Feedback, Again

Although I recently posted about feedback, today I have another excellent source to share with you on this topic.  Giving Feedback?  Don’t Make These 10 Mistakes by Alison Green pulls together some common traps managers tend to fall into when giving (or not giving) feedback.  They are:

1. Giving more critical than positive feedback.
2. Avoiding the conversation until you’re frustrated.
3. Getting so caught up in being tactful that your message gets lost.
4. Not being kind.
5. Not being specific.
6. Making feedback a special event.
7. Waiting for a formal performance evaluation.
8. Not explaining consequences.
9. Not putting criticism in context.
10. Not giving feedback at all.

Alison Green writes the no-nonsense blog Ask a Manager, and if you’re not already following her, you really must.  And you really must read this full post, not just the list of 10 things above.  Giving feedback is a fine art, that must be carefully practiced and honed.  Anyone who says I’m a good manager (or boss, or supervisor, or etc.), but I’m not good at feedback (or evaluations, or hard conversations, or etc.) is not a good manager.  Right?

Photo © 2011 opensourceway,  Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

“How Am I Doing?”

What a great question!  And when others ask it of you, what do you say?  I ran across this great post The Essential Component of High Performance:

When someone asks how they did, I realize I haven’t done well at giving feedback. I’ve been passive not active.

I’ve never heard high-performers say, “I get too much feedback.” They crave more. On the other hand, I’ve never met a leader who gave enough.

What a simple, yet so logical observation.  Leadership Freak‘s Dan Rockwell goes on to describe the different between nitpicking and feedback.  I also enjoyed one of the comments which notes that the word “feedback” has gotten a negative connotation:  When someone says, “May I give you some feedback?” do you assume it’s going to be negative?  How unfortunate!  Positive feedback is the way to go—although of course you may also need to give negative feedback at times.  But my question for you is, are you giving enough feedback to employees, colleagues, even friends?  Do think about it as you read the post.

Photo © 2006 Sharon Mollerus,  Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

New Rules to Improve Your Library Signage!

Did you know that updates to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) went into effect March 15, 2012?  I didn’t.  So it was enlightening to read New ADA Signage Standards Take Effect from Library Journal:

On March 15, 2012, updates to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) went into effect. The new standards—known as the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design—focus specifically on creating wayfinding signage for the visually impaired.

The good news is that libraries are already doing well in compliance from a technology standpoint, providing visually impaired patrons with text-manipulation software and closed-circuit televisions to enlarge print. The better news is that these new standards offer more guidance in making traditional wayfinding signage more patron-friendly.

There’s a lot of good information here for libraries that are remodeling or designing a new building.  Additionally, a sidebar offers accessibility tips for all libraries:

Libraries remodeled or newly designed after March 15, 2012, must comply with the updated rules. For all other libraries, there are steps that can make existing signage more patron-friendly. (The tips below, and others, can be found on the ASCLA website.)

• Employ nonpermanent signs with low-glare and a high contrast for legally blind visual readers
• Train library staff to assist visually impaired readers when necessary. This includes:
  • Offer to guide patrons to their intended destinations
  • Offer a variety of resources including print, electronic, Braille, audiobooks, music, and text-enlargement software
  • Ensure all signage is placed in well-lit but not overly bright areas
  • Enlarge the font on call number signs located at the end of each bookshelf

I also learned something from the online comments posted on this article.   Apparently the article uses some outdated terminology.  According to People First Language, “persons who are visually impaired” is the acceptable term, as opposed to “visually impaired persons.”

Photo © 2008 Sean F,  Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

The Public Library as an Essential Service

The May/June 2012 issue of Public Libraries includes the article “Connecting Public Libraries with Emergency Responders.”  It is also available online:

The Monday after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the director of a rural public library situated about 70 miles inland arrived at her library to find a woman sitting in the parking lot, in tears. As a Katrina evacuee, this woman only had her car, her dog, and the clothes on her back. She waited for the library to open, trusting that it was one place in town that would welcome strangers.

While victims know, or quickly figure out, that libraries can provide necessary assistance to them during disasters, the emergency management community has slowly come to understand the value of public libraries as disaster response resources. In fact, the first formal recognition of public libraries as essential community organizations came in January 2011 when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decided to make libraries eligible for temporary relocation during major disasters and emergencies under the FEMA Public Assistance Program.

There is a LOT of good information in the article, including how libraries can partner with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) “to meet the needs of their users and advocate for them as a key resource to those facing emergencies and disasters.”

It seems to me a natural role for public libraries to serve their communities in emergency and disaster situations.  And it seems to me that this capability is one that can show communities the value of their libraries.   I encourage you to think about this (and read the Public Libraries article) as we move into summer, when many natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes typically occur.

See also:

• Michael Kelley, “ALA Midwinter 2011: FEMA Recognizes Libraries as Essential Community Organizations,” Library Journal, Jan. 11 2011, accessed June 19, 2012.

Photo © 2005 Kelly Garbato,  Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

Are You Listening??? (No, Really. . . Are You?)

