Leadership - what is it really all about? - Michelle McLean

From PLN

Leadership - what is it really all about? - Michelle McLean

Excerpted from "Leadership - what is it really all about" on Connecting Librarian by permission.

by Michelle McLean, Casey Cardinia Library Corporation (a public library service in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia) - published January 1, 2008 in Connecting Librarian

I have been working in public libraries since I graduated from university in 1985 (just need a Bachelor’s degree in Australia to work as a librarian). Of my 22 years in libraries, I have worked full-time for 13 and now half-time for 9 since I had my children. Now that my youngest is about to start school, I am thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my career, which until the last year or so was on cruise control.

I spoke to my Library Director seeking advice about working towards my future and he asked me to consider what I wanted to do. I have some thoughts about where I would like to go, but the one thing I am sure of is that it will involve leadership in some form.

I have been a leader of some sort throughout my career. I have not always lead well as some of my past co-workers could well testify, but I have learnt well. I am not officially a manager at this stage of my career, but have been so long with my library and in a wide variety of roles, including managerial, that I take on an unofficial leadership role and am sought for advice, opinions, assistance on a regular basis. Not that I do anything to undermine the existing leadership.

So I got to thinking about what I should do to develop my leadership skills, which got me thinking more about leadership. What is it? What skills make a good leader and what extras make them great? Having said that, I think that it would be awesome beyond all belief to be considered a good leader, I have no illusions about being great.

Then, whilst watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a favourite of my kids and I, my daughter asked me if Leonardo was the leader because he was the eldest brother. A natural assumption from my 8 year old. However, he is leader because of other abilities, including recognising and utilising the skills of his brothers. As his brother Michelangelo pointed out, he also had the hardest job because Raphael could leave the thinking to Leonardo, Donatello was free to dream and Michelangelo was free to clown because their big brother Leonardo took on all that responsibility. If you know the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you will understand. Wow, wisdom on leadership from a kid’s cartoon!

I have also learnt much from my friends in the blogosphere, musing about their leadership experiences. They are far too many to list here, but to you all I give thanks--you have given me a great start.

So what have I been learning about leadership from all these musings? Here’s the very shortest beginnings of what I know will be an ever growing list, from which I hope to keep learning.

A good leader:

knows people
is able to follow
is able to take the lead when required
is able to motivate those being lead
is able to lead without being obvious about it most of the time
never asks staff to do something they wouldn’t do
sees the big picture
is able to dream
gets the job done
brings the best out of the people they lead
can utilise the people they have for the best results for everyone
is responsible
takes pride in their team
gives credit where credit is due
is always learning
adapts to change
is able to inspire people
takes risks
is committed (or ought to be :) )
also serves
has integrity

And why do I need to know this? Because I plan to be working in libraries for another 30 years or so and can’t and won’t stay at this level for the rest of those days. For me to progress further, leadership is one of the skill sets I will need to develop further. I have a good foundation, built on pain, experience and the patience and teaching of many good staff and managers--all to whom I give my sincere apologies for my mistakes and my heartfelt thanks for the lessons they taught me--many without knowing they were doing so.

And knowing the pain that can be and is involved in leadership, why would I want to go down that path? Because of the great satisfaction that also comes out of doing it and doing it well. It truly is a joy to lead a team who works well, beyond expectations and enjoys doing so. That’s not easy to come by, takes a lot of hard work but is so worth it in the end, when you see the awesome results that can be achieved.

And so I look to you now too, to add to my short list. What leadership skills or abilities do you see as being key to a good or great leader. I am sure that you have also had some inspirational leaders in your lives, what lessons did they teach you about doing it right? Can it be done right? Can it be learnt or is it inherent?

Editor's note: McLean signed up for PLN shortly after it became available, one of the first non-US members; I've been reading her blog (motto: "Connecting new ideas and technologies with library service") for some time. I think her questions deserve responses as separate articles, as additional notes here, or on the Talk page--and I thought her list was such an interesting starting point that I asked, and immediately received, permission to use it rather than just commenting on it. And, of course, you're encouraged to go to the original post and comment there.

Qualities of successful leaders - Other thoughts on the qualities that make people good and great leaders.
Reflections on library leadership - Notes from various blogs.