Executive Director's Blog: On Self-Doubt
In the course of my career I’ve encountered many professionals who struggle with self-doubt. Peers, direct reports, mentees, friends in other fields. Over time I noticed that the brighter and more...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: New Year’s Resolutions
Wouldn’t it be great if you could choose someone else’s New Year’s resolutions? You could get your boss to try being nicer and more supportive, your kids to earn better grades, your dogs to stop...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Building a Great Team, Part One
Finding the Best TalentIn my previous role, I was given the opportunity to build my first team. I inherited a team of three and, as our team’s services became more popular, I grew the team to 22....
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Building a Great Team, Part Two
The New Manager’s Survival GuideThis is the second in a series of posts on how to build a great team.Little can prepare you for being a new manager. You can read books on it, talk to seasoned...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Building a Great Team, Part Three
Performance Reviews: The bad and the goodThis is the third in a series of posts on how to build a great team.For many, this is performance review season, the annual ceremony that direct reports fear...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Guest post by Andrew Pace
Editor’s Note: I am pleased to share the NC LIVE blog spotlight with guest blogger Andrew Pace. Andrew and I worked together at OCLC and, during that time, I was continually impressed by Andrew’s...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Discovery from the Outside In
Author’s Note: Last week Serials Review published an article I wrote this spring about library consumer expectations, popular services in other industries, and the art of trendspotting. The final...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Consensus, Conflict and the Leader’s Responsibility
Consensus, Conflict and the Leader’s ResponsibilityOrganizations that overemphasize consensus drive out talent, underperform, and lose money, all the while maintaining a harmonious facade. Walking the...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: Advice for Working with Vendors
Advice for Working with VendorsAlthough librarians and vendors have shared a symbiotic relationship for as long as libraries have existed, there seems to be an unhealthy and unnecessary level of time...
View ArticleExecutive Director's Blog: On Stewardship
On StewardshipOur TruthsRecently I began mentoring a talented librarian in the early-middle stage of her career. During our first meeting, I began to pick up on her professional values, beliefs and...
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