Libraries and Leadership
Have you ever tried to buy a turkey the evening before Thanksgiving? I have firsthand knowledge and can assure you that it is a painful process involving the endless search for a parking space and stalking people with your car that you see leaving the store. It means navigating congested grocery aisles and squeezing past …
A recent Gallup study on the “State of American Managers” states, “Only one in ten people have the high talent level to effectively manage others. Another two in ten have functioning managerial talent”. They go on to explain that the two in ten that show functional abilities can be coached and mentored, and will eventually …
Management is the art of making the right decision, at the right time and then taking the right action. Decision-making is one of our primary tasks as leaders and managers. And there lies both the risk and the dangers. Decision-making is the process of simplifying complexity, creating strategies, processing large amounts of information and making …
Do we still need books when we have the Internet? This question comes up from time to time and I wish I had a simple answer. To be fair it is not a simple question. I was listening to Walter Isaacson talk about his most recent book “Leonardo da Vinci” on NPR. I never knew …
One of the greatest joys in my life is getting to hear authors talk about their stories. This year I had the honor to listen to Astronaut Scott Kelly talk at the Unity Temple in Kansas City. Kelly set the record for the greatest amount of time in space for an American. He spent a …
How does Johnson County Library, as a quasi-governmental agency, connect with other organizations? How do these connections build and strengthen a community? Are these connections beneficial to both entities, and how would you know? The adjacent possible is the concept that adjacent to both organizations and their visions there are possibilities. Substantial things that can be …
I have been reading “Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know” by E.D. Hirsch, JR. What I am finding interesting is the link between community and language. Over the last couple of years, we have worked on developing a Johnson County Library culture. The long-term bet I was making was that creating a highly …
What is the role of a citizen, and how does a citizen’s behavior shape a community, and then how does a community shape a nation? I have continued to be curious about the idea of the public library’s role in community building, as it is one of three strategic themes. Who has a voice in …
Community Building: The Da Vinci Code helped me see the light I spent last Thursday night listening to Dan Brown the author of “The Da Vinci Code” and many other best sellers talk about his new book “Origins” at the Unity Temple in Kansas City. He did comment on the irony of the location, which …
Community Building: Awkward Thoughts about Groups and Teams I finished reading “The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell”. It was totally awesome and I recommend it. He narrates the audiobook, where his timing and delivery are perfect. Why am I riffing on the title of his book when I am writing about groups and teams? …