Article
The Impact of Leadership Development on the
Organizational Culture of a Canadian Academic Library
Jill Crawley-Low
Librarian
University Archives & Special Collections,
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Email: jill.crawley@usask.ca
Received: 19 June 2013 Accepted:
30 Oct. 2013
2013 Crawley-Low. This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons‐Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike License 2.5 Canada (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial
purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the
same or similar license to this one.
Abstract
Objective
– To determine the perceived impact of
leadership development on the behaviours and competencies of employees and the
organizational culture of the University Library, University of Saskatchewan,
Canada.
Methods – Using grounded theory methodology, the study was conducted in an
academic library serving a mid-sized medical-doctoral university in western
Canada. Twenty-one librarians and support staff who had completed the
University Library’s Library Leadership Development Program (LLDP) participated
in one-on-one interviews of 40-60 minutes duration. Interview transcripts were
prepared by the researcher and reviewed by the participants. After editing,
those source documents were analyzed to reveal patterns and common threads in
the responses. The coding scheme that best fits the data includes the following
four headings: skill development, learning opportunities, strategic change
management, and shared understanding of organizational vision and values.
Results – According to the responses in interviews given by graduates of the
Library Leadership Development Program, the library’s investment in learning
has created a cohort of employees who are: self-aware and engaged, committed to
learning and able to develop new skills,
appreciative of change and accepting of challenges, or accountable and
committed to achieving the organization’s vision and values.
Conclusion – Competencies and behaviours developed through exposure to leadership
development learning opportunities are changing the nature of the
organization’s culture to be more collaborative, flexible, open and accepting
of change and challenge, supportive of learning, able to create and use
knowledge, and focussed on achieving the organization’s vision and values.
These are the characteristics commonly associated with a learning organization.
Introduction
Academic libraries operate in complex and
continuously changing information environments as members of the library
community and their parent academic institutions. Often, large organizations
have a conservative culture and may be rigid in their hierarchical structure:
traits that do not promote flexibility in responding to shifting environmental
conditions. However, libraries can leverage the actions of their most
influential and important resource, their employees, to loosen the
organizational culture. The University Library at the University of
Saskatchewan has found that a well-designed and effectively delivered
leadership development program empowers employees to learn new skills to
develop behaviours that allow them to respond positively to change, to accept
challenges in their daily lives, and to become flexible enough to solve
problems and create knowledge.
In this project, graduates of an in-house
leadership development program were asked to consider the value of the learning
opportunity and whether they perceived changes in their own behaviours and that
of their colleagues that were reflected in changes to the organizational
culture. A significant investment by library administration over time has been
channelled into the leadership program and, although surveys gathered
information about the effectiveness of the program, there was no investigation
of the impact of employees’ leadership behaviours on themselves, their
colleagues, and the organizational culture. The research presented here
supplies evidence that the organizational culture has changed as employees have
developed and applied their leadership skills.
With the arrival of a new Library dean in
2006, the University Library at the University of Saskatchewan committed to
developing its employees as leaders and innovators. The vision, as described in
the University Library’s Strategic Plan (2013b), is supported by several
initiatives that are designed to transform library collections, facilities,
services, and the organizational culture. As expressed by the dean, “At the
heart of the plan was our vision to be leaders and innovators and to create a
dynamic learning organization” (Williamson, 2013, p. 134). Fully realizing this
vision would involve developing an engaged workforce operating in a supportive
learning environment. One of the action items in the plan was to develop a
process for growing management leadership and expertise within the library and
rolling it out to all levels of library employees. From this action item the
Library Leadership Development Plan (LLDP) was launched in 2009.
The LLDP was designed and delivered by two
organizational development specialists, neither of whom were librarians.
Organizational development is “an ongoing, thoughtfully planned effort by all
members of an organization to improve how that organization operates, serves
its stakeholders, fulfills its mission and approaches its vision” (Stephens
& Russell, 2004, p. 241). In developing the content of the program, the organizational
development specialists gathered input from library employees through focus
groups. The first LLDP was presented to 18 librarians with or without
administrative responsibilities. The second LLDP was presented to support staff
with supervisory or technical responsibilities. Later iterations, as LLDP3 and
LLDP4, were open to all library employees.
