TechNique: January 2006
Succession planning for libraries
Problems:
We need to make provision for the development and replacement of key people over time. Librarians are great technicians but are less knowledgeable on the library as an entity, marketing, and the role of libraries in the wider world. Librarianship has never done professional development well- not great at getting people from outside the profession to talk to us-our organisations are functional based, bureaucratic and prone to silos-we hire for technical skills not leadership, we focus too much on the position and not the individual. We are not finding and developing leaders. Current approaches are obsolete, the way we hire people has to change. There are currently four generations in the working environment at the moment; we need an approach to diversity that will accommodate all. Workplace trends at the moment include broad banding- a broad set of skills, greater movement between positions, less rigid job descriptions and skill sets that reach across departments and functional groups. We need people who are risk takers, adaptable and flexible so must place less emphasis on grooming workers for the one position and encourage the softer skills of getting on with and leading others.
How to address the problems of succession planning
Planning must be a big picture, long-term process with everyone involved, driven by the needs of users and supported by senior managers. We need to focus on developing people that can benefit the organisation as a whole. On a personal level have a three to five year plan-think about creating a realistic vision based on the realities of your organisation and the environment in which it operates. Identify the needed skills, assess your strengths, and weaknesses, plot out the skills needed in the future and how you will achieve the.
The ANTA website is a useful place to investigate competency profiles.
- Know your broader environment...who are the non-library employers who are attractive to applicants?
- How can you compete?
- Know what is happening in your library schools.
- Find the right people to create relationships with students-
- Help with their education; encourage them to see librarianship as a career.
- Poach students and keep in touch!
- Create a high profile for your library.
- Get involved with library programs.
- Have ongoing recruitment programs.
- Have a good hiring process that's not too long.
- Have frank and clear discussions, identify training and development possibilities.
- Mentor.
- Know your people's ambitions and aspirations.
- Think organisation wide rather than individual positions, reduce hierarchies, focucoaching, broaden duties and responsabilities and reduce dead end jobs.
- Shorten the hiring process and choose people who reflect your users.
- Be aware of local conditions, be a good employer, recognize your weaknesses, recognize that not everyone wants to be a manager, reward well and review your organisational structure.
Note:
Vicki Whitmell very kindly provided the following information on succession planning and libraries in Canada recently (November 2005)
'A national wide study was completed earlier this year in Canada on the state of staffing in libraries and the need for succession planning. Work is continuing on responding to some of the recommendations on the report. One of them, a training skills gap analysis, is underway. The Canadian Library Association (similar to ALIA) has established a president's council on the 8Rs study. The group is working on a number of projects, but hasn't released anything quite yet'.
Links
The future of human resources in Canadian libraries by the 8R research team
Vicky Whitmell's website
ANTA website (competencies, reports)
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