Upheaval at the New York Public Library: The Nation, 11/30/11

Scott Sherman, The Nation; Upheaval at the New York Public Library:

"The man who must contend with the NYPL’s budget difficulties is its new president, a tall, amiable, casually dressed political scientist named Anthony Marx, who started at the library on July 1. Marx had been the president of Amherst College, where during his eight-year tenure he raised great sums of money and did much to diversify the student body. But obtaining the financial resources to sustain the NYPL in these lean and mean times is a task that’s sure to keep Marx tossing in his bed at night. (Personal reasons may also keep Marx from sleeping soundly: on the afternoon of November 6 he was arrested in Upper Manhattan for driving while intoxicated; his blood alcohol level was 0.19. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 9.) He faces an additional challenge with the CLP, devised by his predecessor and scheduled to be completed in 2015.

The centerpiece of the CLP—expected to cost anywhere from $250 million to $350 million—is the construction of a state-of-the-art, computer-oriented library designed by British architect Norman Foster, in the vast interior of the Schwarzman Building."

There's No Such Thing as Constructive Criticism; Harvard Business Review, 11/21/11

Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review; There's No Such Thing as Constructive Criticism:

"Here's a question guaranteed to make your stomach lurch: "Would you mind if I gave you some feedback?"

What that actually means is "Would you mind if I gave you some negative feedback, wrapped in the guise of constructive criticism, whether you want it or not?""

PSU again deficient in leadership; ESPN.com, 11/11/11

Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com; PSU again deficient in leadership:

"Unfortunately, many universities -- if they're being honest -- need to look at themselves and say, "Do we do all we can to ensure that everyone's compass is directed toward doing what's right, even if that might initially cause some bad publicity for the university or mean sparring with a powerful coach? Do we look out for the powerless? Is our moral code as strong as it needs to be? Where are our true priorities? Who are we most concerned about protecting?"

Those can seem like pie-in-the-sky ideals, and maybe they are. Certainly, they're much easier to commit to in theory than in practice. But if there are lessons to be gained from what's occurred at Penn State, the most important need to be learned by those in the most powerful positions at schools and their athletic departments...

But, again, it speaks to the fact that the vigilance to make sure everyone is doing the right thing by young people isn't something a university and athletic department should leave up to an "every once in a while" maintenance check. It needs constant care."

The Interview Question You Should Always Expect; Harvard Business Review, 11/4/11

John Lees, Harvard Business Review; The Interview Question You Should Always Expect:

"New hires have to impress their bosses, peers, and employees in less time than it takes some of us to arrange a meeting. So if you're interviewing for a job, plan to be asked the question: "What do you hope to achieve in your first three months?""

In Egypt, Director Of Famed Library Of Alexandria Under Fire; Intellectual Property Watch, 11/6/11

William New, Intellectual Property Watch; In Egypt, Director Of Famed Library Of Alexandria Under Fire:

"The director of the legendary Library of Alexandria, lauded in Europe in recent weeks, has come under attack from the majority of his library staff and others demanding his departure over questions of unprofessional employee practices, alleged retaliation against workers for speaking freely, and for his affiliation with the outcast Mubarak regime.

According to internet and Facebook reports and videos, peaceful protests and sit-ins demanding that Director Ismail Serageldin leave immediately have been taking place for over a week in Alexandria. So far, demonstrations involving an estimated 1,700 workers (out of a total of some 2,300, according to sources) appear to be relatively peaceful, attended by workers in business suits, among others."

Employers on uncertain ground over workers' 'protected' use of social media; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/8/11

Len Boselovic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Employers on uncertain ground over workers' 'protected' use of social media:

"The recent suspension of three U.S. Steel employees for posting pictures from the company's Clairton coke plant on Facebook highlights a growing issue for employers: regulating the online conduct of their workers.

Employers are grappling with how to preserve their reputations and proprietary information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites without violating the rights of their employees. Drawing that line can be difficult."

