Welcome back to Linking Our Libraries! This week we are going to talk about the leadership competency that sounds like Adulting: Accountability.
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Who is joining us this week? Rhonda Huisman, doctoral candidate and Dean of the University Library at St Cloud State University!
We hear people talking about “adulting” online and in person. When you think about it, this means being accountable. And that’s kind of terrifying. Being accountable means taking responsibility for results – positive and negative. It’s great to take responsibility for the good things that happen in your library – everyone can join in celebrating together! It is much less fun to be accountable when your program is a disaster, people are complaining about your books, the computers explode, and the ceiling falls in with water damage.
Leadership means standing up, being accountable, and then helping everyone else to get back on track. Things will not always go as planned. It’s okay. Leaders will accept responsibility, and start working on strategies to move forward.
You can easily think of any number of leaders you have seen at work or in the news, who refuse to acknowledge they make mistakes or are involved in any workplace problems. These people are not real leaders; and everyone can see it. No one wants to work with someone who constantly tries to shift blame and hog credit.