I spent last weekend at the ALA Conference in Chicago. While the weather made the trip home interminable, the conference was well worth it. Spending days learning and being in the presence of leaders is always rejuvenating and inspiring, and it reminded me that opportunities to learn are everywhere.

When it comes to professional development, much is discussed about the benefits of mentors, but don’t estimate the power of role models. At a conference you can hear leaders you admire speak at various presentations. What may be surprising to many conference newbies is that you can approach and talk to them, and, if they have time, they will take the time to respond to questions. And as you watch them, you can take note of how they present themselves. Their body language and how they speak gives you a window into how leaders are. Remember, they weren’t always leaders. They followed a path, and if you are willing to leave your comfort zone, you can do so as well.

You may not be able to attend a national conference (and for my foreign readers these may not even be available for librarians), but you can seek out your local or state/territory leaders as role models – and perhaps have them become mentors. What is important is that you start thinking about what you want the course of your career to be, find the people who are already there, then look for ways to learn from them.

And it doesn’t only have to be library leaders – you can learn from anyone who is in a leadership role, regardless of the field and whether or not you believe they are a good leader.  CEO Nadine Young offers these lessons for future leaders:

1. Leadership has nothing to do with your job title – Leadership is about behaviors not about titles. We have all had administrators who weren’t leaders. Sometimes it was their secretary who was the true leader – and they obviously didn’t have a title. When you propose a new program or seek to make changes in how the school library looks or functions, you are being a leader. When you pitch in to help with an administration initiative or a teacher project, you are being a leader. Leaders are visible.

• Harness Your Inner Teen – This is very original and worth considering. It doesn’t mean the rebellious teen who argues with everything, but rather the passionate adolescent. Like Young, I can remember saying, “when I am older, I will ….” Mostly, it was never to forget what it was like being a teen. It was also about keeping my word, as some adults didn’t – especially something they promised to a teen. As Young suggests, recall what behaviors of others crushed you. What and who inspired you? What was it that had you say, “I can’t wait until I am old enough to …?”

• To Lead, You Need to Follow – Leaders who think they can do it all themselves are destined to fail. Listen to your colleagues. Listen to what students are saying and be conscious of their feelings. I am a strong believer of the adage, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”  You also are following by leading from the middle. When you are doing that, you should be observing the formal leader as a role model. Even one who does not lead well can be a role model for what you never want to do.

Make the most of however much downtime you get over the summer. Use these days and weeks to be with family and friends. Be kind to yourself – and the family who supported you through it. And as you look to the future, look for the current leaders who will guide you. If you are fortunate, one whom you admire might be willing to be more than a role model and become a mentor.