The LLDP consists of six modules offered in
sessions of two consecutive days in a pleasant off-campus location over several
months. Class size is limited to 20 employees. Each module highlights a
leadership competency supported by group discussion and individual study. Each
module includes a behavioural assessment instrument to encourage self-awareness
and better understanding of colleagues. Midway through the program,
participants form three teams and each team selects a “leadership action
challenge” from a list of leadership topics of interest to academic libraries.
This encourages practical application of leadership skills by participants, and
recommendations from the challenge reports have found their way into the
library’s strategic plan as action items. The LLDP Program at a Glance is reproduced in Appendix A. More details about the program can be found
in Williamson (2013).
Although the future of the LLDP as an ongoing
development program was unknown in 2009, when the inaugural program was
offered, it has been well received by employees and library administration has
remained committed to the program. The stable program content over time has resulted
in a valuable collection of longitudinal data about satisfaction with the
program. From an analysis of data from the four LLDP offerings, Braganza(2012)
reports “We can infer participants in each cohort gained valuable leadership
knowledge and skills” (p. 16).
The University Library collects data from
other sources as well. Since 2005, there has been an annual employee opinion
survey including questions to measure employee engagement. As described by
Mierke (2013), “in 2005 … only 54% of library employees were considered to be
engaged. However, between 2005 and 2011 this score steadily increased to 72%
and held steady in 2012.” The LLDP and its companion sustaining leadership
program is the primary leadership development program in the Library. Although
there are other training and development opportunities for employees, the LLDP
focusses on leadership, which suggests that it has contributed to the rising
engagement scores.
The current study takes a different route and
links the development of employees’ leadership competencies and behaviours with
changes in the library’s organizational culture based on exposure to leadership
development programs.
Literature Review
The leadership and organizational development
literature is multi-disciplinary and voluminous compared to the more modest
literature focussing specifically on leadership and organizational development
occurring in libraries. A special issue of Library
Trends on organizational development and leadership is edited by Russell
and Stephens (2004) and is very helpful. Selected topics discussing the
application of organizational development and leadership theory in a library
setting include the learning organization by Giesecke and McNeil (2004),
organizational culture by Kaarst-Brown, Nicholson, von Dran and Stanton (2004),
and organizational development by Stephens and Russell (2004). Leadership in
libraries is an important ongoing area of interest because there is a
requirement to mentor the next generation of library leaders (Branin, 2012) and
to transform libraries through leadership development programs (Fallon,
Maxwell, McCaffrey & McMahon, 2011; Jordan, 2012; Merrill & Lindsay,
2009; Michalak, 2012; Williamson, 2013).
Since the research in leadership and
leadership development, organizational culture, and the learning organization
has occurred mostly in the business disciplines, it is useful to mention the
concepts here. There are many definitions of leadership. A simple, but a useful
one, suggested by Day and Antonakis (2012), is: “leadership is purpose-driven
action that brings about change or transformation based on values, ideals,
vision, symbols and emotional exchanges,” as (p. 5). Thus, leadership becomes
embedded in the social interactions among employees who are working towards a
common goal. Another definition was developed by the first LLDP cohort in 2009:
[Leadership
is] using our behaviour to influence others to willingly follow an idea,
process or vision for the common good. Everyone can be a leader, not just by
position. There is leadership at all layers and levels within the library.
(University of Saskatchewan, 2009).
For individuals and groups, leadership
development is the expansion of an individual’s capacity to be effective in
leadership roles and process. “Leadership is a social process… LD [leadership
development] can be something we do along the way as part of our work, not
something additional we do on the side if we have time” (Gaines, 2012, p.
9). An effective leadership development
program sets the conditions for direction, alignment, and commitment at the
individual, group and organizational levels.
Organizational culture has been widely studied
and the findings applied in a variety of work settings where organizations want
to maximize effectiveness in complex situations. According to Schein (1985):
The culture of a group is a pattern of shared basic assumptions –
invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with
its problems of external adaptation and internal integration - that has worked
well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members
as the correct way to perceive, think and feel. (Chapter 1,
p. 9).
