What is My Role as a Manager?
BY
Katrina Cooks
People go to work to succeed, not to
fail. It is the manager's job to understand people's strengths and
weaknesses. Managers who strive to find the good in their people will achieve
far more than managers who only find fault.
(Author unknown)
Table of
Contents:
I.
Introduction
II.
Becoming a Manager within a Special Library
A. Managing your Time
III.
Understanding the Responsibility
A. Managing the
Organization Responsibility
B. Mastering the Communication
Responsibility
C. Assuming the Control
Responsibility
IV.
Managing Diversity
V.
The Support Staff
VI.
Evaluating Employee Performance
A. Appraisal tools and
Manage Performance
VII.
Conclusion
VIII.
Reference
IX.
Additional
I.
Introduction:
Imagine, coming fresh out of graduate
school and being offered a position as a manager within a special library. Did
all your courses in your M.L.I.S program prepare for this position? Does your
work history prepare you for the responsibilities you are about to take on? Do
you know what your role as a manager will be within the special library? Do you
truly know what it takes to be a manager? Are you scratching your head worrying
about your first day on the job and the day after that? If your answer is “Yes”
…welcome to your crash course in…“My role as a Manager?”
As a manager
you will have many different roles and responsibilities. “A role is a type of
behavioral activity, whereas a responsibility is essentially mental, in the sense
that one agrees to do something” (Evans and Wards 98). In this chapter, you
will be given a brief synopsis on what it takes to become a manager within a
special library, learn your responsibilities as a manager, learn how to manage
diversity, get to know your support staff and learn about evaluating your
employees’ performance.
II. Becoming
a Manager within a Special Library:
Special
libraries encompass specialized areas of interest which include music, laws,
and medicine; just to name a few. As a
manager within a special library, you must remember that the library exists to
support the work of the parent institution. Your job as a manager is to make
sure the goals of the library are aligned with the institution. The parent’s
institution interests are your interest.
The parent institution can be academic, public or business
connected. A manager of a special library (and other libraries) has to keep up
with the ever changing technology and stay current on new research coming out
in science, education and so on. Not only do you have to keep current on new
research and new technologies, but according to Ronald N. Bukoff, a special
librarian also must have certain character traits. These traits are a strong
sense of individuality, the ability to see the humor in most situations, the
strength to react calmly under pressure and an altruistic interest in helping
others:
Individuality
arises with the need to be flexible and adaptive to the
environment
of the special library and its patrons. This environment
is
every changing and the librarian must have the internal strength of
character
to recognize, identify, and resolve the myriad problems that
develop,
from small to large…Humor, laughter and joy will get the
librarian
through most of the trails and tribulations that can occur…
and
of course humor provides the ability to react calmly in times
stress…and
last, but not least in this litany of necessary survival
traits,
is the desire to help others. (Bridges 173)
The basic
skills that a manager needs are the ability to collect and analyze information,
share the information, organize knowledge, build networks and believe in the
principle of equity of access and treatment (Gordon 3). However, a person can’t
manage someone else if they can’t manage themselves. As a manager of a special
library, you need to be effective in time management.
Managing
your time:
If you have
ever worked in any library in the past then you know that there is really never
enough time to do everything. If you are not on the reference desk answering
questions, you’re in meetings, going to conference and let’s not forget the
unexpected visit from a patron and/or colleague. Your time is valuable, so you
must not waste it.
Time
is democratic—we all have the same amount of time. Time is perishable. Time is a nonrenewable
resource. Time is even more
valuable than money, because one can always get more money; however, once time is spent, it cannot be replaced
(Siess
2).
Some people may ask,
“Can you really manage time?” The answer to this question is no, but you can
manage your use of time. For example, if you know the slowest part of your day
is in the afternoon, go into your office and handle all the things that you
could not do in the earlier part of the day like answering emails or returning
phone calls.
When you come into your
role as a manger, keep track of your time and your activities. If you have a
job duty you must do everyday, time yourself; see how long it takes you and so
on. Managing the use of your time allows you to get more things done, reduce
stress and have more time do other things on the job. The bottom line is this, if you can’t manage
your time wisely, how can you manage someone else.
II.
Understanding the Responsibility:
Once you become a manager, there are
certain responsibilities you must take on, like managing the organizational
roles, mastering communication and assuming the control responsibilities.
Managing
the Organization Responsibility:
Managers have
different roles they must play at different times (or you may have heard some
managers say they wear many different hats) depending on the situation. G.
Edward Evans discusses in his book three broad categories of roles that were
identified by Henry Mintzberg. The three broad roles are interpersonal,
informational, and decisional. Within the interpersonal category, Mintzberg
identified three distinct roles which are figurehead, leader, and liaison:
The
manager is the individual most identified with her/his area of
responsibility—he or she is the figurehead.
