LIS 5023: Management of Information and Knowledge Organizations, Betsy Van der Veer Martens, Spring 2018
Course Goals:
- Understand the theory and practice of management in general as well as specific foundational managerial competencies
- Understand the American Library Association’s Library Leadership and Management Association Standards
- Develop management skills appropriate to future career, including communication, change management, collaboration, problem solving, conflict resolution, budgeting, ethics, and marketing.
Learning and Skill Objectives:
- Communicate effectively using a variety of methods
- Apply planning process to management activities
- Assess organization operations and needs
- Collaborate in order to identify needed changes and implement the changes
LIS 5023 was beneficial to my overall understanding of management and leadership concepts. This course assisted me in understanding the various aspects of management. Dr. Martens designed much of the course around the American Library Association’s Library Leadership and Management Association standards. Because of this, I gained a tremendous amount of practical understanding regarding communication, change management, collaboration, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, marketing, advocacy, and conflict resolution (Goal 1.8; Goal 3.2; Goal 4.1). The course also allowed me to examine and analyze a budget (Goal 3.5).
One of the most beneficial learning outcomes for me involved expanding my emotional intelligence and understanding of intrapersonal skills (Goal 3.2). An LIS 5023 book review project led me to read Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade-Meng Tan. Tan’s book helped me to realize the importance of mindfulness and self-reflection (Goal 4.2). The book then encouraged using the knowledge gained from these practices to guide one’s actions and thinking. This resulted in me being better able to use a third-person perspective, act with compassion, and use empathy. All of these skills will result in me being a better manager and leader.
My growth in management and leadership skills also expanded when completing the strategic plan assignment. This assignment allowed me to produce mission and vision statements. I was also able to gain a lot of understanding and practical knowledge of planning and performing assessments of users and their needs (Goal 1.1; Goal 1.2; Goal 1.5; Goal 2.2). This led to collaborating with current library professionals in order to outline goals to improve a library (Goal 1.8; Goal 2.2; Goal 3.3).
Management, and all of the necessary skills to be an effective leader, is pivotal as a library and information science professional. Whether someone has a leadership position in a large library or serves as a school media-specialist, management skills are important. Library and information professionals should serve as connected, reliable sources with the skills necessary to manage. LIS 5023 helped me to gain the skills to effectively lead others through communication, collaboration, critical and forward thinking, and more.
This assignment allowed me to observe the mission and vision statements as well as the strategic plans of other libraries. I was also able to design and implement needs assessment tools such as interviews and questionnaires. I then used this data to form goals appropriate for this particular library and its needs.
Book Review – Emotional Intelligence
This assignment required students to choose a book focused on an aspect of management. Upon self-reflection, I chose a book about emotional intelligence because I felt like I could improve in that area. I read Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade-Meng Tan. Emotional intelligence has been shown to be a prime predictor of success in the workplace (Tan 2012). The reading and analysis of this book guided me into understanding the reasons for this. I now understand increased emotional intelligence affects empathy, inner happiness, and compassion. These intrapersonal traits affect interpersonal skills that can then be linked to becoming more effective at work, to helping build relationships, to effectively working with others, and more.
Maegan Heath 