more efficient.

Merriam-Webster defines Effective as “producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect.” It implies knowing what needs to get done and then getting right down to the task. It’s a good goal for students and for you. But it is elusive.

We know that working harder is not the solution. It is draining, making you less productive and therefore less efficient. John Rampton says the way to do it is to Work Smarter, Not Harder: 10 Ways to Be More Effective at Work.

  1. Trim the Fat – This sounds like a good diet idea, but it refers to making your to-do list work for you. Putting too much in sets us up for feeling frazzled, not accomplishing everything, and encourages multi-tasking which doesn’t work (we’ll get to that). Besides identifying your three highest priority (and goal-related) tasks, get at least one finished early, giving you a feeling of success.
  2. Measure Your Results, Not Your Time –Whether it’s weeding or collecting books, measure your success by what you accomplished in one day. You know how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Rampton quotes Leo Widrich, who recommends keeping a “done” list. It allows “you to review your day, gives you a chance to celebrate your accomplishments, and helps you plan more effectively.”  I do the same with my Success Journal which I keep next to my computer.
  3. Have an Attitude Adjustment – Your mindset has a powerful influence on your effectiveness. When you feel you are getting things done, when you recognize your help to others has made a difference, you don’t have the weariness that keeps you from being effective.
  4. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate –Communication is key to our success. It’s not just our words or our texts. It’s the choices we make in using them and the silent communications happening simultaneously. Active listening is your responsibility in communication. Suiting the message to the communication channel enhances the chances of it being received as intended. Long emails often don’t get read completely. Don’t bury the lead. Say what needs to be said—and stop.
  5. Create and Stick to a Routine – The more things you don’t have to think about, the more effective you become. To help make this happen – use the next tip.
  6. Automate More Tasks – There are apps and programs for planning, calendars, reminders, and more. Ask your PLN what’s helping and see if it makes sense for you. The best automation can help you get through your day with fewer decision points leaving more energy for bigger issues.
  7. Stop Multitasking – Once the touted way of getting more done, studies have proved it doesn’t work. Unfortunately, we do this more often than we realize. The worst offense is when we are mentally planning what we will do or say next while we are talking to someone. Stay focused and you are more likely to stay effective.
  8. Take Advantage of Your Procrastination – Historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson, author of Parkinson’s Law said, “If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do.” Not that this should be a general practice, but it suggests we cloak our tasks in more time than they need. Give yourself shorter, clearer, deadlines and you’ll find yourself getting more done.
  9. Relieve Stress – Stress impacts work performance. You’ve heard this before and likely know the techniques that work for you. Get up and move for a while. Take a break in another part of the building. Look out the window or find a way to sit in the dark for fifteen minutes. Lowering stress increases effectiveness.
  10. Do More of the Work You Enjoy – You have many roles, but you like some better than others. Put your emphasis on those. It will give you the positive attitude you need to do the other ones. It’s also a good reminder when it seems like most of what’s on your to-do list are the tasks you like less. Use the things you love to jump start your day or as a reward for getting other things done.

Chances are you already do some of these to make your days go smoothly. If you’re looking for ways to be more effective, choose some of the ideas on this list and put them into practice. Hopefully, you’ll see an increase in your own effectiveness.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Be a Flexible Leader

In these continually uncertain times, I’ve decided we need a new word: Pro-reacting. What does it mean? It’s when you can be proactive and further your library’s mission even when you have to be reactive to the changes coming at you from teachers, administrators and situations you can’t control. It’s important to be responsive, but it’s equally important to be a leader. Pro-reacting is a way to do both.

When you are asked to change directions, take time to think about how you will carry them out. You may discover that what you need to do fits with your goals, even if it’s not the way you originally planned. When you are given non-library tasks and responsibilities, consider how to tie them to the library. How can you demonstrate the connection in what you are now doing?   Be flexible – pro-reactive – and use lateral thinking.

Lateral thinking is defined as taking a creative approach to solving a problem or facing a challenge. It requires not only thinking out of the box, but a growth mindset to discover alternative paths to a goal. You can find techniques (and a very fun video) for breaking out of the box with Success as School’s post Examples of Lateral Thinking Skills. Lateral thinking is a mental version of a physical exercise. You stretch.  You bend sideways. Stretch some more and now you’re able to reach further. Lead the same way and you become more flexible.

Jon Lokhorst suggests another way of being flexible in Take Your Leadership to the Next level: Lead Well in All Directions. Like a compass, he gives four directions where you should lead:

  1. Lead Yourself – You are the first person you lead, but first you must know who you are.  What are your core values? What is your Vision? Your Mission? What are your passions? Your strengths?  What do you see as your weaknesses?  Know what motivates you – and what stops you.