That is, to some
degree,
the individual becomes the unit in the minds of others,
including
that person’s subordinates. The leadership role is
generally
understood as the trend toward greater collaborative/
team
oriented work. The liaison role becomes key in developing working
relationships
with units that need to interact with the manager’s unit. (Evans; Ward 96)
In other words, as a manager, you will be regarded as the
head; the person that brings everyone together in order to make the operations
of the library run smoothly.
The second
broad role which is informational has three distinct roles as well which are
the nerve center, disseminator and the spokesperson. The role of the nerve
center involves being on the front line. Being on the front lines means you may
have to deal with a lot of different things that all require your attention at
that moment. In other words, there will be something you will have to set aside
if another more pressing issue comes up. Evans states, “Learning to handle this
role effectively is essential for the newcomer” (96). The role of the
disseminator is having the ability to communicate necessary information in a
timely manner. The spokesperson role is related to the figurehead role which
involves being the official spokesperson for the organization.
The last
broad role is decisional which involves the disturbance handler, resource
handler and negotiator. The disturbance handle and the negotiator roles are
related in regards to being able to handle and resolve problems that may arise
among the staff and/or patrons. The resource handler deals with handling and
allocating resources. Allocating resources not only involves money, but the
staff, equipment and even time. In the role of the resources allocator, the
manager also makes judgments on how to organize the daily work activities.
Mastering
the Communication Responsibility:
In today’s
work environments, managers must be able to communicate effectively whether it
is through verbal communication, electronic, written and/or listening. In the
book entitled Beyond the Basics,
“effective communication takes place when the person receiving the message
interprets it with the identical meaning that the sender had in mind” (Evans;
Ward 130).
As a new manager, you
must first learn the communication style of the organization. Evans and Ward
state, “Some organizations may be very formal and expect anything of substance
to be in written form; others are highly informal and almost everything is
discussed orally. Most organizations fall somewhere in between” (132). Because
of this, you will have to know when to use certain methods of communications.
Sometimes email messages don’t work because the person on the receiving end may
take the message the wrong way. The person may take the tone of the email to be
harsher then what was originally intended. Because of the different
communication styles, you will have to be able to break down communication
barriers and convey your message clearly.
Also, watch out for
nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication involves communicating through
gestures, facial expressions, posture and even eye contact. As the old saying
goes, “your actions speak louder than words”, so make sure your actions don’t
undermine your words.
As a
manager, you will be communicating with administrators, with your staff, with
vendors and suppliers and last, but not least, with the users of the library.
The following are a few key points for managers to keep in mind if they want
clear and effective communication:
Know what to
communicate.
Know who needs to know
what.
Know who should
communicate with whom.
Know how to time
messages.
Know how to listen and
read.
Don’t judge and evaluate
the other person.
Demonstrate empathy and
understanding.
Be certain your verbal
and nonverbal signals are congruent.
Give timely, effective
feedback
Use language that is
understandable to the other person.
(Evans and
Ward 152-153)
Assuming
the Control Responsibility:
In this
particular area, as a manager, you are in control of the money, budget, and
planning. This maybe the first time you have actually had to handle such as
task, so this area of the chapter will supply you with the basics.
For starters, a “budget is an estimate of the
costs for some activity over a given time frame” (Evans and Ward 164). A budget
is plan that typically becomes fixed once it has been approved. The time frame
of a budget is normally twelve months which is usually called the fiscal year
to an organization. Your goal as a manager is to stick to the budget. You do
not want to mismanage the money and overspend. This may hurt you because
“funding authorities always review past spending patterns as part of the
approval process. It may result in a reduction of the following year’s
allocation by the amount of the over expenditure.” (Evans and Ward 164)
It must also
be noted that if you under spend; you could also see a reduction in your
budget. As a manager, you must know the cost of doing business, so you can
predict what type of funding needs you and the library will need more
accurately in the future. According to Evans and Ward the budget process
consists of:
Examining current
economic trends and projections and review the parents’ organization’s
long-range goals and plans. Periodically assess the user’s attitudes toward the
service.
Examining the goals of
the service in terms of the parent institution and the changing needs and wants
of users. Based on those assessments, develop projected needs.
Examining the current
operating costs and projected needs, as well as past fiscal performance and
prepare a funding request.
Examining the rationales
for the requests for new/additional funding and prepare a budget request
defense plan. Present the request to the funding authorities.
Examining on a regular
basis the actual operating costs in comparison to budgeted allocations. Make
any necessary adjustments in order to stay on budget.
Examining any variances
between projected and actual costs to determine if there is a problem or just
change in workload
Examining variances for
possible adjustments in current operations and implications for future budget
requests.
(165)
Managing Diversity:
Managing
diversity isn’t an easy task, but it is something as a manager you will have to
do. As you develop your style and
priorities as a manager within a special library, you must understand that each
person you supervise will have their own background and issues:
The
concept of managing diversity covers a range of groups, from persons
with
disabilities to cultural or ethnic minorities. Managing diverse groups
often
means managing people who do not share your background or values,
which
can lead to gaps in communication and difficulty in creating
a
sense of workplace community. Openness in communication and a
willingness
to confront these gaps in outlook will serve you well.
