tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post7324933024721021521..comments2024-03-27T05:00:00.090-04:00Comments on Letters to a Young Librarian: Letters From a Young LibrarianJessica Olinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-58456582013182756532013-01-28T20:51:14.548-05:002013-01-28T20:51:14.548-05:00She would throw them away?! Wow. I know I'm go...She would throw them away?! Wow. I know I'm going to make mistakes, but that's one I'll never make.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-32802862874494352292013-01-28T00:41:52.236-05:002013-01-28T00:41:52.236-05:00Pet Peeve: I had a boss that would send out an ema...Pet Peeve: I had a boss that would send out an email to everyone in my job-class whenever someone did something wrong, but she would never talk to the person face-to-face first. So I would always be wondering if that email was directed at me or not.<br /><br />Also, I had a boss who didn't like dirty dishes to be stacked in the communal sink. Any time there were any dishes in there (even if it was the middle of the day, with many hours to clean them before we closed) she would throw them away. So we had no dishes. There were so many other ways to deal with that, without leaving us dish-less!<br /><br />Great management: I love it when my boss takes on the difficult library patrons with me, and then talks to me about it later to go over the situation. I learn so much!Spangledhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15059364091231891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-35353173200326502842013-01-25T15:10:59.375-05:002013-01-25T15:10:59.375-05:00Thanks for the kudos!
And I sooooooo hear you abo...Thanks for the kudos!<br /><br />And I sooooooo hear you about micromanaging. That's one of my pet peeves, too.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-58261548167239462502013-01-25T15:10:17.229-05:002013-01-25T15:10:17.229-05:00I'm horrified that you've been used as a p...I'm horrified that you've been used as a pawn. Wow.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-3894343897786826612013-01-24T12:32:14.959-05:002013-01-24T12:32:14.959-05:00Hi,
I just discovered your blog and I love it! Y...Hi,<br /><br />I just discovered your blog and I love it! You have so many useful posts! Please keep up the excellent work!<br /><br />Management Behavior Pet Peeve:<br /><br />Inconsistency!!!<br />Lack of fostering a positive work experience or teamwork among employees.<br />Lack of regular routine staff meetings.<br />Administering tasks for me to do before I even have my coat off.<br />Micromanaging when unnecessary.<br /><br />Favorite Boss:<br /><br />Constantly kept me aware of what was going on in the library and in the news about libraries in general.<br />Was constantly advertizing and encouraging opportunities to me.<br />Resolved any issues at work immediately.<br />Genuine curiosity about the books I was currently reading and engaged in book discussions with me.<br /><br />I have to say my absolute favorite boss (is fictional and a little crazy) is Parker Posey in Price Check. She had energy and passion and really wanted everyone to succeed.FindItGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05711900851643937493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-4797036875721044912013-01-23T19:56:50.870-05:002013-01-23T19:56:50.870-05:00Biggest pet peeve, which is almost too big to qual...Biggest pet peeve, which is almost too big to qualify as a pet peeve: using librarians as pawns in ongoing battles amongst managers and administrators (I wish I were kidding). My direct supervisor would demand to know *exactly* what I planned to say in an upcoming meeting with a higher-up so that she could pre-approve it. Many long thought-out proposals died in administrators' desk drawers lest certain managers get any credit. And so on...basically, a complete vacuum of trust and shared purpose/mission/vision, and certainly nothing in the way of functional communication.<br /><br />My best bosses have made healthy communication a priority and ensured that I had all the tools and information necessary to effectively do my job. Furthermore, they've supported me, being always willing to step in and take responsibility for addressing larger institutional challenges that went beyond position but had the capacity to profoundly affect my work.megawatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227571976316752884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-91319543867312016702013-01-23T19:49:36.785-05:002013-01-23T19:49:36.785-05:00Totally hear you about being willing to do the wor...Totally hear you about being willing to do the work you assign. Thanks!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-64330946592965956652013-01-23T19:47:19.869-05:002013-01-23T19:47:19.869-05:00I totally agree about knowing the whole person ins...I totally agree about knowing the whole person instead of just the employee. Thanks!