Are you adept at communication?  Communication skills are a necessity, not just in our work lives, but in our personal lives as well.  So often we think we are “communicating” when we really aren’t. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that we all forget (at least some of the time!) that communication is a process—it involves not just sending a message, whether verbally, in writing, in email. . . —but also the message being received and understood by the recipient, AND also includes feedback that the message has been understood and received.

And listening, really listening, involves paying attention to the words that are said, the way they are said, and reading body language.  It does not involve thinking about something else while the other person is speaking, or forming your own answer while listening.

That all probably sounds like enough work, doesn’t it—especially for something you thought you already knew how to do!  But now comes perhaps the hardest part:  determining the communication styles of yourself and others, and learning to communicate successfully with those whose style differ from yours.

Strother Martin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes, communication is SO important.  When we don’t do it well, we don’t just have a “failure to communicate.”  Poor communication can be a recipe for disaster.   Most workplace disasters, whether in libraries, or elsewhere,  won’t typically be of such magnitude, but disasters just the same (you might anger a library patron so much they never use the library again, or irreparably damage your relationship with your municipal board.)  The time spent improving your communication skills will be time well spent, and can pay off in huge dividends.

Father’s Day Musings

Since I wrote a mother-themed post for Mother’s Day, I decided to write a Father’s Day post today.  My father didn’t read stories to us like my mother did, but he did like to read, and he did use the public library.  As I recall he liked to read Westerns, books about the land and agriculture, and historical fiction.  We didn’t always talk a lot, but one of the things we could talk about was books.  I miss you, Dad.  

In honor of Father’s Day, here’s a potpourri of links related (some more loosely than others) to fathers or dads or men, and libraries:

• Father’s Day Storytime (Geelong Regional Library, Australia)
• Father’s Day Book Giveaway (Champaign, Illinois)
• Father’s Day Events at Kern County (California) Library
• Ranganathan, the father of library science
• Mr. Mustache, Another Librarian Blog
• Men of the Stacks Calendar

Put ‘er There, Partner!

A fine article about program partnerships between libraries and local businesses or popular media in the May/June 2012 issue of Public Libraries (the official magazine of the Public Library Association) in the “Tales From the Front” department (see below for the citation):  “By adding new elements to an existing idea, these libraries have created successful programs unique to the needs of their communities.”  Here are a few:

• Disney on Ice Book Drive (Jacksonville, Florida).  Anyone who donated three children’s books to the drive received a free voucher for one ticket to the opening night of the Disney On Ice: Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 at the Veterans Memorial Arena.  Jacksonville Public Library has also partnered with Broadway Across America Artist Series to offer programs tied to Beauty and the Beast and Jersey Boys.
• Mad Men Mania(Long Island, New York).
  

  Mad Men (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  Participants at the Mad Men Discussion group at the Half Hollow Hills Community Library watch the first season of Mad Men together and then discuss the show.  In the future, the library plans to touch on such topics as women’s rights, and 1960s politics and culture.

• Flash Reading Mob (Fort Collins, Colorado).  Poudre River Public Library held a flash reading mob in the community’s Old Town Square in conjunction with Drop Everything and Read Day.   Clifford the Big Red Dog and the library mascot Annie the Dog also made appearances.
• Hunger is Not a Game (Farmington and Aztec, New Mexico).  These two libraries partnered with ECHO Food Bank to sponsor a food drive by placing donation bins in both libraries.  Donors had a chance to enter a drawing for books and prizes, and the local movie theater had a special showing of the movie The Hunger Games.
• Teen Iron Chef (Arlington Heights, Illinois).   The library partnered with Whole Foods to hold an Iron Chef competition for teens.  The secret ingredient, the apple, was announced the day of the competition.

I share this article and these examples because I think it is often hard to come up with new ideas for programs, and these are great examples of partnering with local businesses or organizations, which makes their benefits twofold:  they bring people in, and strengthen ties to the community.   Maybe they’ll give you some new ideas.  Or, post a Comment below about something great you’ve done at your library.    I think public libraries should share their good ideas for programs with each other (I think we do a better job of this with programs for children.)

For further reading:

• Sze, Lian, “Tales From the Front: Taking Ideas to the Next Level.”  Public Libraries May-June 2012: 10-12.
• South Central Library System’s wiki for sharing program ideas.
• WebJunction programming page

Leadership Styles Demystified!

This is the best article on leadership styles I’ve ever read!  For years I have struggled with the concept of leadership, heard interviewers ask job candidates “what’s your leadership style,” and worked with and observed both successful and flawed leaders and managers. It turns out that:

Manager and leader are two completely different roles, although we often use the terms interchangeably. Managers are facilitators of their team members’ success. They ensure that their people have everything they need to be productive and successful; that they’re well trained, happy and have minimal roadblocks in their path; that they’re being groomed for the next level; that they are recognized for great performance and coached through their challenges.

Conversely, a leader can be anyone on the team who has a particular talent, who is creatively thinking out of the box and has a great idea, who has experience in a certain aspect of the business or project that can prove useful to the manager and the team. A leader leads based on strengths, not titles.

