Soon I will be heading over to SLA’s morning of leadership training. If you work for an organization that doesn’t offer internal management training (I was lucky enough to get a job just out of library school with one that did and I benefited tremendously from these hands-on, practical classes at my then POW), then I strongly recommend joining SLA, if you haven’t already, and getting elected to a leadership position. That enables you to participate in SLA’s leadership activities.
This morning we start with a welcome from Robyn Frank, Division Cabinet Chair, and a few remarks from SLA President Stephen Abram. Then it’s on to a summation of wha’t been going on with innovation activities: the Innovation Lab, Learning 2.0, Second Life, and the First 5 Years Work Group. Then we move on to an overview of SLA’s website changes and examples of what’s been going on at the chapter and division levels.
At 10.30 is when the interactive strategic planning leadership planning starts. Small groups for division leaders (on one side of the room) and chapter leaders (on the other side of the room), each table facilitated by one of SLA’s Fellows, will discuss the challenges they face, develop goals for a model unit plan, and draft objectives for each goal. It’s going to be fast-paced and informative.
Although this strategic planning exercise is designed for SLA units, you can easily take the concepts back to your POW and begin a strategic planning process of your own. What are the challenges for your library, your department, your job? Can you collaborate with colleagues at work to brainstorm some goals and objectives? It would be a worthwhile thing to do.
Marydee Ojala
Editor, ONLINE: Exploring Technology & Resources for Information Professionals
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