[Podcast] CEO Sisters; NPR's On Point, 10/7/11

[Podcast] NPR's On Point; CEO Sisters:

"Three women take the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Fifty-seven percent of all college students are female. In medicine and law, they’re crowding through the doors. But at the tip top of American business, women are still just a sliver of the power pie.

In the Fortune 500 biggest American corporations there are just 14 female CEOs. Today we talk with two top female CEOs. Big power. Big money. They happen to be sisters. We’ll ask them about life as a woman at the top – and about the Occupy Wall Street litany of grievance with corporate America."

Conquering My Fear of Speaking in Public; New York Times, 10/1/11

Dominique Molina, New York Times; Conquering My Fear of Speaking in Public:

"I talked to my father about how the magic trick had bombed, and he suggested that I have him critique me. I gave the same speech to him, without the magic trick. He said that I seemed more nervous when I relied on my notes and that I should speak more from my heart. I’ve done that ever since, and it has helped.

To gain more experience, I still look for speaking opportunities. I speak before various associations, and I started appearing on television news and talk shows a little more than a year ago."

Interview with Pamela Fields, chief executive of Stetson; New York Times, 10/1/11

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Valuing Those Who Tell You the Bitter Truth: Interview with Pamela Fields, chief executive of Stetson, the hat and apparel company:

"Q. So let’s talk about hiring. What are you looking for?

A. I look for innate intelligence. You hear that by the way people talk, by the way they express themselves, by the level of sophistication of their answers. I ask them to send me a letter after the interview about what they thought about our conversation and what they thought was good, what left them uncomfortable, were there any areas that we didn’t discuss, is there something that they forgot to brag about? A lot of people can’t write anymore. I mean, they would be thrown out of eighth-grade class. In my house, my father learned English as a second language, and if I got an A on a paper and I spelled a word wrong, that’s what I heard about.

I ask them where they think they’ve displayed courage in a job. Where have they stood up and said, “I don’t agree with you”? Sometimes the courage is to recommend pursuing a business, or, “I’d like to go out on my own as a separate division.”

I ask them about momentum killers in their business and what they’ve done to try and fix them.

And some people you just connect with on a chemistry level. It’s an intangible. You have to judge that chemistry with the other chemistry in the group. And a lot of that is a feeling. Does the conversation flow? Is it easy? Do people think before they speak or do they blurt? Do they talk over you or do they listen to you finish?"

LLAMA Human Resources Section Presents a Free Webinar on How to Find a Job; Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), 9/15/11

Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA); LLAMA Human Resources Section Presents a Free Webinar on How to Find a Job:

"You have your MLS degree—but what’s next? Applying for and interviewing for a job can be fraught with anxiety and frustrations. But you can put yourself ahead of the herd with the right information. The Library Leadership and Management Association’s Human Resources Section (LLAMA-HRS) will present “Job Hunting for Today’s Libraries in Today’s Job Market,” Wednesday, October 19, 1:30 pm -3:00 pm CST. This free webinar is intended for library students or recent MLS graduates about to enter the workforce or start a job search.

Participants will: increase their confidence and raise their success rate; gain a comprehensive understanding of how libraries conduct searches and make hiring decisions; and learn what libraries are looking for through practical tips and insight from a seasoned recruiter.

Speaker: Brian Keith is Assistant Dean for Human and Financial Resources at the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. He will share his insight and advice from years of experience recruiting librarians.

Register online at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/404003538

Space is limited."

Why You Still Haven't Gotten a Job; Harvard Business Review, 9/28/11

Priscilla Claman, Harvard Business Review; Why You Still Haven't Gotten a Job:

"Last year, I was visited by one of these chronic resume-senders. Sheryl had sent out 1,000 resumes in ten months and didn't have one interview to show for it. She brought a copy of her resume with her, and we examined it. There, in the middle of the page, in bold, 14-point type, we read:


PROFFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE"

The Myth of Performance Metrics; Harvard Business Review, 12/12/11

Dick Grote, Harvard Business Review; The Myth of Performance Metrics:

"Don't get hung up trying to find quantitative metrics to support every judgment in a performance appraisal. Remember what Albert Einstein said: "Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted counts.""

