Books in Dumpsters Spark Debate on Future of Fairfax County, VA Libraries; Library Journal, 9/25/13

Ian Chant, Library Journal; Books in Dumpsters Spark Debate on Future of Fairfax County, VA Libraries: "Community outrage over having weeded a quarter of a million books into dumpsters isn’t the kind of public relations brouhaha that any library relishes dealing with. That scandal, though, may be the least of the problems for the Fairfax County Public Library, VA, (FCPL) where the library’s Board of Trustees has pressed pause on implementing a strategic plan that was supposed to help guide the library forward... The controversy has served to kick-start a wider-ranging conversation in Fairfax County about the future of its libraries. That conversation centers on what’s known as the Beta Project, a slate of changes to library staffing and operation that was scheduled to begin a test run in two FCPL libraries—busy Reston Regional and smaller, newly built Burke Center—this September. The most controversial item in the Beta Project would see librarian and library assistant positions scrapped in favor of a customer-service specialist position, which would not require applicants to have an MLS, MLIS, or even a bachelor’s degree. The minimum requirement for a job as a customer service specialist is an associate’s degree and at least two years of experience in retail customer service, relaxed educational requirements that have some worried. Speaking before the library Board of Trustees in June, Great Falls Library branch manager Daniela Dixon expressed some of those concerns. “The argument is made that, not to worry, the library will hire people who love books, who love providing “good customer service,” said Dixon, according to minutes from the meeting. “I am skeptical that this will be sufficient to maintain the high level of professional knowledge that librarians provide today.”"

Employers and Public Favor Graduates Who Can Communicate, Survey Finds; Chronicle of Higher Education, 9/18/13

Dan Berrett, Chronicle of Higher Education; Employers and Public Favor Graduates Who Can Communicate, Survey Finds: "Americans adults and employers want colleges to produce graduates who can think critically and creatively, and can communicate orally and in writing, according to the results of a public-opinion survey released by Northeastern University here on Tuesday. Respondents were far less interested in having students receive narrow training and industry-specific skills."

Nice or Tough: Which Approach Engages Employees Most?; Harvard Business Review, 9/11/13

Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, Harvard Business Review; Nice or Tough: Which Approach Engages Employees Most? : "Clearly, we were asking the wrong question, when we set out to determine which approach was best. Leaders need to think in terms of “and” not “or.” Leaders with highly engaged employees know how to demand a great deal from employees, but are also seen as considerate, trusting, collaborative, and great developers of people. In our view, the lesson then is that those of you who consider yourself to be drivers should not be afraid to be the “nice guy.” And all of you aspiring nice guys should not view that as incompatable with setting demanding goals. The two approaches are like the oars of a boat. Both need to be used with equal force to maximize the engagement of direct reports."

Bob Moritz, on How to Learn About Diversity; New York Times, 9/14/13

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Bob Moritz, chairman and senior partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers: Bob Moritz, on How to Learn About Diversity: "In my sixth year, I went off to Japan for a couple of years. It was amazingly difficult, and it taught me big lessons that I actually have developed into a leadership style. Q. Please walk me through them. A. First, it taught me about diversity. Over there, I was the minority. I was the guy outside of the circle. I couldn’t speak the language. I was the guy who was discriminated against. So it gave me a different perspective of diversity, and it influenced the diversity agenda we have now. The second thing it taught me was about diversity of thought and cultural diversity. In Japan, you respect titles. You respect age. And you don’t challenge authority. If you’re going to do your job in Japan, how can you ask challenging questions to get the right answers without making people feel threatened? In the role I’ve got today, diversity of thought is hugely important. How do you get people to understand global business practices and do it in a way so that people feel good and not threatened? How do you set that tone and that environment?"

Maggie Forbes returns to familiar Carnegie library post; Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 8/7/13

Megan Guza, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; Maggie Forbes returns to familiar Carnegie library post: "Sargent said the position of executive director will take on a different focus this time. “The way we're envisioning the executive director position going forward is that that person is charged with more of the development side of the library,” she said, referring to raising funds, “rather than day-to-day library operations."

New York Public Library Rethinks Design; New York Times, 8/27/13

Jennifer Maloney, New York Times; New York Public Library Rethinks Design: "The New York Public Library, responding to outcry over its plans to demolish century-old book stacks, will this fall unveil a new design that preserves a significant portion of them, its president, Anthony Marx, said Tuesday. The library disclosed its plans in response to questions from The Wall Street Journal about alternatives it had considered to the $300 million renovation, which has sparked two lawsuits brought by scholars and preservationists, including a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, aiming to block the stacks' destruction."

Four Steps To Becoming a More Decisive Leader | Leading From the Library; Library Journal, 8/21/13

Steven Bell, Library Journal; Four Steps To Becoming a More Decisive Leader | Leading From the Library: "Decisive is full of good stories and simple but effective strategies for learning how to be a better decision maker. The big takeaway from Decisive for those who want to learn to be better leaders is that leadership requires deep thinking about developing actions that seek to achieve the optimal outcome in a decision situation by doing some of option A and some of option B to come up with an even better option C. Or, perhaps, neither A or B, but some completely new C. For all the reasons that both limit and warp our ability to see all our options clearly, as leaders we need to have multiple strategies to aid our decision-making methods. Whether in higher education or other industries, or even in our own and other libraries, we are exposed to an endless stream of stories about bad decisions that lead to troubling and sometimes disastrous results."

