Step One: towards cultural change?

While it is grand to have a vision, I must admit mine is all internally focused. I wish for the development of a library culture as described in my last post because that is the environment I wish to work in.

Unfortunately, buy in for a vision of culture change may be limited because not everyone wants "that" cultural change much less any change at all. The other problem being that it is internally focused versus externally focused, the latter being easier in my opinion. You also need enough individuals to achieve the "tipping point" everyone talks of. I don't think we're there yet or organized enough yet. Plus, I need to come up with ways to pepper my chats around the water cooler with practical implementations or suggestions that will start generating ideas. I don't know what those are yet. OK and yeah, I need to find the watercooler...there must be one somewhere in the library...or maybe the coffee pot will do...

I thought I'd start small. For any discussions or confrontations that occur, I am trying to pull away from personality towards process and big picture or "systems thinking," hoping to engender a more positive environment. "Why is x duh? Well, let me tell you about the context within which x is currently working such that z isn't happening...." Hopefully between providing context and persistence some people will start to shift position or mental models. Identifying the common ground is critical "yes, I agree that is a problem..." to start to build a new culture or perception that a new culture may be possible. I could be all wrong but it is worth a shot...

lack of vision = lack of cultural change

I've been doing more thinking re: my role over the past few years at the university library. I moved from special libraries where each vision was held close to the heart and obstacles were there to be leapt across and conquered as a normal part of the process, not barriers to innovation. In those respective libraries we were all involved in creativity in response to the vision, a mini brain-trust or think tank around our vision of the endless possibilities and successes available to us as we set out to achieve the respective vision. There was also my personal vision for the type of librarian I could be and the possibilities that enriched my life, much of it expressed in Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century.

In my move to university library I blindly assumed there would be a vision around which I would coalesce with my fellow librarians, bringing my experience to the table to augment the lives of my patrons/clients. After all, I was "in the service." I also assumed that I would have to modify my perception and vision of myself as a librarian. What actually happened was that I fell into a void. If there is a common vision for the library or what constitutes a university-based librarian (preferably one that is expressed as verbs/actions), someone is hiding the evidence from me.

Thus I find myself three years down the road clinging to my perception of what constitutes an effective librarian, further adding to the confusion of entries at my locale. I also find that my life is problem solving with very little creativity, the latter being what I crave. That doesn't mean creativity is impossible, just that it is currently very difficult. I am in a position that facilitates tech-based changes in the library, including process and functional/structural changes BUT NOT cultural changes. As a result I am constantly problem-solving in the face of fear, sniping and even personal attacks on my competency, reacting until I am lost in a morass. How do I promote cultural change? Through vision. How do we make cultural change happen? Through common vision.

Thus it is time to take control. What constitutes the work environment I would like to work within and how do I get there - my vision? What are the aspirations of those who critique without understanding? How does one find common ground?

if only people understood current reality, they would...change

Oops. I'm very guilty of this.

The full quote is "Many who are otherwise qualified to lead fail to do so because they try to substitute analysis for vision. They believe that, if only people understood current reality, they would surely feel the motivation to change. ... What they never grasp is that the natural energy for changing reality comes from holding a picture of what might be that is more important to people than what is."

This blog has pretty much been a reflection of my attempt to understand why "they" don't get it = analysis. The answer, according to this article is: I don't get it because my vision is limited, I require a paradigm shift, do I have a substitute vision that will gain buy-in and will carry us forward? Do I?

This is great because it provides a way forward. I've been stuck in the land of how do I convince them of the error of their ways, how do I make them see (retroactive) re: their pre-existing behaviours/process through analysis. This needs to change to how do I make them see what the future might be and gain buy-in. Instead of retroactive analysis I now need to develop a vision that will carry me (at minimum) forward, and in a positive way. What do I want to reach for and what can I do to get there? What do we want to reach for and how do we get there?

I'll keep you posted (punny me).

Senge, Peter M. "The Leader's new work: building learning organizations" SLOAN Management Review. Vol. 32(1), Fall 1990, p. 9.