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Getting Admin Buy-In for Training Sarah Houghton-Jan Assistant Director, San Rafael Public Library LibrarianInBlack.net
Getting Admin Buy-In for Training
Sarah Houghton-JanAssistant Director, San Rafael Public LibraryLibrarianInBlack.net
The ProblemUneven staff skills
Why Invest in Staff Tech Training?
Show institutional commitment
to lifelong learning
Strengthen staff skills and
confidence
Save money Improve customer service
Increase staff retention rate
Increase efficiency and productivity
Motivate staff to keep learning
What does your staff need to know to do their jobs well?
Photo by Korean Resource Center: http://flickr.com/photos/krcla/1376627377/
HOW DO YOU GET ADMIN
TO APPROVE YOUR BRILLIANT PLAN?
YOU HAVE A BOSS WHO WANTS FAST AND FREE
CADRE OF COMMITTEES
ORGANIZATION RESISTANT TO CHANGE
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
START WITH EDUCATION
SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE
FREE OPTIONS VS.EXPENSIVE CONSULTANTS
SHOW THAT RAPID PROTOTYPING WORKS
BUILD ALLIES AMONG OPPONENTS
RETAIN AUTHORITY *GENTLY*
START SMALL
BRING ITBRING IT
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE USERS
Benefits of a Skills Approach
- Equitable expectations for all staff
- Reveals training needs
- Accurate job descriptions
- Helps with performance evaluations
- Consistent customer service
- Helps staff adjust and handle change
Project PlanningBegin with a comprehensive plan, including:
- Goals
- Skill Lists
- Assessment
- Training
- Reassessment
- Evaluation
Planning Questions1) What are your goals?
2) Who manages the project?
3) Do you have or need to create a skills list?
4) Do you have a timeline in mind?
5) What are your resources (funding & staff)?
6) What training resources exist, and which ones need to be created?
Ensure Staff Buy-In- Listen: ask staff for their input and use it.
- Keep everyone informed.
- Reassure staff that they don’t have to know it all now.
- Managers must follow project plan.
- Hold a brainstorming session or party.
- Fun. Rewards. Food.
Watch out, Jon Snow!1) Verbal agreement is not enough – get
everything in writing
2) One person with power can kill a project
3) Not everyone believes that some staff still lack basic skills. Show them.
4) Not everyone believes that web-based training is valuable.
Tales from the Dark Side(a.k.a. how to sabotage staff training)
- - Don't equally apply expectations.- - Allow only some supervisors to
support staff learning.- - Give staff no time for learning.- - Be as blasé as possible.- - Do not acknowledge success.
Ongoing Reassessment- - Annual or biannual reviews- - Goal-setting for individuals and the
library as a whole- - Rewards for success- - Consequences for failure
Measuring Your Success- Compare assessment and
reassessment
- Staff report confidence in their abilities
- Training evaluations
- Successful technology launches
- Better customer service experiences
Allen County Public Library's “Innovation Through Technology” Program: http://blog.acpl.lib.in.us/blog/?p=202
Photo by Helene Blowers: http://flickr.com/photos/hblowers/
1109669563/
Celebrate Successes!- Contests between units/locations
- Any group that improves 20% on the whole gets a catered lunch
- Individual rewards are crucial
- Award for most-improved individual & group
- Entire library celebrates
- Do something out of the ordinary
Have a gaming party!
Photo by Jenny Levine: http://flickr.com/photos/shifted/2113776727/
Staff trading cards!
Have cake!Photos by Homer Township Library: http://flickr.com/photos/homerlibrary/433104519/ and http://flickr.com/photos/homerlibrary/433102240/in/photostream/
ResourcesTechnology Training for Libraries by me
Accidental Technology Trainer by Stephanie Gerding
Training for Dummies by Elaine Biech
Accelerated Learning Handbook by Dave Meier
