2006 Preconference

A Supervisor’s Academy:
Essentials of Supervision for the Professional Librarian

Thursday, June 22 and Friday June 23, 2006

It is not easy being the boss - one day you're a professional librarian working in a technical services department and the next day you are promoted to manager and your world changes. If not handled correctly, new supervisors will make mistakes that may make their new job a living hell, ruin relationships with former colleagues, as well as disrupt the organization. Mistakes like over managing, becoming a workaholic, or believing that they are irreplaceable can lead to disaster for any manager and for their organization.

Great managers may be born but the overwhelming majorities are made into leaders through training and positive work experiences. That said, management is not a common subject in library school and organizations do not spend time training and developing management skills in new technical services professionals. Managers need to understand the people they supervise and treat them as their most important customers, building relationships that are beneficial to both the manager and the employee. Managers must help all workers to succeed and that the best way to accomplish this is through positive communication and employee empowerment.

Taught by William Sannwald, this two-day workshop provides you with the skills and tools required to go from being a technical services expert to a supervisor. Participants may attend one or more of four half-day segments that will be presented.

The Workshop explores modern management techniques ranging from communication to understanding organizational culture in order ease the transition from being a professional to becoming a manager of professionals. It also examines what motivates people at different levels, as well as why one type of motivation might not fit all types of workers. This workshop is participatory with discussion, role-play, exercises, and videos.

This preconference will be offered in four (4) different sessions over two (2) days. Attending all sessions in sequence is not required.

General Skills (Thursday Morning Session)

  • Now that I'm promoted, what do I do?
  • What are management skills?
  • Why are management skills important?
  • Knowing yourself
  • Interpersonal communication skills
  • Valuing and managing diversity
  • Developing ethical behavior
  • Time and stress management

Planning and Controlling (Thursday Afternoon)

  • Planning and goal setting
  • Evaluating and controlling performance
  • Benchmarking
  • Creative problem solving
  • Dealing with difficult people
  • Managing conflict

Organizing Skills (Friday Morning)

  • Designing work
  • Diagnosing and modifying organizational culture
  • Organizational structure
  • Developing people
  • Creating high-performing teams


Leading Skills (Friday Afternoon)

  • Building a power base
  • Leading
  • Motivating others
  • Managing organizational change
  • Written and oral skills

Speaker

William W. Sannwald

Sponsor

ALCTS

Planning Chair

William W. Sannwald