In fact, the strength and stability of a
culture is derived from its group-based nature. Therefore, culture is deeply
entrenched in organizations and results from the behaviours and attitudes of
employees of the organization. Although the culture is always evolving, it
takes time to change basic assumptions, so change occurs first with adjustments
in employees’ behaviours and attitudes in response to environmental and other
factors impacting the organization.
Employees developing leadership skills need
the supportive environment of a learning organization. The learning
organization is a concept that is characterized by five learning disciplines,
one of which is systems thinking. According to Senge (1990), in writing about
the learning organization, the practice of systems thinking underlies the other
four learning disciplines. Further, the systems thinking discipline is a way of
dealing with complexity in organizations by seeing interrelationships rather
than linear cause-effect chains. The LLDP introduced library employees to the
theory underpinning the five disciplines of a learning organization: shared vision,
personal mastery, mental models, group learning, and systems thinking (Senge,
1990, pp. 6-11). A learning organization is one which is “skilled at creating,
acquiring and transferring knowledge and modifying its behavior to reflect new
knowledge and insights” (Giesecke & McNeil, 2004, p. 55). Meanwhile, a
leadership development program provides the resources by which employees can
develop leadership competencies and behaviours and, in turn, influence the
organizational culture.
Aims
The goal of this study was to describe library
employees’ perceptions of the impact of the LLDP on themselves, their
colleagues, and the organization. The research questions guiding this study
were:
- Which leadership behaviours do the LLDP
graduates perceive having developed as a result of their exposure to
library leadership develop opportunities?
- How do the LLDP graduates rate the effect
of library leadership programs on their leadership development?
- Which effects of leadership learning have
the LLDP graduates observed in their colleagues and in the organization?
Methods
The study took place in an academic library
serving a mid-sized medical/doctoral university in western Canada using
grounded theory methodology. This research project was approved by the
University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Board in June 2012.
Grounded theory, as described by Glaser and
Strauss (1967), is the methodology used for analyzing the qualitative data
collected in this study. It is a systematic approach to data collection and
analysis that is, according to Kenealy (2012), increasingly used in
organizational and managerial research. Grounded theory is explicitly emergent
with the focus is on determining which theory accounts for the research
situation, rather than on hypothesis testing. The starting point is data
collection using unstructured interviews (Alvesson & Ashcraft, 2012), which
is supplemented by observational data, findings from the literature, and
additional sampling of relevant data.
In this study, the researcher invited 44
library employees who were graduates of the LLDP to participate in the study.
Twenty-one consented, and this number of research participants was sufficient
to reach saturation of the data, and therefore the researcher recorded no new
responses as the last transcripts were coded. The LLDP graduates participated
in one-on-one interviews of 40-60 minutes duration in a neutral study location.
The researcher administered a set of interview
questions that included both standardized questions and open-ended questions
designed for full exploration of the participants’ perceptions of the effect of
leadership learning on themselves, their colleagues, and the organization. The
interview questions are included in Appendix B. Within a few days of each
interview, the researcher prepared an interview transcript to be reviewed by
the participant. These source documents were imported into NVivo software for
analysis.
NVivo was used to organize verbatim segments
from the interview transcripts that expressed the participants’ responses to
interview questions. The researcher coded segments of the transcripts using the
following explanatory headings: skill development, learning opportunities,
strategic change management, and shared understanding of organizational vision
and values. These headings became the Leadership Learning Model. The researcher
assigned levels of importance to the data by frequency or originality of coded
responses, as recommended by Sinkovics and Alfoldi (2012) and by Bazeley
(2007). The researcher organized interviewees’ comments using the categories of
the Leadership Learning Model. It was evident that participation in the LLDP
had had a positive effect on individuals and the organization.
Results
The Study Population
Although 70 employees graduated from the LLDP
from 2009 to 2012, the available study population in summer 2012 was restricted
to 44 potential participants because of leaves, vacations, retirements, and
resignations. The final study sample consisted of librarians, library
assistants, and administrative employees, twenty of whom were women. The
majority of the 21 participants were library assistants (9/21) or librarians
(9/21), and a minority (3/21) were administrative employees. The librarians and
library assistants had different profiles for years of service as shown in Figure
1. The majority of librarians (5/9) were relative newcomers with 0 to 5 years
of service, whereas, the majority of library assistants (5/9) were senior
employees with 20 years of service or more. Although it may seem that the
administrative employees were under-represented, the proportion of study
participants reflects the profile of the library as a whole.
