SLA Honed my Leadership and Management Skills

Candidate Question #4. How has your work with SLA over the years helped you grow in the profession?

I didn't know that being a willing volunteer would lead to the development of enhanced leadership and management skills, as well as improved public speaking. However, since the first time I said yes to SLA that is exactly what has happened.

From committee memberships to the organization of the Welcome Reception for the SLA Leadership Summit 2008 in Louisville KY the activities I have undertaken as an SLA Volunteer have improved my professional skills.  Librarians are used to organizing things, however combining the organization of information and watching it proceed to the execution of an organization wide event is a bit more than simple organization.

It is leadership, it is management, it is follow-up and it is crowd control when necessary. I am concentrating on my experience with the SLA Leadership Summit because that single event demonstrated my dedication to executing a successful event. My committee worked hard to raise the funds necessary to pull the event off. We debated on place and food and activities during the Welcome Reception. We took a year to plan the event and I think overall it was well worth it as people still talk about the great time they had at the Louisville Slugger Museum. I love hearing that people still remember the event fondly.

Those same organizational, leadership and management skills have enhanced my own career. I now do not hesitate to take on any task. Just last year I was a key member of an Open Source User Conference planning committee. The conference speakers, the attendee engagement and the full room at the end of the last day of the conference were a testimony to the skills our team used to help our client be successful. The experiences I have had with my SLA work were instrumental in guiding my client to success.

SLA is a critical component of all my professional successes.

Constance Ard
Answer Maven
SLA Candidate Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

Comments

[Vick]

Hard to find good leaders these days, as most of them will consider themselves somewhat superior, and not interact with the people he controls, thus not getting to know his "team" and won't have results in the end. I've read an interesting book called "Are leaders born or made?" by David Grabovac and he pointed out tons of good examples of leadership throughout history, as well as a plethora of tips on how to be a good leader. A really good read.