The best managers consistently allow different leaders to emerge and inspire their teammates (and themselves!) to the next level.

Equipe 3D objectif concept (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

And, even more exciting, it turns out there is NOT one “best” leadership style.  Just as in so many situations in life, “leadership can and should be situational, depending on the needs of the team:”

Sometimes a teammate needs a warm hug. Sometimes the team needs a visionary, a new style of coaching, someone to lead the way or even, on occasion, a kick in the bike shorts. For that reason, great leaders choose their leadership style like a golfer chooses his or her club, with a calculated analysis of the matter at hand, the end goal and the best tool for the job.

And what are those leadership styles, and when should you use them, you might ask?  According to Daniel Goleman’s Leadership That Gets Results:

1. The Pacesetting leader.  This style works best when the team is already motivated and skilled, and the leader needs quick results.
2. The Authoritative leader.  This style works best when the team needs a new vision—for example, when circumstances have changed, and when explicit guidance is not required.
3. The Affiliative leader. This style works best in times of stress, when the team needs to heal from something major, or when the team needs to rebuild trust.
4. The Coaching leader. This style works best when the leader needs to help teammates build personal strengths that make them more successful.
5. The Coercive leader. This style is the one to use in times of crisis, such as a takeover attempt, or during an actual emergency like a tornado or a fire, and can also help control a problem team member if everything else has failed.
6. The Democratic leader.  This style should be used when the leader needs team buy-in  or ownership of a decision,  or if he or she is uncertain and needs fresh ideas from the team members.

This makes so much sense.  We need to vary communication styles, teach to reach diverse learning styles, and adapt to others’ personality styles.  Of course we need to use the leadership style that is appropriate in a given situation!  Be sure to read the full 6 Leadership Styles post, as well as Leadership That Gets Results.  They ring true to me, and I hope they will to you too, in your work in libraries and elsewhere.

When You Say “Customer Service. . . ” You’ve Said it All

I recently read the thoughtful post “Which Kind of Customer Service Do You Mean?” on Infoblog.  Good question!  When a library requests staff training on customer service, whoever is scheduling the training should be really clear on what they mean, and the trainer/consultant should be sure to ask exactly what they mean by customer service.

The post is right, I think: when library people say “customer service” they can mean (at least) two different things:  1) “how can we fix staff people’s behavior?” or 2) “how can we improve the services we offer?”   I actually think these two things are very related (but very different questions, I agree), and can even be taught in the same training session, or at least #2 can be touched on in a session that is primarily about #1.  Granted, either can become an all day (or all week!) training.

I agree with the point in the Infoblog post that “In both cases you will want to work on the foundational elements of communication.”  Additionally, it is imperative that you tie customer service to your library’s mission, vision, and strategic plan.   For example, the Waterford (CT) Public Library’s Mission includes the goal “People in Waterford consistently receive quality library service provided by well-trained, dedicated, knowledgeable and customer-oriented staff” [this refers to that “first” kind of customer service.]  The goals of the Ames (IA) Public Library’s strategic plan define the types of services they  will offer. [this refers to that “second” kind of customer service.]

As most public libraries struggle to do more with less in this current economy, we often hear (or fear) “something’s gotta give.”  But in order to remain relevant to our public, and prove ourselves as an essential service, that “something” must not be customer service, no matter how you define it.   You can find lots of articles on customer service in public libraries.  Here’s just one, from Public Libraries magazine.

So what do YOU mean when you say “customer service”?  And how are you improving it at your library?

Photo © 2006 Tracy R, Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

(Good)Searching for Money?

I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t know about GoodSearch until recently.  It’s basically a search engine that donates about half of its revenue to American charities and schools that register with them.

And yes, by “charities” I mean libraries! From the GoodSearch “About” page:

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50 percent of its sponsored search revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine. Because it’s powered by Yahoo!, you get proven search results. The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers — the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!

GoodSearch has also expanded to include GoodShop (an online shopping “mall”) and GoodDining both of which include donations to causes as part of your purchases. Doesn’t this seem like a cool, and pretty easy, way to get some money for your library?  Does it work, is it a good thing, can it be abused?  I think it bears watching.  I found a few articles, such as:

• Conduct a Search, Make a Donation (New York Times, December 2005)
• GoodSearch in Greedy Hands (2008)

Searching for services similar to GoodSearch, I found iGive and helpuu (although it looks to me like helpuu chooses the charities/causes, and you can’t add your own).  And, although it works a little differently, I found out about Google Grants through an article which also highlights GoodSearch.

And finally, I thought I’d mention that Amazon lets you create a Wishlist, from which your supporters can buy an item you’re wishing for and have it sent to you.  You can easily advertise your Wishlist on your library’s web page.  This is quite different from the other services described above, but is still a way to augment your library’s budget with an online service.

So, now, let’s hear from you.  Are any of you using any of these, or other similar services?  How do they work?  Please contact me, or comment below.