Figure 1
Participants’
classification and years of service.
Whether library employees work directly with
clients, as in branch libraries, or work with clients internal to the library,
as in service units, their perspectives on service may differ. Thus, LLDP
organizers took care to include both branch and unit employees in the sessions.
All seven branches and all four units in the University Library were
represented in the population, with 52% of the participants from branches
(11/21) slightly outnumbering 48% of the participants from the units (10/21).
Self-rating Leadership Development
During the interviews, respondents were asked
to rate their own leadership development in three time periods: before LLDP,
six months after LLDP, and currently. The majority of participants (15/21)
perceived an increase in their leadership skill level from the time period,
before LLDP, to the current time
period. They cited three factors for their improved leadership skills:
·
participating
in ongoing leadership learning opportunities such as the library’s Leadership
Community of Practice or Leadership Reading Club;
·
personal
motivation was used to keep learning; and
·
consciously
and routinely applying new skills in their work.
Those participants (6/21) whose leadership
development did not increase after attending the LLDP cited the following
reasons:
·
work
demands leaving no time for participating in continuing learning opportunities;
·
substantial
leadership experience and learning prior to the LLDP;
·
changing
work roles; and
·
failing
to use the skills they had developed.
Overall, the majority of respondents (15/21)
answering this question saw their self-identified leadership rating improve as
result of attending the Library Leadership Development Program.
Leadership Learning Model
Five open-ended questions asked for fuller
exploration of the participants’ perceptions of the value of leadership learning
and the effect of leadership learning on themselves, their colleagues, and the
organization (see Appendix B). As the responses were coded and different
organizational schemes were tried, the following categories kept reappearing:
skill development, learning opportunities, strategic change management, and
shared understanding of organizational vision and values. These categories
formed the Leadership Learning Model, which was devised by the researcher as a
way to organize the interview responses. Upon reviewing the literature, the
researcher found that these categories often appeared in combination with other
categories in descriptions of the essential components of leadership learning
programs. The model has two categories in common (skill development and shared
understanding of vision and values) with the discipline of systems thinking,
which includes shared vision, personal mastery, mental models, and group
learning (Senge, 1990). The four categories are discussed in greater detail
with verbatim comments from interview participants.
Skill Development
In the category of skill development, the
behaviours resulting from their exposure to leadership learning and development
opportunities that were most often cited by respondents were increased
self-awareness (14/21 participants) and increased self-confidence (10/21
participants). The assessment and feedback instruments offered by the LLDP and
other leadership opportunities allowed participants to explore their own
strengths and weaknesses. For example, participant 16 noted that, “the idea of
not always focussing on what’s wrong, this was much more positive, building
on what’s good, let’s recognize what is working
which is really nice”.
Some interviewees
perceived leadership learning to be of value personally, while others cited
professional growth. Participant 16 noted, “[I] remember it being said that
leadership can happen in your personal life. I hadn’t thought of that”.
Participant 21 analyzed leadership learning as,
Any learning, but specifically leadership
learning to me has made me a better person, professionally. A lot of that has
to do with the confidence it’s given me, the fact that I will seek
opportunities, it’s given me a bit more of a polish that I can now seek out
these opportunities and be a team member and take on more of a leadership role
on committees, volunteering more to take on tasks associated with committees.
Figure 2
Leadership learning model.
According to participant 2, leadership
learning is, “allowing me to stay fresh and excited because leadership in a
managerial or supervisor role can be tiring and exhausting and difficult from
time to time.” According to participant 9:
Showing leadership isn’t necessarily being the
CEO running an office. It’s being the CEO of your life. You have the tools to
decide where you want to go with this. You can change the way you think about
your career, your life, how you handle situations or you can stay the same.
It’s stirring something up that’s making you face some of these things that
you’ve never uncovered.
