Portelli Leadership Presentation

Adele Puccio

• Library Director
• Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library - Fair Lawn, NJ
• Oversees a large building and veteran staff in a passionate and supportive town. Manages the budget and all materials purchases. Handles all staff disputes.
• Encourages growth among employees.
• Makes her vision a reality, even in just over one year in this position.

Interview Findings

Transformational Leadership:

• Adele immediately reimagined the layout of this five level building, aggressively weeding the Non-Fiction section and moving it to one combined level, expanding the Young Adult section, and creating more meeting space.
• Held gala event at previous library (Caldwell) to win over politically influential leaders, convincing a community that traditionally did not support the library to one that was better funded.

Interview Findings (2)

The Skills Theory:

• Adele exhibits the technical skills, people skills, and conceptual skills to effectively use this approach. She is comfortable in Circulation, Reference, Technical Processing, or the Children's Room. She solved a longtime staff dispute without punishment, by readjusting the workflow. She gets along well with her employees, while inspiring them to try new things.

The Situational Leadership Theory:

• Adele speaks to staff members differently, depending on the situation. She is comfortable taking a backseat. She is comfortable speaking to board members and patrons alike, adjusting her message without compromising her values.

Interview Findings (3)

"There is nothing that says working in a library can't be fun." - Adele Puccio

Observation Findings

Use Your Resources:

• Adele regularly attends webinars, joins as many committees as she can, and follows other libraries and librarians on social media. She firmly believes that it is important to use what works, and what does not, at other libraries. I observed her attendance of a webinar, and often find her in chats or webinars, or out of the building traveling throughout the state at NJLA functions.

Observation Findings (2)

Adele often skips her breaks and takes weekend shifts so others can enjoy time off.

Adele works shoulder to shoulder with employees, wrapping boxes in Circulation, and covering lunches at the Reference desk or Children's room.

Observation Findings (3)

Transformational Leadership & Employee Growth:

• Adele took a backseat in a meeting, allowing others to take control and offering assistance when needed. When a food truck dropped out of our Library Con, she made calls to find another. Working among others, full timers, part timers and those in three different departments, she gave opportunities for new leaders to step forward, while allowing multiple perspectives to achieve a larger goal.

Self-Inventory Results

Strengths:

• ENFJ - The Jung test labeled me a born leader, though I believe I am more of a reluctant leader.
• Above Average EQ - I am very aware of the needs of those around me.
• S Personality (DISC) - I am helpful and friendly.
• 2.84 (SkillsUSA) - Ready to become a leader.

Self-Inventory Results (2)

Challenges:

• Balance need to make people happy with efficiency and my own personal happiness.
• Do not sugarcoat the truth - Leslie Burger
• Do not do this on my own, avoid a big head.

Self-Inventory Results (3)

Areas for Continued Development:

• Move from "being ready to be a leader" to truly becoming one.
• Delegation.
• Listening and discarding.

Leadership Philosophy

I want to invigorate patrons, not only keeping our previous patrons happy, but drawing in those who never even considered visiting our building.

My leadership philosophy is built on developing a reliable team beneath me that feels strongly about where the library is going, and using their collective skills to help take us there.

Don't fear failure, fear complacency.

Development Plan

Leaders should "express the values they live by, not those they think they should live by." (Prentice, p. 95)

I plan to use approaches lined up throughout the course to build committees within my organization and feed off of the abilities and insights of all unique viewpoints. As David Thomas said, diversity needs to become a part of my entire organization*. That diversity should include all ages, genders, and ethnicities. It should include those in every department of the library, so that all voices are heard and appropriate conclusions can be reached. I will use those voices to make sure the library speaks for all, not just one.

I plan to work in different departments and different libraries. I plan to develop relationships with others in the field, bounce ideas off of them and absorb their own.

* (Brescoll, 2011, http://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-do-leaders-need-to-understand-about-diversity)

Conclusion

Experiential Learning:

• The job of a Director is larger than it seems. It requires a balancing act that changes every day, with warring personalities and ideologies among the staff, board members, and patrons themselves. It also requires an eye on the future, and Adele's experience, relationships, open-mind and involvement are all a part of her everyday work, along with her more tangible responsibilities.
• Passion matters. Convincing your employees that you care is step one, and making them care is next. Adele inspires ownership.