What It Takes to Make New College Graduates Employable; New York Times, 6/28/13

Alina Tugend, New York Times; What It Takes to Make New College Graduates Employable: "“There’s always been a gap between what colleges produce and what employers want,” she said. “But now it’s widening.” That’s because workplaces are more complex and globalized, profit margins are slimmer, companies are leaner and managers expect their workers to get up to speed much faster than in the past... “When it comes to the skills most needed by employers, job candidates are lacking most in written and oral communication skills, adaptability and managing multiple priorities, and making decisions and problem solving,” the report said... “Universities are not in the job of vocational training but they are in the job of evolving,” Ms. LaVelle said. “The magic lies in finding a model that’s appropriate for students to build skills, but palatable and effective for employers as well.”... A global study conducted last year of interviews with 25,000 employers found that nine out of 10 employees believed that colleges were not fully preparing students for the workplace. “There were the same problems,” she said. “Problems with collaboration, interpersonal skills, the ability to deal with ambiguity, flexibility and professionalism.”"

Colleges should teach work skills; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/16/13

Mark Bauerlein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Colleges should teach work skills: "Yet, it turns out, professors don't coddle students and overlook youthful flaws. Another survey by York College finds that professors think the same thing as employers do. It's the 2012 "Professionalism on Campus" survey, a questionnaire about juniors and seniors answered by 415 college and university faculty members. Professors generally agree that professionalism includes attentiveness, punctuality and a work ethic, and 37 percent think it has declined over the past five years, while only 12 percent see an improvement. Even more than employers, fully 64 percent of professors observe an increase in a sense of entitlement in recent years, while only 5 percent say it has decreased. The students text-message during class, send emails to teachers with grammar and spelling errors, and act "unfocused." Faculty members identify parents as the main cause, though American culture in general and grade inflation in high school also receive blame."

Netflix Looks Back on Its Near-Death Spiral; New York Times, 4/26/13

James B. Stewart, New York Times; Netflix Looks Back on Its Near-Death Spiral: "In the annals of corporate missteps, there are few parallels to such a rebound from what once looked like a death spiral, especially in the momentum-driven world of technology. Zynga, the online game maker, and Groupon, the Internet coupon company, are struggling with brutal competition. In an old-economy industry like retail, J. C. Penney was in the midst of a similarly bold attempt to reposition the company when it fired its chief executive, and is now fighting to survive. How did Netflix simultaneously manage both a fundamental transformation of the company and a public relations disaster?"

Conduct at Issue as Military Officers Face a New Review; New York Times, 4/13/13

Tom Shanker, New York Times; Conduct at Issue as Military Officers Face a New Review: "After a series of scandals involving high-ranking officers, the American military for the first time will require generals and admirals to be evaluated by their peers and the people they command on qualities including personal character...General Dempsey said that regularly scheduled professional reviews would be transformed from top-down assessments to the kind of “360-degree performance evaluation” often seen in corporate settings. He acknowledged that the change had already drawn concern from some in the military’s senior ranks, who warned that it risked damaging a hierarchical command system based on discipline and adherence to orders from above."

Exercise Your Leadership Skills | Lead the Change; Library Journal, 4/10/13

Eva Calcagno, Library Journal; Exercise Your Leadership Skills | Lead the Change: "If you are like me, your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator starts with a capital I, not an E, so networking with others does not come naturally. We have to work at it. But building connections with decision-makers, colleagues, and staff are essential to leading, supporting and defending our organizations, and to cementing libraries as vital to community livability. Before a crisis hits, we need to build relationships, establish connections and credibility, and provide library supporters with the tools they need to be library leaders. You don’t want to meet your county commissioners or city councilors for the first time at a public hearing to fend off budget cuts!"

Chief’s Silicon Valley Stardom Quickly Clashed at J.C. Penney; New York Times, 4/9/13

Stephanie Clifford, New York Times; Chief’s Silicon Valley Stardom Quickly Clashed at J.C. Penney: "From the moment Ronald B. Johnson arrived at the Plano, Tex., headquarters of J. C. Penney, some there believed he would not last long. On Monday, the doubters were proved right. After a tumultuous 17 months as chief executive of Penney, Mr. Johnson was pushed out. He blew into Plano a star, a man who helped build the juggernaut Apple Stores. But his Silicon Valley ways — evident from a showy party in early 2012 that he threw to celebrate himself and his plans, replete with a light show, fake snow and flowing liquor — jangled from the start... Mr. Johnson wanted to transform Penney into shopping wonderland with designer boutiques and stable prices instead of coupons. But many of his ideas were not tested and soon backfired, and in recent months the board, including William A. Ackman, the activist hedge fund titan who had recruited him, grew impatient."