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-91448008321911837412013-01-23T19:46:21.422-05:002013-01-23T19:46:21.422-05:00I like the metaphor of the ship. Good way to think...I like the metaphor of the ship. Good way to think about it. Thanks!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-17727987935003694732013-01-23T19:43:11.159-05:002013-01-23T19:43:11.159-05:00Thanks for mentioning fun. We spend so much time a...Thanks for mentioning fun. We spend so much time at our jobs, it's crucial that we enjoy what we do, and making work fun helps tremendously.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-53377119851987074882013-01-23T19:37:37.942-05:002013-01-23T19:37:37.942-05:00I call that managing-by-consensus, and I agree: so...I call that managing-by-consensus, and I agree: sometimes a decision has to be made. Thanks!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-27720914871898650432013-01-23T19:36:48.370-05:002013-01-23T19:36:48.370-05:00I have a great boss right now! She plays to all of...I have a great boss right now! She plays to all of our strengths, because she's actually learned about what all of us are capable of. She's nice, capable, realistic, understanding, and talented. She doesn't micromanage or get upset about little, insignificant things. Because of all this, when she talks, I listen. I know she's not wasting my time when she brings something to our attention. Also, very important: She never asks anything of us that she doesn't do herself. You ever notice managers who try to enforce rules that they themselves don't follow? They never get very far. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-28467371641090747492013-01-23T19:33:41.909-05:002013-01-23T19:33:41.909-05:00A boss standing up for his/her employees is huge. ...A boss standing up for his/her employees is huge. Thanks for the reminder!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-23277102585223824962013-01-23T19:32:55.504-05:002013-01-23T19:32:55.504-05:00Happy hour = doable.Happy hour = doable.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-28025485951685831852013-01-23T19:32:29.142-05:002013-01-23T19:32:29.142-05:00Failure to keep everyone in the loop is a big pet ...Failure to keep everyone in the loop is a big pet peeve of mine as well. Thanks for your input!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-90733186948547402392013-01-23T19:31:43.421-05:002013-01-23T19:31:43.421-05:00Delegation has always been hard for me, but I know...Delegation has always been hard for me, but I know I can't do it all. Thanks!Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-11896833956430167352013-01-23T19:30:27.976-05:002013-01-23T19:30:27.976-05:00Personal connections are hugely important, so than...Personal connections are hugely important, so thanks for reminding me.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-37478481439247748502013-01-23T19:29:34.913-05:002013-01-23T19:29:34.913-05:00This is helpful, thanks. Good to know that the stu...This is helpful, thanks. Good to know that the stuff I did as a professor will translate over to management.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-36082310848543814672013-01-23T16:32:02.783-05:002013-01-23T16:32:02.783-05:00My biggest pet peeve, both for bosses and co-worke...My biggest pet peeve, both for bosses and co-workers, is behaving dismissively towards their younger, more inexperienced peers. I realize that we young ones are not yet at the apex of professional wisdom, but it doesn't mean that all of our ideas are bad, or that we somehow deserve to be greeted with a higher degree of inattentiveness than my more experienced peers (it is kind of embarrassing how some folks act like we don't notice). We realize we have a lot to learn-but it is wonderful when co-workers and bosses appreciate our perspectives and care about our opinions.<br /><br />My best bosses have made significant efforts to know their staff as whole people, not just employees. How this is accomplished may depend on the organizational/institutional culture, but it is of very high importance. People are generally freely willing to do much more/better work for bosses who care about them outside the office walls.JoAnnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01904747145698764494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-8108682728862946122013-01-23T10:22:29.093-05:002013-01-23T10:22:29.093-05:00Biggest Pet Peeve: No recognition. Going through e...Biggest Pet Peeve: No recognition. Going through every day like he does not realize I am here, and that is literal many times,too. Everyone needs to be recognized, even if it is on the most basic level, to realize they are a valuable part of their workplace. Employees also need to clearly know where the ship is headed and their part in getting it there.