Participant 21 noted:
The majority of people I speak to have been
glad they went through LLDP, they have confidence. Roles and responsibilities
have changed because they are now applying for positions, because they feel
they have the skills and confidence. They are moving outside that box that they
were in before. I think we are seeing more progression in career paths.
In addition to developing self-awareness and
self-confidence, participants commented on their enhanced understanding of the
perspectives and actions of others. In the LLDP, cohort members shared the
results from their personality instruments with one another, leading to a
better understanding of themselves and also why colleagues behave as they do.
Interviewees commented that as a result of their deeper understanding of
colleagues’ behaviours they were more accepting of others. They recognized and
appreciated diversity more and felt greater respect for their colleagues, which
resulted in positive behaviours such as being less critical and more tolerant,
patient, and empathetic toward colleagues.
Participant 14 spoke about “recognizing that
just because they [other employees] are doing things differently doesn’t mean
it’s wrong, recognizing behavioural styles and different personalities, it
really helps to understand where a person is coming from”. Meanwhile,
participant 11 noted:
Learning about myself is a big benefit, but learning about others is
bigger which leads to being more patient and empathetic”. Participant 14’s
attitude towards colleagues was, “being a better coach and mentor, being less
critical, being more open and giving the person more time to grow, and just
being more tolerant.
With improved understanding of others came
more effective and efficient personal and professional relationships.
Team-building is an activity that results from
individual skill development and awareness of others. The LLDP presented theory
about the characteristics of high-functioning teams which was subsequently
applied in practice as teams were formed and members worked collaboratively for
program-end presentations. Participants noted that teams seemed to work better
after the LLDP because there was a common understanding of the attributes of
teams and how effective teams operate. According to participant 2, “LLDP has
certainly helped the team approach that shared roles and responsibilities and
staff contributing and being part of teams and saying ‘I’ll try that,’” while
participant 12 noted, “before I used to think who broke it, now I think how can
we fix it? It’s a mind shift. If I do one thing better today than before then
it’s ok.”
Employees commented on the shared experience
and language of leadership learning that helped improve their relationships
with colleagues and boosted collaboration. Participant 12 explained:
[LLDP has affected] the majority of people who have gone through; it’s
become a good conversation piece among people who don’t associate usually.
There is more communication and a shared experience to build on. It’s creating
an atmosphere that we are all one group.
Participant 21 agreed:
Indeed, because the teams and individuals are
the foundation of the organization, and if the individuals and the teams are
working effectively, then this will be reflected in the organization and it
will work better.
The idea of “leading from where you are” is a tagline from the LLDP, and 4/21
interviewees included that specific phrase in their answers. According to
participant 16,
“There is wider recognition that you can lead
from wherever you are, [you] didn’t need to be in a formal leadership position;
it just raised my awareness that I did have some influence that I didn’t think
I had previously”.
Overall, the skills that participants
developed and the behaviours learned as individuals and on teams have created a
cohort of self-aware and engaged employees.
Learning Opportunities
The learning opportunities category relates to
the development of holistic leaders working in a supportive learning
organization. Learning by doing was observed in the Library’s environment of
leadership development. Interviewees expressed a desire to make time in their
busy lives to hone and practice leadership skills and apply them until they
became automatic. Participant 4 commented that, “a lot of this stuff you hear
it over and over again and it eventually becomes natural as opposed to a conscious
act, while participant 21 noted, “I think we learned that for the future we
will always be able to apply [learning] and make the organization better and
serve our users.”.
Interviewees showed their commitment to
learning with their comments about sustaining leadership in the library. They
noted that self-directed groups such as the Leadership Community of Practice,
the Leadership Reading Club, and other sustaining opportunities, all foster
ongoing learning. They also noted that library management’s commitment to
leadership development has been reflected in higher numbers of employees
participating in library-sponsored leadership learning opportunities.
Participant 19 noted that, “more people are showing up to events and training,
more of the library staff goes to sessions.”
