Leadership Experience

Throughout my life I've never really considered myself a leader. In spite of my preference for being a worker bee I often find myself in charge. One of the most important lessons I've learned over the past three years is that there is a difference between being a manager and being a leader. I hadn't given this much thought until reading Gary Dessler's Management: Principles and Practice for Tomorrow's Leaders . Dessler focuses on the concept of shared leadership in work teams. He describes using "commitment based controls" in which every member of the team takes responsibility for the project and has an equal say in how the process is carried out.

As I've refined my personal conception of leadership I've determined that leadership often means being able to see what needs to be done and taking responsibility for doing it while being a positive influence and a good role model in the process. My experience with collaborative work at the iSchool has given me the opportunity to practice my leadership skills and to expand my comfort zone with speaking in group settings.

 

Committee Membership - Being a key member of a committee that was charged with creating a comprehensive manual for the Bibliographic Management Services Department at the Mansfield Library provided an excellent opportunity for me to build my leadership skills and put those skills to work in a practical setting. The committee's primary charge was to compile policy
	Members of the Manual Committee - Mansfield Library
and workflows for the various units of the department and make them available at a central location. We were also to evaluate those processes and workflows and make suggestions for streamlining and improving consistency within the department. At one point in time the committee began to bog down with members getting hung up on so many small details that decisions were not being made and the atmosphere was becoming a little contentious. In addition it became obvious that while the manual was full of excellent information it lacked structure, making it difficult to find specific information. The committee leadership was comprised of three people, the person charged with maintaining copy of the word documents associated with the manual, the person in charge of graphics and web design and myself, who was also in charge of web design. An executive decision was made by myself and the two other committee leaders for the group as a whole to take a break for a few weeks. During that time the three leaders of the committee met to rethink the manual organization. We restructured the overall design of the web version of the manual and added access points (an index, a table of contents, and a workflow chart). In addition we made some changes to the way the committee meetings were run, reducing the number of people who wrote different sections of the manual, and having committee members review the material individually prior to the next meeting. When we brought the entire group back together we had a new timeline with specific tasks assigned. The benefits of the times off in conjunction with minor restructuring resulted in a more polished finished product assembled by a group that was refreshed, refocused and eager to complete the project. Because the manual is located on a secure server with restricted access I am unable to to provide a link to the page itself; however an inactive copy of the index is available for you to view. This particular project was significant to me because it was a prime example of Dessler's "shared leadership in work teams." Not only did each member of the committee buy into the goals of the project but they each took ownership of the process and organization of the task at hand and showed great responsibility in carrying out the committee's charge. Because of the length of time it took to complete (two years), this project really brought to the foreground the importance of leadership skills and characteristics, including being curious and interested in other people; willingness to try new things; the energy and commitment to see things through and the ability to maintain motivation and morale for a long term project.

 

iPeer Mentor - I participated in the iPeer mentor program during my second and third years at the iSchool. This program pairs incoming students with current students who have already experienced the ups and downs of first year at the iSchool. I've really enjoyed being a part of this program. I remember how uncertain I felt about so many things that first quarter at the iSchool.
	visitors on campus
The technology, the scholarly aspect of being back in school after so many years, the whole registration process and financial aid. Aacckkk! How would I ever survive? Well I not only survived I thrived, and being able to help other new first year students realize they too can excel has been a rewarding experience. I introduce myself and provide a little introduction to the registration process and what to expect at residency before the quarter starts and then we communicate throughout the year whenever anyone has a question. By sharing what I've learned with new students I provide leadership through example. I prove that with a little bit of planning and organization becoming a part of the iSchool can be a fun and rewarding experience. I have enjoyed sharing what I've learned . I think this is a very positive experience for all involved and I'd like to thank the people who got this program off the ground and running.

 

Staff Senate Representative - In June 2007 I had the honor of being elected to serve a two year term as a staff senate representative at the University of Montana. The Staff Senate is made up of 30 members. Each senator represents about 40 staff members in the following employment categories: professional, technical, clerical, crafts, and service.
	visit the staff senate web page
This exciting opportunity has expanded my leadership skills by providing experience in facilitating communication and cooperation between the administration and the non-academic staff at the university. I believe that communication is a necessary skill for all good leaders to develop. As a Staff Senator I am responsible for keeping the lines of communication open between the Senate and the staff community on campus. I designed a newsletter (.pdf) that could either be embedded in an e-mail message or printed out and mailed for those staff members who do not have computer access. In addition I have taken a leadership role in redesigning and updating the Staff Senate web page. This has required the coordination of the IT department on campus, a company called Spectral Fusion, and members of the Senate. While I have only been a member of the Staff Senate for a short time I feel like I am already doing my part to make a difference. I expect this to be a very rewarding position, as I learn more about the workings of the University as a whole I can clearly see how through our efforts we can promote improved working conditions and the professional welfare of the university staff.

 

ALA's Emerging Leaders - I applied for the ALA's Emerging Leadership program 2006-2007. While I wasn't selected I was honored to know that my current employers thought highly enough of my leadership abilities and future potential to write wonderful letters of recommendation for me. I realized that I had truly grown to be a leader during my tenure at the Mansfield Library. In the process of applying for this program, I gained a greater appreciation of the leadership qualities I have developed in the last few years.		"Teressa has become an effective leader within the bibliographic management services department. ... She has the ability to identify areas for improvement and to provide recommendations for potential implementation. She has a very positive attitude and respects the skills and talents of her co-workers." Carol Leese - Manager Cataloging/Acquisitions - Mansfield Library
		" ...she is a leader among her colleagues. Teressa's enthusiasm leads the others to accept the rapid pace of change occurring in technical services operations today." Coby Johnson Interim Head Bibliographic Management Services - Mansfield Library

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