Transformational or transactional?
Library managers in disguise
I trained as a library and information professional just over ten years ago. In my year of postgraduate training the information world was just on the cusp of a period of stellar change. The Internet was just beginning to have effects on the delivery of information services and now we are grappling with the innovation that is Web 2.0. Ten years of phenomenal change later and there seems to be no slowing down in the world of libraries and information. Generally we are seeing the impact of this change in the context of our organisation and services. But how do we manage and implement change? Do library services managers have the skills to do this?
As a library manager how can you cope with the seemingly continuous wave of change that we all seem to take for granted now? How do you arm yourself with the necessary skills? We have all met good and bad managers in our careers. What are the traits that good managers have that can bring out the best in us, why would we go the extra mile for a certain manager and why can some managers anticipate change, embrace it, get the team involved and use it as a chance to push the service forward? I asked a very senior business manager recently “how do you know that you are a good manager”? Their reply was “if you are good manager then when you reach the anticipated brick wall your team will work with you to implement the strategy to get you and themselves over the wall but if you are a bad manager then they will either throw you over the wall or leave you with a rope yourself”. A slightly amusing yet graphic representation of how one manager feels. Of course what they really mean is that your team are important factors in getting the job done and good managers need to understand how to do this.
Allan Leighton, considered to be one of the most important business leaders of our time, recently reported (1) that good managers are not born. He believes that you can learn the skills by watching good practice around you and taking the most appropriate styles to fit your personality and characteristics and then “copy shamelessly”. So it seems to have worked for Allan, just look at the mega company Asda is now, but what sets Allan's management style apart form others? The most important skills in this age Allan believes is the ability to move and transform with change, but to also see the opportunities in change. This is generally considered to be a “transformational style of management”.
Since the 1980's the term “transformational management” has been used to describe change management events in library services especially in relation to our industry's delivery of intangible assets such as knowledge, expertise and branding. Bryson (2) has noted that for successful library and information service management in this new knowledge driven age, managers need to adapt to a more transformational approach to help with the challenges but also see the opportunities in change events.
Transformational or transactional?
There are basically two styles of how to manage; transactional or transformational. Transactional managing works within a long standing workplace with very standard operating protocols. It is a very assignment and task driven environment and assigns employees specified objectives and boundaries. Often there can be a very clear reward, but also punishment scheme. Employees in this situation would work under very defined protocols that are not/or ever under review. There can also be sometimes a very strict hierarchical structure, with everyone knowing his or her place. However, a transactional style of management can be useful to get repetitive things done, but can make change a difficult situation to manage. A transformational management style allows employees to question assumptions and can be used as a vehicle for not just professional development but also to drive organisational change. Castiglione (3) considers that transformational and transactional styles are required at different points in the lifecycle of the organisation and that a more combined style may produce better results. Transformational works best in periods of rapid change and transactional for when things are more stable. Transformational mindsets
Transformational management does not rely solely on a set of skills but it more about the general approach in dealing with shifting patterns of change. Bryson (4) acknowledges that “technical, interpersonal, conceptual and analytical skills” are important skills to have, but that it is more about passion and openness in delivery that will make a difference. More importantly it is the ability to incite a passion in others to take up challenges and look for new opportunities. She lists her key approaches as · Vision creation and sharing · A global perspective · Capacity to create and embrace change · Drive organisational renewal · Exploiting technology for better business outcomes · Building intelligent and learning organisations: · Managing the political agenda · Creating creative environments · Ethics and integrity · Building productive relationships · Instilling a passion · Striving for excellence Can you learn transformational skills?
Allan Leighton (6) most definitely believes that you learn these skills and I suppose that is what he is relying on as he tries to sort out Royal Mail. So all the best Allan with that! Bass (7) and Castiglione (8) have also reported that we can tap into these skills and very importantly find out where we would be on a scale of transformational versus transactional style. Castiglione (9) has developed a multifactor questionnaire that is designed to “stimulate internal discussion on the extent to which transformational or transactional leadership styles operate in your library”. This type of technique is commonly known as a “three sixty” (360) and is a commonly used technique in management to present ratings of an individual by a combination of the following groups; self ratings, ratings by direct reports, ratings by boss and peers, ratings by others of whom some may be external. Four categories to assess the elements of transformational management style; charismatic management of staff, intellectual stimulation of staff, demonstration of individualised consideration and facilitates transformation. There is a self-assessment survey and a scoring sheet that he suggests should be given to the professional and paraprofessional members of your staff. Transformational management: evidence from another library sector
A recent MLA publication (11) has reported on evidence of a valid method of measuring transformational management styles within the library profession in the public sector. Again a “360 degree” tool was used (Transformational leadership questionnaire TQL). This research is part of the “Leading Modern Public Libraries” programme and considers the transformational leadership behaviour among all the participants in the programme (a cohort of 262). This cohort results are compared against other staff groups in the public sector. Overall the evidence suggests that library managers do fair well against other managers in other public sectors organisations on their transformational skills and in some cases the ratings were higher. In terms of leadership heads of service, rather than managers, were more likely to encourage change and females were more likely to inspire others than males. Conclusions
I think it is important that we remember the whole point of managing (as in doing) and management (as in speciality): to get things done, to run a business (in time and budget), to plan and manage for change, to create the right environment and brand, to transform the organisation, managing yourself and others, governance and accountability, excellence in service delivery. The days are now gone for libraries to think that the components of general business delivery do not concern them. Allan Leighton's expertise and tips on managing change may seem a million miles away from what you do as you may not be making a profit or out in the marketplace seeking work but the same rules apply. You have to make the best of your situation with your resources in rapidly changing times and it will take all the skill and innovation you can muster…it sounds just like Allan's situation at Royal Mail! But the good news from transformational evidence is that you are not alone. Take your staff with you on the journey of change; you may get more than you bargained! References
1. A simple plan. The Guardian 2007; 19 Sept: 1. Further Reading
1. Williamson, V. Surviving change and growing the profession together. Library Management 2006; 27(8): 548-561 Joanna Ptolomey
· Innovative thinking, taking opportunities and the ability to enthuse others.