Carol Bartz Rips Yahoo Board: 'These People F----d Me Over' ; HuffingtonPost.com, 9/8/11

Catharine Smith, HuffingtonPost.com; Carol Bartz Rips Yahoo Board: 'These People F----d Me Over' :

"Ousted Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz has some choice words to share about the people who fired her.

In her first interview since her dismissal on Tuesday evening, Bartz told Fortune her thoughts about Yahoo’s board of directors.

"These people f----d me over," Bartz said, according to Fortune’s Patricia Sellers."

Corner Office, Interview with Enrique Salem, president and C.E.O. of Symantec; Want to Lead? Ask Tennyson and Shakespeare; New York Times, 9/3/11

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Enrique Salem, president and C.E.O. of Symantec, the computer security company; Want to Lead? Ask Tennyson and Shakespeare:

"Q. And does that include difficult conversations with people about their performance?

A. Absolutely. It was harder for me to talk to somebody about, “Here’s where I need you to improve.” It didn’t make it easier to be worried about their reaction. Now I feel more comfortable with that, and I think it’s just a matter of experience.

If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to be able to deliver the tough message. And I find that a lot of managers will not deliver those messages and then people are surprised. If you get asked to be a manager, you have to manage. And managing means sometimes you’ve got to deliver a tough message. But you’ve got to give the feedback in a way that has a constructive tone."

Interview with Terri Ludwig, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Partners; Corner Office, New York Times, 8/20/11

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Terri Ludwig, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit housing finance organization:

"Q. Let’s shift to hiring. How would you interview me?

A. First of all, I would have expected you to be pretty well screened by the time you get to me. So I probably wouldn’t spend much time on the technical aspects. I would spend some time talking first about our mission. Why Enterprise? What’s compelling to you about housing and community development? I’d be looking for really a true commitment to that — something that really resonates and makes sense. And what have you done in your past? What do you do in your free time? I’d definitely want to know about who you are as a person. How do you live your life?

Q. And what other questions do you ask?

A. How do you like to work on a team? I would probably ask some specifics about how you would work toward getting a project done, and how you would engage teams. Give me some examples of how you’ve done that."

Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom; Harvard Business Review, 8/26/11

Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen, Harvard Business Review; Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom:

"On June 12, 2005, in his commencement address to Stanford's graduating class, Steve Jobs revealed:

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.""

Stop Ignoring the Stalwart Worker; Harvard Business Review, 8/26/11

Thomas J. DeLong, Harvard Business Review; Stop Ignoring the Stalwart Worker:

"So what exactly is the Stalwart temperament? Perhaps the defining characteristic of Stalwarts is their aversion to calling attention to themselves — even when they need to. They are like the proverbial wheel that never squeaks — and, consequently, gets no grease. The quickest way to identify Stalwarts is to list the people who make the fewest demands on the CEO's time. Such reserve is utterly alien to most Stars, who make sure that they squeak loudly enough to get the attention they want."

[Opinion] Addictive Personality? You Might be a Leader; New York Times, 7/23/11

[Opinion] David J. Linden, New York Times; Addictive Personality? You Might be a Leader:

"WHEN we think of the qualities we seek in visionary leaders, we think of intelligence, creativity, wisdom and charisma, but also the drive to succeed, a hunger for innovation, a willingness to challenge established ideas and practices.

But in fact, the psychological profile of a compelling leader — think of tech pioneers like Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Steven P. Jobs — is also that of the compulsive risk-taker, someone with a high degree of novelty-seeking behavior. In short, what we seek in leaders is often the same kind of personality type that is found in addicts, whether they are dependent on gambling, alcohol, sex or drugs."