<br /><br />Best Boss: She was gifted at finding the best talents in people and supporting their efforts. She communicated well and was fun to be with every single day. I laughed every day at work. Cannot remember the last time I laughed at my present job. It really is good medicine.Georgia Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05343084219668995173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-91555850902014334462013-01-22T20:15:54.705-05:002013-01-22T20:15:54.705-05:00Pet peeve: A boss that doesn't listen to me or...Pet peeve: A boss that doesn't listen to me or make it sound like my concerns are being heard - and I echo the above posters who mentioned feedback. My worst boss made me feel dismissed, as if it didn't matter if I was there or not. Maybe that is my problem - I've always struggled with low self-worth - but I've always tried to make my employees feel appreciated, for that reason. <br /><br />My best boss still works with me, but I no longer report to him. We are now on a peer level. I still see him as a mentor, though, and look at him as a model for what I want to do with my staff. He's open, honest, friendly, and makes work fun. He handles difficult situations with aplomb and is very positive overall. Carihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17089762130217570280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-51798118362441790392013-01-22T16:40:29.365-05:002013-01-22T16:40:29.365-05:00Pet peeve: trying too hard to please all of the pe...Pet peeve: trying too hard to please all of the people all of the time. The best bosses listen (really listen) to employee concerns, but they also know when it's time to step up and make an executive decision that some employees might not like. They know how to communicate those tough decisions and the rationale behind them. Nothing gets done otherwise, and who wants to work for an organization that's not going anywhere? Alison Aldrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03883637762449201255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-46638821621953036842013-01-22T16:08:42.649-05:002013-01-22T16:08:42.649-05:00I'll echo others and say communication, above ...I'll echo others and say communication, above everything else. Tell me what's going on, please - don't just tell one person on staff and assume that word will get around. Also, do not withhold information, especially on matters that directly relate to my job.<br /><br />Number two - please treat everyone fairly and equally. Rules should apply to *everyone*.<br /><br />My favorite boss and I would check in every day (okay, so we were a small department, so that made it easy). When I got to work in the morning, I would wander into her office and we'd shoot the breeze, talk about what was going on with us (inside and outside the office), discuss pressing issues that had recently come up, and talk about what we were planning on working on that day. She stood up for me and our department a few times in situations where it was crucial to know that someone had my/our back. I trusted her implicitly.<br />Kirstenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00334270071792842834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-7349029470201332102013-01-22T15:35:04.805-05:002013-01-22T15:35:04.805-05:00Biggest Pet Peeve: Pretending to listen to employe...Biggest Pet Peeve: Pretending to listen to employee concerns. Management is not about putting in the time. It is about actually listening and having some compassion.<br /><br />Second Biggest Pet Peeve: Not knowing the work-flow of the department...or even caring.<br /><br />Third Biggest Pet Peeve: Not enough information. Too much is prefered over too little.<br /><br />My favorite boss would take us to happy hour.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05764686989342179833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-3496289930703687832013-01-22T13:53:38.213-05:002013-01-22T13:53:38.213-05:00Pet peeve: failure to communicate. If there is som...Pet peeve: failure to communicate. If there is something important going on in the library, even if it is something that does not directly involve me, please tell me. Preferably send out an email to everyone on staff. Major technology upgrades, big meetings, changes to policies are things that everybody should know. And if I don't know them, it's not only embarrassing for me personally, but it makes the whole library look bad if we aren't all on the same page.<br /><br />As far as great management goes, one of the previous commenters mentioned this, but receiving acknowledgement for times when you've really stepped up your game or even just done your job well goes a long way.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07409520135487479569noreply@blogger.com