Saturday, March 30, 2013

Give Workers the Power to Choose: Cave or Commons; Harvard Business Review, 3/27/13

Leigh Thompson, Harvard Business Review; Give Workers the Power to Choose: Cave or Commons: "Ideally, every organization should allow some flexibility on the where-and-when-to-work question — if not for any other reason than to optimize performance across the diverse set of challenges that teams face. If organizations don't take proactive steps, people manufacture their own caves — whether by working from home, putting on earphones to tune out the drivel, or simply slipping out to the local WiFi cafĂ©. The same is true for commons — there is a human need for people to gather around the water cooler and so, making the workplace inviting in different ways can build community. The challenge for leaders is in achieving the right balance through informal influence and modeling, and formal policy moves."

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Life Lessons in Library Leadership; Library Journal, 3/25/13

Richard M. Dougherty, Library Journal; Life Lessons in Library Leadership: "Library leaders at all levels are, and will be, in great demand in the coming days and years. Our profession is caught in the societal turbulence that grips us all. Budgets are tight, debts are huge, and technology is forcing change in all facets of society. These challenges will demand energetic and wise leadership if our profession is to prosper. What qualities will best enable our leaders to lead successfully for themselves, their libraries, and the profession?"

Monday, March 25, 2013

How To Become a 21st Century Librarian; Library Journal, 3/20/13

Meredith Schwartz, Library Journal; How To Become a 21st Century Librarian: "Before deciding librarianship is right for you, make sure you understand what today’s librarians do all day. If you want quiet and lots of time to read, think again. Today’s libraries are full of collegial, and sometimes even downright noisy, collaboration, creation, and community activities, and are as much about technology as print on paper. Modern librarians need to be comfortable and conversant with technology, be willing and able to speak in public, and possess people skills and a commitment to lifelong learning, as the profession and the expertise necessary for success are constantly changing. (For example, this article, one of LJ’s most perennially popular, has been revised three times and changed significantly in less than a decade.) A good place to start is at the source: talk to working librarians in different types of libraries to find out why they entered the profession, whether their initial perceptions match the reality of library work, and what they do—and enjoy doing—in their jobs. Our impulse to share information extends to sharing information on the profession itself. Another great resource is the book So You Want to Be A Librarian. Recently “unglued” by ebook startup unglue.it which uses crowdfunding to apply Creative Commons licenses to existing works, the ebook is available to download for free."

Sunday, March 3, 2013

How Offices Become Complaint Departments; New York Times, 2/23/13

Phyllis Korkki, New York Times; How Offices Become Complaint Departments: "The work settings with the highest morale and the greatest collegiality are those in which “people can feel free to respectfully complain,” says Robin Kowalski, a psychology professor at Clemson University in South Carolina. When people air their complaints, they can receive validation that a problem is real, and move closer to a solution. Professor Kowalski began studying complaints after searching for a research specialty and bemoaning to an academic colleague that all the best psychology topics were taken. He said jokingly: “You’re so good at complaining — maybe that’s what you should investigate.” She found that surprisingly little research had been done on behavior that is universal. Professor Kowalski defines complaining as “an expression of dissatisfaction, whether you feel dissatisfied or not” — and that is part of what makes the topic so complex. Complaining can help break the ice and strengthen bonds with others. (“Can you believe they expect us to finish that report by tomorrow?”)."

Saturday, March 2, 2013

12 Bloopers to Avoid in Job Interviews; Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/25/13

Robert J. Sternberg, Chronicle of Higher Education; 12 Bloopers to Avoid in Job Interviews: "In the course of my academic career, I've been interviewed for junior and senior faculty positions as well as for administrative posts like the provostship I now hold. I have also been on more search committees than I care to count. Over time, I've observed (at least) a dozen bloopers to avoid at all costs in job interviews. 1. Good question, but now let me answer the question I wish you had asked. When you receive media training, you learn a technique called "bridging." The idea is that, in an interview with a reporter, you briefly (perhaps super-briefly) answer the question that was asked and then bridge to the point you really want to make. In that way, you appear to have heard and paid attention to the journalist's question but get the opportunity to say what you really want to say. However useful that technique is in media interviews, it is a dud in job interviews. Chances are the interviewers are asking the same question of every candidate: If you do not answer it properly, the questioner will assume that you either can't answer it or, just as bad, don't want to. The interviewer no doubt thought the question was a good one, and he or she is unlikely to think more of you for not answering it."