Arising from the value of the shared learning
experience, the LLDP graduates showed their commitment to the learning
organization by lobbying library managers to continue to support learning
opportunities that are available for all employees. According to one, “any
investment that an organization makes in training of any kind is always worth
it” (participant 22). Another noted, “I became an advocate for LLDP; I
encouraged several people personally who were thinking of taking the next session
after mine” (participant 10), while a third commented, “there is also a little
bit more of a realization that you risk being left behind, if you don’t change”
(participant 12).
In terms of developing diverse skills,
participants cited cross-training opportunities as one way to help improve
relationships and dissolve real or perceived barriers or silos. Participant 10
noted, “staff don’t need to move around but it’s useful if there is a
cross-training opportunity and you get a different perspective”. Overall,
participants valued a learning environment where they could participate
actively in their own learning, develop new skills, and share learning with
colleagues.
Change Management
Organizations use strategic change management
tools such as improved communication and alignment of priorities to help build
change-related skills. Thus, an objective of the LLDP was “to develop a plan
with change management and communications strategies, including success
factors, to increase probability of positive leadership skill development”
(Clarke, 2010, p. 3). The LLDP and other University Library-sponsored
leadership learning opportunities have addressed the theory of change in
organizations and the importance of clear and open communication at all levels
in the organization.
There is evidence from participants’ comments
that:
·
they
acknowledge that change is inevitable;
·
they feel more confident about embracing
change including feeling more flexible in their approaches to work; and
·
some
have expressed a personal desire for change.
Employees have been introduced to change
management tools in the LLDP and that has taken away some of the fear of
change. They have embraced change as inevitable and potentially beneficial and
are beginning to perceive ways of working in the organization that are more
flexible and experimental. Participant 11 noted, “because of our history here,
people don’t accept change too well, so it was good to get people introduced
into it.” Another interviewee mentioned that, “staff are adapting to changes
now, they know change is inevitable” (participant 12), and according to
participant 10, “I see people changing and ideas are forming and people are
more willing to talk about those things and look at things from different
perspectives.” As noted by participant 5,
I have said this to lots of people that I feel fortunate to work in an
organization that supports leadership. It takes a lot of time and effort and
it’s a big investment of resources. I don’t think everyone recognizes how huge
the opportunity is.
Participants felt that improved communication
helped make them more aware of the details of change occurring in the
organization and more aware of the effects of those changes on the
organization. One noted, “we are not implementing this
change because we want to do something to you; it’s just better for the
organization to do it this way” (participant 11), while “Communication with
staff is better, there is more transparency” (participant 18). Some felt an
expectation to give opinions and a new freedom to question decisions, although
others felt that feedback was not always welcomed. Participant 11 would, “step
out of my comfort zone and do things I wouldn’t have done before and speak
more, give my opinion”.
An important aspect of change management is
succession planning, which appears as initiatives in both the University of
Saskatchewan’s People Plan (2013a) and the Library Strategic Plan (2013b). The
strategic plan was created in 2006 by a large team with broad library
representation. It makes public the vision, mission, and values of the
University Library which are supported by four strategies. The plan is reviewed
annually and action items related to the strategies may be added or removed. A
report card keeps track of the progress of all action items. Central themes in
the strategic plan recognize the critical role of library employees in all
aspects of library services, collections, and facilities development. The
People Plan was created using a similar process that developed the strategic
plan. The four core people strategies are: learn and develop, relationships and
collaboration, appreciate and celebrate, and conversation and communication. By
providing employees with the means to develop leadership skills and fostering
the learning environment with sustaining leadership development offerings, the
organization expects that employees will develop leadership competencies and
behaviours that contribute to transformation. This will also address, in part,
managing the employee complement for optimal performance. Participant 16 noted,
I don’t know if this is related directly to the library leadership
program but I do feel a bit of pressure that the expectation is that the ones
who are here will be expected to take on more leadership roles.
Participant 17 echoed that thought, “You are
not management, but we expect leadership from you”.
Interviewees were well aware of the
generational change occurring in the library with the departure of experienced,
mature employees and the intake of new employees with marketable skills that
the transformed library needs. As noted in the individual skill development
section, the LLDP has had a positive effect on team building, collaboration and
positive behaviours including respect for each other. As a result, there is
more sharing of knowledge and more flexible approaches to completing tasks.