How do you deal with success? How do you deal with failure? When and how do you get sidetracked, and what do you to get back on track? How do other people see you? Is it a fair judgement? If not, what about you is giving them this perception?

  • Lead Up – Stretch your leadership arms straight up. Continue your flexible leadership by leading with your principal.  Successful library leaders have strong relationships with their principals and other administrators. In too many schools, principal began with little or no idea of the benefits a school librarian could bring to them and the school community. You have to lead them to this knowledge.

First, find ways to make the principal look good.  They make reports to the Superintendent. By knowing what is being looked for on the district level, you can supply your principal with information showing her/him to the best advantage. Then move on to the Superintendent who reports to the Board.  Be sure your principal knows what you are doing when sending things further up with leadership.

  • Lead Across – Collaboration is vital to the library program.  How can you lead already stressed teachers to work with you? The answer is by first building a relationship with them.  Make it as personal as possible to develop trust which is the foundation of relationship. We all generally extend ourselves for those we care about.

The second step is to ensure the teachers you have targeted recognize you will do the heavy lifting.  It won’t involve extra work for them. Finally, promote them in the collaborative project when you communicate with your principal.  This combines leading across with leading up.

  • Lead Down – How do you lead those for whom you are responsible?  The most common situation is with your students. Having them become engaged, critical thinkers requires you to lead in a way that guides but does not direct them. 

Making those you lead feel valued, worthy, and successful is the best way to lead. Make them feel welcome, heard, and understood. You become a role model to them for leadership. If you understand how you do it with students, you will be more able to do the same when you are leading across and up.

In addition, think about how you lead parents. This group is either across or up, depending on the situation. With the pandemic, you are likely to have more opportunities to reach out to them.  Lead them in discovering how they can help their children, and they will become advocates for the library.

To stay in shape as a leader, flexibility is a requirement.  Start stretching. We need the library in all parts of our lives.   Find the opportunity when you’re asked to make a change, be pro-reactive, and you can advance the library program no matter what situations you face.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBARIES: When Under Attack – R.E.A.C.T

Managing our lives during a pandemic is not unlike living during a war.  We are under attack and have been for months.  The ongoing issues around the Covid-19 virus has brought on a form of shell shock and there are some who show signs of PTSD.  We bounce from bad news to good news and back again.  From hope to despair to cautious optimism.  We make plans, and they are uprooted.  We plan again only to be forced to change again.  This is a war zone and we must, as they say, soldier on.

But how?

In this case, the best resource may be a retired Navy SEAL officer.  Brent Gleeson reports on the advice he got from one in A Navy SEAL’s Guide For Reacting And Thriving Under Pressure.  Jason Redman, the Navy SEAL, refers to our current situation as a “life ambush! An unexpected catastrophic event that leaves a permanent impact on your life or career.”  Certainly, the pandemic has done just that.   What soldiers know is that when you are in this situation, you need to get out as fast as possible.   The way to do it is to R.E.A.C.T.

Recognize your reality – If you haven’t done so already, confront and accept the truth of the situation.  While it is in flux with almost daily changes and challenges, COVID-19 is here to stay.   There will be a vaccine, but it won’t disappear.   All aspects of our society have been altered by its presence, and they will never revert to what they were before.   By accepting this truth, you can start seeing the situation from a larger perspective, make better decisions, and implement the most beneficial actions.

Evaluate your Assets and Position –What do you have that is working for you? What isn’t?  How valuable do teachers, students, administrators, and parents think you are?  Who are your strongest supporters?  Who are the weakest – or non-existent?  This requires honesty.   Some of you only see what isn’t working.   Others put a positive cast on everything.   Neither is entirely helpful, Take a good hard look at the situation.  Have your role and responsibilities been dramatically changed? If so, what are your new assets in this position.  If you can, take time to do this for your personal life as well – what’s working, what’s not, where can you get help.

Assess your Options and Outcomes – What steps can you take so that the library is seen favorably? What part of your Mission can you put into action? Can you turn your new situation into a plus?  Perhaps you have a new way to collaborate with teachers.  Maybe there’s a way to create online bulletin boards with contributions from students.  Check with your Professional Learning Network for suggestions.  Look at the decisions being made by your Board of Education.  Are you in danger of being eliminated, be made part-time or some other serious change? If so, can you find a new and better position somewhere else? Will additional certification help? For the moment, consider even unrealistic options and their potential outcomes as you decide upon some next steps.

Choose a Direction and Communicate it – Once you have decided as to the best way to proceed, make sure those who need to know and can help you are made aware of it. This is particularly true if you have choose to start job hunting. Think strategically so you don’t put your current job in jeopardy. In getting to your objective, what steps must you take – in what order?  Who do you need to work with and/or contact to complete this step?

