Making the Most of Your Current Position Terry Dahlin Brigham Young University August 13, 2010.

Making the Most of YourCurrent PositionTerry DahlinBrigham Young UniversityAugust 13, 2010

Purposes To help you become a more valuable

asset to your library. To help you set goals that will lead you

to exceed the requirements for success.

The Problem In society, career success is often

defined in terms of leadership, in continually advancing up the hierarchical ladder.

This narrow definition discourages many from pursuing multiple avenues to career success.

Case StudiesTwo Divergent careers: Terry and Mark

Large Group DiscussionWhat tracks are there besides

administration that may lead to career success?

Change Conceptual Lenses There is a need to revisit and change the

vision of success in the workplace. Robert E. Kelley (Carnegie Mellon)

suggests that society should redefine leadership and followership.

Kelley’s Follower Types Sheep – passive and uncritical, lacking in

initiative and sense or responsibility Yes People – livelier, but equally un-

enterprising and servile Alienated followers – critical and

independent in thinking, but passive in carrying out their role

Survivors – no risks, “better safe than sorry”

Effective Followers Manage themselves well, think critically,

and don’t require much supervision. Commit themselves to the organization

and to a purpose outside of themselves Build competence and focus their efforts Possess courage, honesty and credibility

Kelley on Followers and Leaders“The qualities that make effective

followers are, confusingly, pretty much the same qualities found in some effective leaders.”

Leader/Follower Roles“Followership is not a person, but a role,

and what distinguishes followers from leaders is not intelligence or character but the role they play.”

More on Leader/Follower Roles“Effective followers and effective leaders

are often the same people playing different parts at different hours of the day.”

Individual ExerciseTake a few minutes and write down times in your workplace when you are a leader and times when you are a follower.

Partner DiscussionDiscuss with your partner how your changing roles affect you as both a leader and a follower.

Main Points of Followership Kelley points out that effective followers

are as valuable to their organizations as effective leaders.

You don’t have to be a library administrator to make a great contribution to your library and achieve career success.

Passions and Career Success Career success can be enhanced when

you combine your passions with your current positions.

Your passions are those interests that motivate and drive you the most.

You tend to perform at your best when you are passionate and enthusiastic about the work you do.

Individual Exercise Take a few minutes to ponder and write

down some of your passions. Think of what you prefer to do in your

spare time when you are not required to do anything.

Partner DiscussionDiscuss with your partner some of the

passions that you recorded.

Follow Your Passions Strive to connect your passions to your

current position. If you don’t see a connection between

the two, seek to enhance your job in ways that involve your passions.

Set Goals Set professional goals that help you

connect your passions to your current position.

Properly set goals help you to focus your attention and draw you toward ultimate success.

Goal Tips Good goals motivate you to perform more

successfully in your current position. You should select a few goals in high priority

areas that help you focus your energies. Useful goals are SMART: specific, measurable,

attainable, realistic and timely. The quality of the writing is less important

than the compelling nature of the goal.

Goal Pitfalls Goals should not be a restatement of a

job description. An ongoing, routine activity is not

usually a goal. Vague, ambiguous goals are of little use.

Goal Pitfalls (cont.) It isn’t necessary to set goals in every

area of your job. Don’t set too many goals -focus your

energy on those few areas that need the most work or promise the greatest reward.

Large Group DiscussionGoal Analysis Provide high quality service at the

reference desk. Clear out all cataloging backlogs by

December 1, 2010. Improve our e-book collection. Write an article for publication.

Large Group DiscussionGoal Analysis (cont.) Update the department procedures

manual by the end of the year. Reduce errors in book check-ins by 10%

by March 2011. Provide increased training on licensing

for Acquisitions Department staff. Present a poster session on new library

instruction methods at the ALA Annual Conference in 2011.

Individual ExercisePractice writing down a few goals that

connect with your passions and will move you toward success in your current position.

Partner DiscussionDiscuss the goals you have written with

your partner.

Review of Key Points Career success is often defined in terms

of leadership. Such a narrow definition discourages

many from pursuing multiple avenues to career success.

Society needs to revisit and change the vision of success in the workplace.

Review (cont.) Robert Kelley suggests that effective

followers have qualities similar to effective leaders.

Effective followers are as necessary as effective leaders.

You don’t have to be a library administrator to make a great contribution to your library and achieve career success.

Review (cont.) Career success can be enhanced when

you combine your passions with your current position.

You should set professional goals that help you connect your passions to your current position.

You should set SMART goals.