Participant 18 commented,
With our clients, they come to the library and talk to people who are
excited about the library and engaged with the library it makes a more positive
experience with the library. Newer staff are engaged, but the older staff after
taking the program are a little bit more positive[ly].
Interviewees indicated that certain job duties
need to evolve to satisfy the career plans of employees who now see themselves
as leaders. Participant 2 noted,
It’s a challenge [for supervisors keeping control] because all of a
sudden they’ve got people who want to participate in lots of things and want to
show their initiative, they have great ideas they want to share them and apply
them”.
Overall there is a new acceptance of the
inevitability of change, without fear, and a willingness to accept challenges
and work together for the betterment of the organization.
Shared Understanding of the Organization’s Vision and Values
Shared understanding of the organization’s
vision and values is a fundamental aspect of leadership development, in which
the direction of the organization is spelled out in living strategic planning
documents and employees are encouraged to align their activities to support the
organization’s goals. A strong sense of community also arises from shared
understanding of the organization’s vision and values.
The Strategic Plan and the People Plan make
public the values and dreams of the organization, and describe the initiatives
required to move towards achieving the transformative vision. In terms of
understanding the organization’s vision and values, participants noted that a
grasp of the “big picture” view of the organization is more common than in the
past and there is increased comprehension of progress towards the
transformation as described in the library’s vision. Participant 10 explained,
“what I saw that I would really applaud [in] coming to this organization was
the planning, the organization, strategic directions, and the focus on growth,
training and change”. Participant 12 noted,
I personally like to be someone who has a
better knowledge of the big picture. Some people want to come in and [they
say], ‘let me do my job, I want to fly under the radar’. I like to know where I
fit in with regards to the rest of the organization.
The Library Strategic Plan and the People Plan
are also documents that guide personal development, as noted by participant 8:
Leadership development speaks to aligned
priorities whatever leadership looks like, whether it’s a formal role or not,
it’s a sense of ownership of being part owner of this space and this place and
this organization, so I don’t feel like just a number putting in time to do a
certain amount of work every day. It feels like I have stake in this.
The
environment of strategic planning in the University Library is reinforced by
the University’s open discussion and development of its integrated plan. There
is the perception by the University that the Library is a valued employer
because they focus on developing employees. According to one interviewee, “we
[the University Library] are much more strategic in the way we work by aligning
with the university and it seems to reinforce what we’re doing and why we’re
doing certain things” (participant 1). This was echoed by participant 12, who
noted “in the campus community, I interact with a number of people and the
library is seen as a progressive employer. It’s not perfect, but the library is
one of the more progressive units”.
Another aspect of developing a shared
understanding of the vision and values is a strong sense of community. This
sense was fostered by the LLDP in the intensive shared learning experience and
has been built upon by other leadership learning opportunities. There was
general recognition that participation in leadership development opportunities
provided LLDP participants with tools and information to behave as leaders,
which in turn helped create a more positive mindset towards work, better
relationships with colleagues, and a sense of their place in the organization.
Several interviewees concurred, such as participant 17, who noted, “for people
who buy in, it’s affirming, it’s motivating,” while another commented “[there
was] more collegiality later amongst the staff of four cohorts that have the
same language” (participant 14). On a similar theme, “there’s much more
acceptance of changes in roles and responsibilities, and more shared roles and
responsibilities” (participant 2). Participant 7 expressed confidence in the
learning community, saying, “I am seeking out relationships that might have
been intimidating to me before.” Overall, the shared understanding of the
vision and values underscores the importance of each employee’s contribution to
the organization and creates momentum towards achieving the transformative
vision.
The culture of the organization is being
changed by the behaviours and attitudes of employees who have embraced
leadership development. These are the kind of employees who will contribute to
and sustain a learning organization. As noted by Giesecke and McNeil (2004),
employees “are engaged and accountable; they appreciate change; accept
challenge; are able to develop new skills; and are committed to the
organization’s vision and values” (p. 55).
University Library employees see themselves as leaders and have
expectations of themselves, of their colleagues, and of the organization to
achieve a common vision.