Take Action.  GET off the X and Move! – The first step is the hardest. It is easy to procrastinate when something important is at stake. Trust the process you went through and the decision(s) you made. Nothing will change unless you do. Break big steps into smaller ones to help you gain and keep momentum and be ready to adjust as most plans require tweaks as you implement them, but don’t lose track of your goal.

The pandemic has attacked the life we’ve known and left us all changed, but even when changes happen, you can take steps to move yourself forward, professionally and personally. This is your life and your life’s work.  It’s time for you to R.E.A.C.T.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES – Are You a People-Pleaser?

From https://livelearnwrite.com/2016/10/13/how-being-a-people-pleaser-can-effect-your-future/

Or do you please people?  There is a big difference between the two, and it’s not just semantics. The second is a successful leader. By contrast, it’s impossible to be a leader and a people-pleaser.  It may seem as though it’s the safest approach to ensure your position won’t be eliminated, but the opposite is more probable.

There are numerous websites on the characteristics, qualities, and results of people-pleasing. Most of us don’t fall into the full spectrum of people-pleasing as described by psychologists, but too many incorporate aspects of it into work behavior.  Reviewing what is discussed, look to see if you notice patterns that reflect some of your behaviors.

Jay Earley lists the following actions in The People-Pleasing Pattern:

  • I avoid getting angry.
  • I try to be nice rather than expressing how I really feel.
  • I want everyone to get along.

What’s wrong with avoiding being angry or wanting everyone to get along? Doesn’t it make for a better workplace environment? Isn’t that using your Emotional Intelligence? Not exactly.

Emotional Intelligence does require you to manage your emotions, which means getting to the reason for your anger and dealing with it to achieve your goals. Suppressing your feelings means you are making your emotions and yourself less important than those around you.  That is not leadership – or healthy.

The underlying truth to your behavior may be another of Earley’s characteristics—you are afraid to rock the boat, a fear frequently based on the concern that your job and program might be cut. However, you are most in danger of being eliminated if you don’t show your value and being a quiet doormat does not demonstrate value.

Consider what happens if your principal assigns you extra duties or you are told you will be responsible for two schools instead of one. What do you do?  Even though your principal might blame it on the budget situation, should you just accept it as is?

The people-pleasing response is to accept without any comment. This subtly sends the message that it’s no problem for you to take on the extra responsibility.  Which then suggests you have plenty of room in your schedule.  Taking that to the next stop, if you have plenty of room in your schedule, doesn’t that mean that your program doesn’t keep you busy?

If you responded this way, you are not alone.  Many librarians have done the same.  The simmering resentment can then affect how they do their job and their willingness/ability to build a relationship with their administration.  You don’t get to be a leader if that’s how you react.

I am not suggesting you get angry with your principal.  Obviously, you can’t ignore what you are being told to do.  But you can react in a way that will please people – including yourself.

Start by making a list of all your responsibilities.  Take some time to ensure you have identified almost all of them.  As much as possible, do a fair estimation of how much time you spend on each on a daily or weekly basis.   Star anything you definitely don’t want eliminated because it is at the core of your program. In addition, try to determine a fair estimate of the amount of time your additional assignment will take.

Next, set up a meeting with your principal seeking his/her advice and guidance. Explain you want to be sure the students and teachers will be getting the necessary literacy and 21st-century skills after the change in your schedule goes into effect.  Review your list of responsibilities, current and combined. Be clear that some things will have to be eliminated, and you want to have the principal’s agreement as to how to proceed. Also, realize you will have to go along with whatever the principal says you can stop doing.

Yes, you still have the change in your responsibilities, but recognize the difference in how they came about.  You didn’t quietly accept it.  You expressed your concerns, current program needs, and possible sacrifices to the person most able to support you (complaining to coworkers and spouses changes nothing). Your principal had to face the cost of your new assignment.  In the process, he/she was reminded of your value and contribution to the school program.  Managing the request this way will likely leave you with a much greater sense of satisfaction since you have not acted in a people-pleasing manner.

In your dealings with teachers and administrators, you don’t and shouldn’t quietly accept negation of your role while seething inside.  Leaders stand up for their worth.  They don’t do it aggressively.  That loses supporters.  They do it with calm confidence, offering alternatives. We teach people how to treat us.  If you say nothing in response to being minimized, you give that person the right to repeat that behavior.

One of my students in a summer course told me the principal had contacted her to say he was cutting her budget in half, and she needed to eliminate some purchase orders. He added, “I have always been good to you in the past.”  I told her, she could have said, “I saw it as being good for our students and our program, and then laughingly continued if you were being good to me, you would have given me a BMW.”

How have you handled being given additional long or short-term assignments or other changes which were given to you? Were you a people-pleaser or did you figure out a way to please people and show your leadership?