· Encouraging your staff to take part in this process can make them feel part of change and encourages staff buy-in.
· Identify key staff to work with you to pull different factions of your team together especially if you find yourself with a new team to manage from a “hotchpotch” of locations.
· Break up old groupings.
· Identify ways in which the team have a forum for sharing ideas.
· Although service delivery is usually at a local level for a particular market, the days are gone now when not being open to new ideas and having a view of library service delivery in a global context is foolish.
· Look out for opportunities of change.
i. Bringing different services together.
ii. Staff changes and new members of staff.
iii. Review existing services and staff duties.
iv. Look for opportunities for collaborative projects.
· The ability to survive change in a dynamic environment is built upon the manager's ability to take opportunities as they arise.
· The process of reinvention and renewing the service.
· Change your mindset to seeing change as an opportunity for reflection and review on “how things are done”.
· All organisations reach a peak at which things have to change and their fundamentals are about to change. This is what Grove (5) calls a “strategic infection point” and this can herald in a new cycle of innovation but also a period of decline.
· The ability to use IT is the standard in business, but keep abreast of new IT developments that can help reshape our business and delivery models eg. Web 2.0.
· Harness the intelligence and unique expertise that each person in the team has to offer.
· Do you have employees that have worked in other industry sectors or a different library environment?
· Even the most junior employees have underused skills.
· Work out a way to share your knowledge and harness the focus that some employees have on certain subjects.
· Work on a way of getting supporters and sponsors that can open the door more quickly. Don't rely on your line manager doing this for you.
· Make sure that people within your organisation could recognise you walking down the corridor.
· Be visible; get out of your comfort zone of the library walls.
· Having the ability to anticipate situations and have a general indication of what is going on in your organisation. This helps enormously and can limit “fire-fighting” situations.
· Everyone at every level can help drive an organisation or service. Remember you are going to need a few people to help get you over that wall!
· Encourage a more entrepreneurial spirit in staff; you may be surprised by some of the ideas that people have.
· Don't discount ideas that you have never seen “tested” in a library environment. Be open to new and perhaps novel ideas.
· Answer this truthfully “Is it my way or the highway”? Are you really open to new ideas? Are you self-centred in your goals?
· Manager's who do not take advantage of an employee's uniqueness and experience may lose employee commitment and support. How are you going to get over that wall now?
· Manage accountability for fairness, legal and ethics.
· Be absolutely sure what is right and wrong for your service and users.
· Listening to others and building a rapport.
· Networks of contacts and relationships.
· Be visible within your organisation and outside.
· Passion is a word that is banded around a lot these days, but I reckon most of us can see right through someone who is not passionate about what they do. Don't confuse passion for being “married” to your job; they are quite different!
· Working with someone who is passionate about what they do and wants to involve you in the experience can be very uplifting professionally.
· Consider the flip side, working for someone who is shows little interest or is self-centred in their goals can be demoralising.
· Recently Jose Mourinho left Chelsea FC. Yes he looked good in cashmere, yes he had a rakish “Clooneyesque” charm about him but he could also be arrogant and self-centred. He had a good job, a fabulous budget and yet perhaps his passion was more himself rather than creating more opportunities for flair and brilliance on the football field.
· We all deliver services, but that is not the end goal. What set's apart one service from other is usually the intangibles.
· Ask yourself this. Why would someone use my service over some other?
· The answer could be that they know wrapped up in the delivery there is an element of expertise and uniqueness.
· Building a more holistic approach to even basic services will set you apart from the rest.
· I hear people comparing services on a regular basis and it is the things that are not written down on your leaflets that keep your service alive.
2. Bryson, J. Managing information services: a transformational approach. Ashgate; 2006.
3. Castiglione, J. Organizational learning and transformational leadership in the library environment. Library Management 2006; 27(4/5): 289-299
4. Bryson
5. Guardian article
6. Bass, B.M. From transactional to transformational leadership: learning to share the vision. Organizational Dynamics 1990; 2(4): 19-31
7. Castiglione, J.
8. Castiglione
9. MLA. Transformational leadership behaviour among participants in the “Leading Modern Public Libraries” programme. [available on the Internet cited 2007 16th August]. Available from http://www.mla.gov.uk/website/programmes/framework/framework_programmes/leadership_and_workforce/
2. Hernon, P and Rossiter, N. Emotional intelligence: which traits are most prized?
3. Kuntz, J.J., Tennant, M.R. et al. Staff driven strategic planning learning from the past, embracing the future. Journal of the Medical Library Association 2003; 91(1): 79-83
4. Senge, P. The fifth discipline: the art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday: 1990.
joanna.ptolomey@ntlworld.com