Cuomo’s Presidential Moment Forms Contrast With Obama; New York Times, 6/25/11

Nate Silver, New York Times; Cuomo’s Presidential Moment Forms Contrast With Obama:

"I’m generally of the view that individual politicians receive both more credit and more blame than they deserve, with legislative and electoral outcomes usually determined by broad cultural, economic and political undercurrents. But the type of leadership that Mr. Cuomo exercised — setting a lofty goal, refusing to take no for an answer and using every tool at his disposal to achieve it — is reminiscent of the stories sometimes told about with President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had perhaps the most impressive record of legislative accomplishment of any recent president."

Social Media History Becomes a New Job Hurdle; New York Times, 7/20/11

Jennifer Preston, New York Times; Social Media History Becomes a New Job Hurdle:

"A year-old start-up, Social Intelligence, scrapes the Internet for everything prospective employees may have said or done online in the past seven years.

Then it assembles a dossier with examples of professional honors and charitable work, along with negative information that meets specific criteria: online evidence of racist remarks; references to drugs; sexually explicit photos, text messages or videos; flagrant displays of weapons or bombs and clearly identifiable violent activity."

Corner Office: Interview with Kathy Button Bell, vice president and chief marketing officer of Emerson; New York Times, 7/2/11

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Kathy Button Bell, vice president and chief marketing officer of Emerson: Endurance on the Field, and at Work:

"Q. How do you find [people who have empathy] in an interview?

A. I think you can feel empathy pretty fast from people. I think you can also tell by what kind of jobs they’ve had, and what they liked. You get at someone’s personal values a little bit.

I would actually say that most of the time when you have a failed employee, it’s a person who lacks empathy, and they didn’t hear what the organization was telling them. They don’t hear the cues. Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They’re able to test their way through life and get A’s. No one tests you on empathy. You can also learn a lot about somebody from the questions they ask you."

Harvard Business Review; Barnes & Noble's Smart Strategy, 6/29/11

Stephen Wunker, Harvard Business Review; Barnes & Noble's Smart Strategy:

"Faced with an eroding core business, most companies seem to do...nothing...

Barnes & Noble (B&N), America's largest bookseller, is bucking these trends."

Note to Staff: We’re a Team, Not a Family; Corner Office, New York Times, 5/15/11

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Note to Staff: We’re a Team, Not a Family: Interview with Linda Lausell Bryant, executive director of Inwood House in New York:

"Q. How has your leadership style evolved?

A. Recently, I’ve really shifted my thinking. Our culture reflected our work, which is to create a sense of family for our teens. So our staff would say: “We’re a family. We’re a family.” And I’ve actually said directly to everyone in all-staff meetings: “We’re not a family, because in a family you never can fire somebody like your Uncle Joe. You just can’t. You have to put up with him because he’s family. In an organization, if someone is taking the organization down, we can’t accept that because the organization is bigger than any one of us.”

So I’ve said to them that the analogy that best suits us is, “We’re a team,” and in a team, everybody’s got a role to play. And the team wins when everybody plays their roles to their best ability."

Stopping Theft at Work; Harvard Business Review, 5/11/11

Nilofer Merchant, Harvard Business Review; Stopping Theft at Work:

"Being good is not enough. You gotta tell others. If this is hard for you to accept, remember what Muhammad Ali said: "It's not bragging if you can back it up." When someone else takes credit for our work, the reason it stings is because they've stolen a bit of our power. And we let them."

The No-Drama Rule of Management; Harvard Business Review, 6/10/10

Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review; The No-Drama Rule of Management:

"Avi demonstrated the new rules of professionalism in an open work place. Be calm. Be supportive of others. Show leadership by avoiding — and, when necessary, actively managing — drama that could distract, embarrass, or unsettle others. And never, ever be the cause of that drama yourself."