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 café. 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."

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?"

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."

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?”)."

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."

Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2013; Glassdoor via IT Business Edge

Glassdoor via IT Business Edge; Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2013: "Not sure what to expect in an interview? Be prepared - for anything. Glassdoor has combed tens of thousands of interview questions shared by job candidates over the past year to compile its list of the Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2013."

How Will 2 Magazine Titans Merge? Carefully; New York Times, 2/25/13

Christine Haughney, New York Times; How Will 2 Magazine Titans Merge? Carefully: "When Jack Griffin, the former president of the magazine company Meredith, took the reins at Time Inc., he threw a holiday party for his staff on the 34th floor of the Time & Life Building. For many employees at the famously hierarchal company, their first visit to the rambling executive suites that inspired the sets of “Mad Men” became known as “The Miracle on 34th.” Mr. Griffin lasted just six months at Time before he was asked to leave by Jeffrey L. Bewkes, the chief executive of its parent company, Time Warner, who publicly rebuked Mr. Griffin, saying that his “leadership style and approach did not mesh with Time Inc. and Time Warner.” As bankers and media executives hammer out the details of creating a new publicly traded company to house the magazine titles of the Meredith Corporation and the lifestyle titles of Time Inc., employees at both companies have been wondering how executives will take on the harder task of merging two very different corporate cultures."

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Demands Telecommuters Report To The Office; HuffingtonPost.com, 2/23/13

HuffingtonPost.com; Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Demands Telecommuters Report To The Office: "Marissa Mayer, the relatively new CEO of Yahoo, has decided she wants her employees showing up to the offices beginning in June, not just telecommuting from home all the time, according to All Things D’s Kara Swisher.... Swisher also reports, perhaps unsurprisingly, “strong” anger among those affected by the policy, many of whom joined the company in part because of the flexibility that Yahoo previously provided. But don’t just assume that telecommuting, or working remotely, or whatever you want to call it, comes from a place of laziness. A number of studies have proven quite the opposite..."

Feuds and betrayals underscore need for a manager pope to reform ‘ungovernable’ Vatican; Associated Press via Star, 2/21/13

Nicole Winfield, Associated Press via Star; Feuds and betrayals underscore need for a manager pope to reform ‘ungovernable’ Vatican: "Ordinary Catholics might not think that dysfunction in the Apostolic Palace has any effect on their lives, but it does: The Curia makes decisions on everything from church closings to marriage annulments to the disciplining of pedophile priests. Papal politics play into the prayers the faithful say at Mass since missal translations are decided by committee in Rome. Donations the faithful make each year for the pope are held by a Vatican bank whose lack of financial transparency fueled bitter internal debate. And so after 35 years under two “scholar” popes who paid scant attention to the internal governance of the Catholic Church, a chorus is growing that the next pontiff must have a solid track record managing a complicated bureaucracy. Cardinals who will vote in next month’s conclave are openly talking about the need for reform, particularly given the dysfunction exposed by the scandal. “It has to be attended to,” said Chicago Cardinal Francis George. With typical understatement, he called the leaks scandal “a novel event for us.” Cardinal Walter Kasper, a German who retired in 2010 as the head of the Vatican’s ecumenical office, said the Curia must adapt itself to the 21st century. “There needs to be more co-ordination between the offices, more collegiality and communication,” he told Corriere della Sera. “Often the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.”"

How to Give a Meaningful "Thank You"; Harvard Business Review, 2/20/13

Mark Goulston, Harvard Business Review; How to Give a Meaningful "Thank You" : "Whether it's your executive assistant, the workhorse on your team, or — they exist! — a boss who always goes the extra mile for you, the hardest working people in your life almost certainly don't hear "thank you" enough. Or when they do, it's a too-brief "Tks!" via email. So take action now. Give that person what I call a Power Thank You. This has three parts... If the person you're thanking looks shocked or even a little misty-eyed, don't be surprised. It just means that your gratitude has been a tad overdue."

A Look at “Profiles in Leadership”; Library Journal, 2/11/13

Ernie DiMattia, Library Journal; A Look at “Profiles in Leadership” : "Profiles in Leadership is one of the few books about leaders that have had a lasting value on my education in the field. Along with The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, it has provided a valued lesson in comprehending the dimensions of the topic and the extent to which it impacts our societal development. Although there are many other such books to choose from, these two, in my mind, are above all the rest. The challenge for professionals is to find the best sources of motivation to improve and further develop their leadership skills, and to recognize that multiple traits can only enhance the ability of an individual to be a true leader."

Library Chairman: Renovation Budget Still A Work in Progress; New York Times, 2/8/13

Robin Pogrebin, New York Times; Library Chairman: Renovation Budget Still A Work in Progress: "The budget plan for the New York Public Library’s renovation project is preliminary and imprecise at this point, Neil L. Rudenstine, the library’s chairman, acknowledged in a letter last month to trustees that was obtained by The New York Times. The cost projections have been one focus of the debate over the project, with critics calling for more financial detail beyond the current estimate of $300 million."