Curriculum
Entire books have been written on all of these topics. I do not plan on writing one. But, I am available to present these topics for your teams/departments/organizations either in person or virtually. I am also available for coaching on these topics or managing these processes for you. Connect with me on LinkedIn, or reach out via Substack to start our conversation.
You Are Now a Manager. Congratulations!! or Congratulations?? Now What?
Many of our career paths lead to leadership roles. Sometimes, we find ourselves in management by accident. No matter how we get there, it is exciting to be in charge. However, it can seem like a fire hose of information and expectations coming at us. In this session, I will help leaders and managers drill down on a list of things to think about when starting a new manager job. Like, do the doors lock properly? (Yep. The front door did not lock in one of my libraries.)
In this session, I discuss a variety of ideas around managing people, places and things. There are a lot of safety issues to be aware of. I will discuss a process for mentoring and developing staff for ongoing success. I will provide tips on process improvement in public facing roles, as well for roles of those who work ‘in the back.’ Whether you are a new director, branch manager, supervisor, or any kind of manager, in any kind of library type, this session is for you. I will help make your early days in leadership a little less uncertain.
Attendee Takeaways
Specific safety issues to look for.
Ways of mentoring/developing a team.
That you will be ok in a leadership and management role.
What You Should Know Before You Start Working for a Board of Trustees: Learn from My (mostly bad) Experiences
Working for five to thirteen bosses with multiple agendas is a whole mood. When I got my first public library director job, working for seven trustees, I had NO IDEA what I was getting into. I learned routine things like board packets and how the Open Meetings Act works fairly quickly. But, dealing with all of the personalities, agendas and communication styles, or lack thereof, of my trustees was a struggle.
Whether the board is elected or appointed, the dynamic is similar. It is navigating the one or two who are a problem. There are a lot of politics involved, including having to placate people. I pushed back on so much that my boards wanted me to do. However, you cannot push back all the time. They are your bosses, after all. If you are thinking of becoming a public library director, please learn from my (mostly bad) experiences. I’m not saying don’t be a director. I’m just saying know what you’re getting into. My session will help prepare you for what to expect. It's not all bad!
Attendee Takeaways
The structure and purpose of how a Board of Trustees is supposed to work.
Ideas for dealing with the politics of individual trustees and the board as a whole.
I will include numerous, relative examples of good and bad situations I experienced and how I handled them.
Branding: More Than Your Logo and Color Scheme
There are so many ways to be creative in managing the image of our organization, as well as get attention for our organization. Logo and colors are important, but they are not the only items to think about when considering your organization’s brand. In this session, I will go over variables in determining your organization’s brand, as well as many aspects to take into considering when considering your brand.
Attendee Takeaways
Change logo vs. update your logo.
How to approach a sign audit. (One of my favorite things.)
What should always have a logo on it.
An Employee is Leaving. Now What?: The Hiring Process
When an employee leaves, no matter why they leave, it is always disruptive in the short term. But, it presents an opportunity to take a closer look at the position. What does that position do? Who is going to fill that role in the interim? The actual hiring process can be unwieldy and complicated, but it does not have to be. Let’s make it as simple as possible to fill that role and continue with the goals of the organization.
Attendee Takeaways
How to write the job ad.
How to collect and organize resumes.
How to manage the interview process.
How to Create a Podcast
Creating a podcast is a great way to tell your story, to promote an organization or to educate people on a particular topic. A podcast is a great way to reach an extremely wide audience. Would you like to be able to tell your organization’s story? Be the authority of your organization’s brand in your voice on a podcast. Tell your story the way you want.
The benefit of a regular podcast is you keep your story current. You can include evergreen info, as well as updates and new offerings in each episode. A podcast allows you to be creative in many ways. Producing a podcast is a cost efficient way to broaden the reach of your marketing and get in front of people you may not be reaching currently.
Attendee Takeaways
What kind of podcast to produce.
Where to market your podcast.
The technical stuff.
It’s OK to Have Meetings. It Really Is.
Most information, announcements, updates and discussions can be done via email. Email is a great way to make sure everyone gets the same information at the same time in the same way. I love the meme about meetings, “This could have been an email.” But, sometimes, there are topics, concepts, direction, announcements or other information that is best communicated in person or via a Zoom meeting, depending on your work situation.
Attendee Takeaways
Creating an agenda.
Who should be in meetings.
FOIA/OMA.