(Gordon
100)
Because of diversity, you will have to make adjustments in
your management style in order to manage different people effectively. As a manager, your aim is to create a climate
of trust:
A
climate of trust supports individuals and where individuals take a
genuine
interest in other people and their ideas, are willing to listen,
explore
differences in a positive way, and clarify what is said and done.
the
aim is to help people to work together as a team and be productive
and
efficient. (Evans and Ward 204)
Diversity
management involves leadership commitment and involvement, direction-setting, a
strategic action plan, accountability and responsibility, a system of
measurement and an assessment process. (Evans and Wards 205)
Your Support Staff:
Delegate!
Delegate! Delegate! You are one person, which means you can’t do everything and
be everywhere. Your support staff is there to help you. Your supports staff can
consist of volunteers, student assistants, technical assistants,
paraprofessionals, etc. Each staff member should be assigned a specific
responsibility depending on their experience. However, you must keep in mind
one thing:
Many
support staff perceive their work in the library as “just a job”.
Although
these individuals will do a good job and take pride in doing their
work
well, they have less personal investment in the overall success of
the
organization. (Mosley 51)
As a
manager, you must remember not to undermine your non-MLS staff members. Each
person has something to offer to the organization. Besides, if you are coming
into a new position; a new environment, the staff members are the ones who will
make your adjustment in the new position smoother because they know the
institution:
Many
paraprofessionals possess a wealth of knowledge about a particular
institution, its customers, and its
procedures, built up from years of experience…
separating
out any group of people as less qualified, or less
than capable of participating in
the complicated world and
work
of librarianship is unfair to that group of people, undercuts
the
mission and goals of the organization, and reflects poorly upon
the
profession of librarianship itself. (Gordon 105)
Evaluating Employee Performance:
The last
thing that will be addressed in your crash course of your role as a manager is
evaluating your employees through various appraisal tools and managing the
performance of staff.
Appraisal
tools and Manage Performance:
All managers
have to face the challenge of having to evaluate their staff. As a new manager,
you should discuss the appraisal process in regards to the appraisal culture of
the institution with your administrative supervisors, HR representatives and
the support staff being appraised.
Most annual
appraisal forms will consist of the employee information, quantitative or
categorized ratings, and future goals or objectives (Mosley):
The
employee information will often include the employee’s name,
ID
number, title, rank and a brief description of regular responsibilities
in
the unit or organization. Quantitative or categorized ratings can be
numerical
scores, a verbal scale, or both. The verbal scale will use a
range
of terms such as excellent, above average, exceeds expectations…
the
goals or objectives section set the stage for employees to understand
what
will expected of them during the coming year. (Mosley 151)
When
preparing an evaluation it is important to focus on the facts and behavior of
the individual rather than their attitude. Mosley states that a manager cannot
tell an employee to be happier, less paranoid, etc. Instead the manager needs
to address the behavior that results from the attitude. It is also important to
remember that the evaluation must be kept private.
Evaluating
the performance of an employee should go
smoothly, but if you feel some tension or the employee is getting upset about
the evaluation, you must remain calm and not let your emotions get carried
away. Talk to the employee about their performance and remain firm. However,
let them share how they feel about the evaluation. From there, both you and the
employee should set goals on what needs to be done or worked on in order to get
a better evaluation for the next year.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the role
of a manager varies and cannot be addressed in one chapter. However, you should
be better equipped in knowing what is expected of you in your position as a
manager of a special library or any library. Remember, this chapter was just a
crash course; the test comes as you step into your role as a manager.
Resources:
Evans,
G. Edward, and Patricia Ward. Beyond the Basics:The management Guide for
Library and Information
Professionals.
2003.
Gordon,
Rachel, The Accidental Library Manager.
2005.
Massis,
Bruce, The Practical Library Manager.
Press, 2003.
Mosley,
Pixey. Transitioning from Librarian to Middle Manager.
Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
Siess,
Judith. Time Management Planning and Prioritization for Librarians.
Lanham,
Additional
Evans, G.
Edward. Performance Management and Appraisal.
Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2004.
Hayes, Robert . Models
for Library Management, Decision-Making and Planning.
Whitmell, Vicki.
Staff Planning in a Time of Demographic Change.
Blumenstein,
Lynn. "Librarian as CM LEA." Library Journal (2005): 38-40.
Sen, Barbara.
"Market Orientation: A Concept for Health Libraries." Health
Information
and Libraries Journal 23(2006): 23-31.
Margulies,
Patricia. "Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship."
Leveraging the Skills of the
Corporate Librarian to Enhance the Perceived Value
of Information and Sustain Communities of
Practice 7:1(2006):
Yamazaki,
Hisamichi. "Changing Society, Role of Information Professionals and
Strategy for Libraries." IFLA Journal
33:1(2007): 50-58.