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From Management Class to Management
by Terren Ilana Wein
When I made the decision to go to library school, I was teaching composition at a two-year school, having previously earned an MFA degree in Creative Writing (good artistic choice, not-so-good career choice). I can still remember my boss saying: "In a few years, you'll be the head of a department somewhere." I pooh-poohed her at the time. After I graduated my MLS program, however, I job-hunted for one month before being offered a position at the University of Chicago - managing, by myself, a departmental library. I'd only taken one summer library management course - and now, for the first time in my life, I was in a management position.
One of the reasons I'd applied for the job was that I believed that I needed to get management experience before reaching a certain age. Because my main work experience had been teaching, I hadn't had any true supervisory experience. I'd never worked with a budget. I'd never had to work with a game plan longer than one semester. All of a sudden, I had to apply my new skill set as a librarian, while also quickly honing my skills as department manager and administrator of services.
At that stage of the game, I simply had confidence (surely unendingly exasperating to my coworkers): in my own smarts and uber-competence, in the education I had received in library school, and in my wonderful assistant. I dove into every task and project certain that I could do it, and that it was just a matter of making everyone see what, to me, was perfectly logical.
Herding Cats
And there the problems started. A new manager, I had never learned, and never been told, manager rule #1: People don't do things because you want them to do them. They do them because they want to do them. Ironically, this is also rule #1 of cat owners! Therefore, as one of the legions of cat-owning librarians, I should have known better.
What do managers do? What defines a manager, and what makes one successful? Beyond mastery of your field (functional expertise), managers must display excellence in a range of interpersonal skills. Some of these will not necessarily feel "normal" - for instance, few of us practice telling others that they are not working up to snuff. You will also need to develop the ability to communicate, the ability to think strategically (have a creative vision), and the ability to develop those you are managing. I realized that I had not been completely prepared for the range of interpersonal tasks I was facing in my position.
Battling Stereotypes
As I discovered, I had one very strong factor working against me. I was, and remain, the only information professional in my office - and in fact the first professional librarian most of my coworkers have ever worked with. All of us in the library field know about the stereotypes and misconceptions others have of us: starting with the one that anybody could do our jobs. So, I not only had to deal with my own learning curve vis-à-vis management, but at the same time needed to struggle against misconceptions about my role, my abilities, my level of professionalism, and my goals.
Since then, I've had two promotions (well, two title changes, at least!). I've been given additional responsibilities in recognition of my abilities, and have tripled the number of people I supervise. My director and colleagues have praised my creative vision and my abilities to make policies and procedures, to manage others, and to "get things done" - in other words, to administer. One of my student workers gave me the wonderful compliment that I am a "kind yet disciplined" boss. However, it's been a bumpy road, full of power struggles, fear of failure, pitfalls, and even the feeling of "running on fumes" sometimes.
Transitional Tips
What would have made my move from management class to management smoother and safer? Here are some of my tips for others looking to make the move:
- Take on some management/administration tasks as soon as possible.
For instance, when I was teaching, I applied for a position within my
school that would have added five hours of work to my load - for more
money and the chance to administer a small project. If you're a
student, freelancer, or unemployed, you might want to look around for
a student group or volunteer group in which you can take on some
management responsibilities. I didn't get that first job, but I still
think having dipped my toe in the water would have made my transition
to management easier.
- If you're a student, by all means take administration/management
classes. If you're already working, see if there is professional
development money for you to take a management class. Check out the
local community colleges to see if they offer some inexpensive
management courses. See if your local professional organizations are
offering or will offer anything library-specific. If you don't have
the time or money to take a class, call the school where you got your
MLS and ask to be put in touch with whomever teaches management. Ask
them for reading recommendations.
- Look the part, but don't have an extreme makeover. I wear very
casual clothes to work sometimes, but always make sure to wear
something professional to meetings with people outside my office.
This is especially important for women, younger grads, and
minorities. Professional clothing is a kind of armor. It helps you
define your role and keep your professional and personal lives
separate - and also makes changing into those pajamas that much more
rewarding.
- Act the part. Interpersonal skills will make or break you as a manager. I learned this the hard way; and, through hard work and a lot of adaptive mechanisms, I was able to change many of my behaviors for the better. Beyond the subject expertise you no doubt have, in order to be in management, you are now required to work, work, work on your "soft" or people skills. Everybody must approach this individually, and in the manner that's right for your organization.
As you make the transition into management, I suggest to you that you start with an honest assessment of yourself - your weaknesses and your strengths. Remember that you will never be perfect. Remember that other people will never be perfect. Just keep trying to be a little bit better.
Terren Ilana Wein is the Assistant Director, Library & Information Services, at The University of Chicago's Career & Placement Services and an alumna of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She can be reached at terren@uchicago.edu.