Developing an Entrepreneurial Library

Presented by:Mary Scanlon, Research and Instruction Librarian

for Business and Economics, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University

Mary Krautter, Head of Research, Outreach and Instruction, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Libraries

Mary Beth Lock, Director of Access Services, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University

“For (organizations) that want to out-think and out-pace the competition, an entrepreneurial culture isn't optional: it's an absolute necessity."

Prosek, Jennifer. Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth. (2011)

Entrepreneurial Culture

∗Funding∗Costs∗Technology∗User expectations

Library Challenges

“ For much of the 20th century, research libraries resided in a stable, predictable environment...However, the external environment of the 21st century appears to

be much more unstable, a

situation that favors more radical innovations.”

Jantz, Ronald C. “The Determinants of Organizational Innovation: An Intepretation and Implications for Research Libraries”. College & Research Libraries. May, 2015. p. 516.

Why should libraries become entrepreneurial?

Libraries

Present

Past

Future

An entrepreneurial library will be more:

∗Innovative

∗Responsive to patron needs

∗Future oriented

∗Rewarding for employees

∗Valuable to its institution or community

Benefits of an Entrepreneurial Culture

A Cautionary Tale

Change

Perpetual beta

Make it Launch itFix it

Change

Overcoming the Barriers:Allow Low Risk ExperimentationDeal with ConflictTake the Plunge

Fear of failure = resistance to change

Low Risk Experimentation

∗Question ideas but maintain relationships∗Keep interpersonal element under control∗New ideas move both up and down in the organization

Creativity: Constructive Conflict

Sometimes you just have to plunge in and do it.

“

The perfect is the enemy of the good.

Developing an Entrepreneurial Culture in

your Library

Entrepreneurial Communication

mmunication

Communication

Information Exchange and Connection

∗Verbal exchange∗Body language∗Emotional

intelligence

Photo: http://bit.ly/1Es2Xha

Supervisors/Leaders

∗Open door policy

∗Transparency in decision making

∗Allow dissension, not derailment

∗Provide a safe place for risk takers

Supporting an Entrepreneurial Culture

∗Over Communicate to defend against rumor∗Even when not all details can be shared∗Silence creates a vacuum∗Rumors derail best intentions

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1Gcqkdc

Supervisory Communication

∗Engage

∗Share the Vision

∗Show Empathy

Photo: http://bit.ly/1ES3Tfu

Supervisory Communication

∗Keep focus on the User

∗Bring new ideas

∗Take responsibility

∗Own the changePhoto: http://bit.ly/17YqTw9

Employee Communication

Selling Your Ideas to the Organization:∗Logical Appeal: Why is it important

to do this?∗Emotional Appeal: How it serves

the mission?∗Cooperative Appeal: What’s the

benefit to us all?

∗ Sharlotte, Harold. “How To Influence When You Don’t Have Authority.” Forbes.com.

Influence without Power

Use Statistics/Assessment:∗How many times this has been a

problem in the last 6 months∗How many dissatisfied customers∗How can we fix it.

Logical Appeal

Uses sentiment/relationship∗Failing to meet the customer needs∗The problem isn’t going away /

causing frustration∗Gather feedback from users to

strengthen argument

Emotional Appeal

Seeks allies for your position ∗Gather experts, allies∗Explain the beneficial impact∗Identify connections

Cooperative Appeal

∗You will likely get only one chance!

∗Prepare your arguments!

“Fortune favors the prepared mind”-Louis Pasteur

Photo cropped from: http://bit.ly/1H7WXdj

Selling Your Idea

∗Good leaders develop Trust∗Greater communication

∗increases team effectiveness∗identifies differing areas of expertise

/ areas of interest∗strengthens results

http://bit.ly/1MUDGlW

Team Communication

Empowerment

photo: babycenter.com

Empowerment

CompetentTrustedIn controlAccomplishedProud

Empowered People Feel...

“ … the more freedom people have to take on tasks, manage them, find solutions, and execute them, the more they feel connected to and woven into the company’s culture.”

Bloom, Jeremy. 6 Steps to Creating a Strong Company Cultures. Entrepreneur. 9/4/2015

Empowerment

Provide general guidelines, then step back

Empowerment from the Top Down

Empowerment Free range employees

Empowerment

Delegating vs Empowering

Empowerment

∗Bring an idea to your supervisor and ASK to be allowed to develop it or lead the team that does so.

∗Commit to establishing a plan or timetable

∗Set up meetings at intervals when you can check in with the supervisor.

Empowerment from the Bottom Up

∗Listen to everyone∗Make decisions by consensus∗Share responsibilities equitably∗Hold each other accountable

Empowerment in a Team

Rewards

Reward the behavior you wish to encourage.

To change behavior, change what you reward.

Rewards

∗Acknowledge the possibility of failure

∗Honor the good intention∗Recognize the effort∗Maintain a long term perspective

Reward Risk, not just Success

“Rewarding success is easy, but rewarding intelligent failure is more

important. We don’t judge people strictly by results; we try to judge them

by the quality of their efforts.”Bill Harris, Executive VP of Intuit in Menlo Park, California.

Simone, L. D., et al, “How Can Big Companies Keep the Entrepreneurial Spirit Alive?” HBR, Nov/Dec 1995.

∗Evaluate failures for lessons to be learned

∗Look for alternative solutions

From Friedman, Ron. The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace, 2014. Photo cropped from http://bit.ly/1EYEbUy

Respond Constructively to Disappointment

∗Intrinsic∗Extrinsic

Types of Rewards

Impact on my sense of self

Achievement Accomplishment

Personal growthEmpowerment

AutonomyCreativity

Informal recognition

Types of Intrinsic Rewards

Impact on my sense of self

Achievement Accomplishment

Job SatisfactionPersonal growthStatusAutonomyCreativity

Informal recognition

Types of Intrinsic Rewards

∗Public recognition∗Monetary and non-monetary

rewards

Extrinsic Rewards

∗Certificates of Achievement∗Public recognition∗Raises∗Bonuses

Types of Extrinsic Rewards

∗Monetary rewards = No lasting value

∗More appreciated:∗Acknowledgement∗Appreciation∗Sense of a job well done

Non Monetary

∗Appreciate risk∗Evaluations∗Goal Setting

∗Provide inspirational projects

∗Empower, rather than delegate

Top Down

∗Praise each other’s successes

∗Be supportive

∗Lead from where you are

Bottom Up

● Group celebrations

● Value everyone’s contributions

● Share success stories with the whole organization

Team/Committee

The key to success:

stop thinking start doing.

● Photo credits: http://bit.ly/1M0OdGY

Rewards

Calgary Public Library∗$10,000 prize to finance new

ideas∗Received 28 submissions∗Selected: outreach to newcomers

Support

∗Facebook: Entrepreneurial Librarian

∗Twitter: @EntreLib∗Website: Entrelib.org∗Next conference: October 10, 2016, at UNC-Greensboro

Want More?

Questions and discussion