Building an information organization/staff - 6 Barbie E. Keiser University of Vilnius May 2007

Organizational assessment The right HR mix – Does your staff have the right skill sets? – If you can’t increase headcount, what are your options? Culture Comfort levels – Staff – Users

What’s expected? Provide employees with a thorough understanding of job duties and organizational expectations Equip them with the skills and knowledge to perform those duties and meet those expectations Create procedures to enforce fairness

Building your information staff Determine ideal qualities – Compatibility with existing staff – Fit into organization’s culture Identify specific skills required and develop a plan for acquiring them

Staffing issues Create a team of players with a variety of skill sets Be aware of expertise within your library and throughout your organization Analyze how your staff currently spends its time (activities, tasks, results, products, clients) Make appropriate outsourcing decisions Foster a learning environment

Basic management skills Interpersonal skills that allow you to communicate effectively with staff, superiors, users, and vendors (and share the organizations goals and objectives with your staff) Commitment to developing subordinates by providing them with satisfying jobs Encouragement of team efforts Ability o manage a group Negotiation skills Problem-solving Time management Self awareness/self-esteem Continually improve the work environment

Additional skills required for managing technology projects Establish clear objectives for each project Be flexible/be prepared Be realistic; maintain objectivity Provide leadership Act as a role model for superiors and subordinates Be prepared to manage a crisis Polish presentation skills Possess the art of persuasion Express interest in your users, their operations and their needs Share your vision of the future with your staff, your boss, your boss’ boss…

Staff skills to seek/develop Subject expertise Interpersonal “people” skills Personality Communication skills (written and oral) Courtesy Client-oriented approach Marketing skills Common sense Flexibility Realistic Self-insight Presentation skills Patience Time management Problem-solving (Prudent) risk taker Discretion Intuition A sense of humor Good memory Inquisitive mind Expert listener Inquisitive Self aware/self esteem Leadership Negotiation skills

Staff skills to seek/develop Pro-active, problem-solving orientation Repair strategies & skills Able to establish clear objectives Proactive management of information Effective use of outside resources Strong commitment to quality service Acts as a role model Dedicated to continually improve the work environment Strong commitment to quality service Express interest in your customers Share your vision Ability to juggle more than one project at a time Ability to estimate what is possible Ability to identify with the values of others Knowledge of how to work with people Encouraging of team efforts Ability to manage a group Commitment to subordinates Providing leadership Possessing negotiation skills Ability to make decisions Prepared to handle a crisis Skilled in the art of persuasion Effective use of (outside) resources

Core competencies Analytical skills/problem solving/decision making Communication skills Creativity/innovation Expertise and technical knowledge Flexibility/adaptability Interpersonal/group skills Leadership Organizational understanding and global thinking Ownership/accountability/depen dability Planning and organizational skills Resource management Service attitude/user satisfaction Comfortable with an open, fluid organization People who can both do the job and work effectively within the organization

Management skills matrix

Requirements for active information management Proactive management of information Ability to make decisions Ability to balance group and individual needs Highly developed communication skills Capability to manage a crisis Knowledge of how to work with people Development of subordinates Effective use of outside resources

Job descriptions Distinguish a particular job from all others Clarify organizational relationships and responsibilities – What one is expected to accomplish – Degree of authority one has – Impact one makes on the organization Built-in flexibility

Performance evaluations Indicate how well an individual understands various aspects of the job Assess interpersonal relationships Note contributions clearly beyond the scope of the position Can be used as a means of assessing development needs

Evaluate your staff... On the quality of the work they do and the quantity of their output Note contributions made to the organization’s objectives Assess the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and make recommendations which the employee can work on in coming months Give some indication of the employee’s potential for promotion What can you do with the employee who cannot adapt?

Promotion evaluation criteria Individual performance Management skills Leadership Technical skills Analytical, decision- making capabilities Effective communications and interpersonal skills Career plans Ability to control situations Time management skills and administrative capabilities Ethics and professionalism Ability to learn and apply procedures Goal and achievement motivation Independence and self- reliance

Provide constructive feedback Selective Sensitive Specific Supportive Steady

Don’t... Avoid giving feedback when it is necessary Make mountains out of molehills Let personality clashes confuse the issue Distort the facts Get sidetracked Get into an argument Use your power to ram home a weak point Keep interrupting a staff member’s response Overlook the positive End your feedback on a note of uncertainty

Before your evaluation, ask yourself... What have I done this year to move me toward my goals? How good a team have I built? How am I developing my staff? What aspects of my work satisfy me? What do I want to alter? What’s holding me back?