Discussion
Using the Leadership Learning Model as a
framework for organizing the varied responses from the interviews, it is the
perception of the LLDP graduates that the program has helped them develop
leadership behaviours and competencies. This was asked by the first research
question.
For the category of individual skill
development, participants reported increased self-confidence and
self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of, and respect for, others.
Interpersonal relationships between individuals and among groups are more open
and collaborative, and individuals are prepared to share knowledge and break
down silos in the organization. This is evidence of a self-aware and engaged
workforce.
In the area of learning opportunities,
participants valued learning and recognized the importance of sustained
leadership development for themselves and for all employees in the
organization. They were prepared to lead from where they are and to continue
learning, developing and practicing leader behaviours and competencies. This is
evidence of commitment to learning and becoming a more skilled and
forward-thinking workforce.
Participants demonstrated an altered
perspective of change in the workplace. They embraced change as inevitable and
potentially beneficial, and no longer to be feared. They acknowledged that
improved and increased communication at all levels has made decision-making
seem more transparent and understandable throughout the organization. They have
more flexible attitudes toward work, how it is accomplished, and by whom. This is
evidence of a workforce that can appreciate change and accept challenges.
Finally, interviewees reported a deeper
understanding of the organization’s vision and values and an enhanced mental
image of their place in the organization. Knowing that their contributions to
the organization were important translated into an enhanced service philosophy
and heightened leadership expectations for everyone in the organization. A
stronger sense of community has developed through shared learning experiences
coupled with a deeper understanding of the organization’s vision and values.
Shared activity towards a common goal provides the momentum that moves the
organization closer to achieving its vision. This is evidence of employees who
are accountable with a commitment to the organization’s vision and values.
The second research question asked how LLDP
graduates rated the effect of the program on their development. Overall, the
majority of respondents (15/21) answering this question saw their
self-identified leadership rating improve as result of attending the LLDP. The
success factors cited included participation in ongoing leadership activities,
personal motivation to continue learning, and consciously applying new skills
at work. Learning was hampered for others by competing demands on their time,
changing work roles, and failure to practice and develop leadership skills.
The third research question asked the LLDP
graduates for their perceptions of changes to the organizational culture.
Culture is deeply entrenched in organizations and cannot be imposed externally;
it has to develop internally in response to conditions within the organization,
and is always evolving. Changes in the culture of an organization are first
seen as changes in the behaviours and attitudes of employees, and occur over
time as basic assumptions are changed. This study indicates that the library’s
organizational culture is changing as employees develop their leadership
competencies and behaviours. Their competencies and behaviours are changing the
organization’s culture to be more collaborative, flexible, open to change and
challenge, supportive of learning, able to create and use knowledge, and
focussed on achieving the vision and living the values.
The inherently conservative nature of the
library organization resists opportunities to develop fully into a learning
organization. There are a number of examples of deficits, including fear of
risk-taking, failure to foster innovative thinking or reflection, discomfort
with feedback from colleagues, and failure to translate learning into practice.
All are opportunities to learn, but may fall prey to reverting to old ways of
thinking and doing. The response to the conservative organization that is
resisting change is to support and empower employees through a strong and
sustainable leadership development program in a supportive learning environment
that allows them to keep the transformative vision in view at all times.
Conclusions
The University Library’s vision to transform
library collections, facilities, services and the organizational culture is
activated by initiatives in its strategic planning documents. Some of those
initiatives focus on the development of leaders within the organization whose
leadership competencies and behaviours will, by combined effort, change the
culture of the organization. According to the responses in interviews given
by graduates of the LLDP, the investment in learning for employees has paid off
by creating a cohort of workers who are self-aware and engaged. These employees
appreciate change, accept challenges, are able to develop new skills, and are
committed to achieving the organization’s vision and values.
Their leadership behaviours and competencies
developed by employees during the Library Leadership Development Program
offerings have translated into changes in the organizational culture.
Participants perceive the culture to be more collaborative, operating more
transparently, open to change, supportive of learning and creating new
knowledge, and focussed on a common vision. The cycle involving leadership
development occurring in a supportive learning organization leads to continuous
progress towards the library’s transformative vision of leaders and innovators
operating in a learning organization.
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