As I hold a position of responsibility, I had some understanding of leadership but my beliefs have evolved. Looking back on my first blog post, Miller, 2023, February 19, I identified a connection between leadership and strategic planning, but I strangely thought innovative leadership involved subverting the strategic plan. I felt that school vision and mission were ethereal jargon that had very little to do with my daily work, created for glossy annual reports.
It was in Miller, 2022, April 18, that I first realised the importance of linking library initiatives to the school strategic plan. I have learnt that vision and mission are not lofty ideals, but statements that should both identify, validate, inspire and provide direction for the school community to be better. Every day. I now understand that school strategic planning lies at the centre of leadership, guiding planning and innovation.
I have been inspired to create my own library mission and vision statement with a tag line that could accompany our new logo. It was “Inspiring Global Learners” as we are an international school and our collection and community reflects this diversity. However, when I analysed another school’s mission in Miller, 2022, April 19 I noticed the wellbeing focus. I realised how important building a safe space for students was in my library so I changed it to “Community of Global Learners”.
The concept of leading from the middle (Farrell, 2014, pp. 691-699) resonated with me. Looking back at Miller, 2023, April 10, I had a sense of disillusionment with staff engagement. Through studying this subject, I feel empowered to work towards shifting this staff culture ‘from the middle’. I will take Cox and Korodaj’s (2019) lead and find innovative ways to engage with new staff members (pp. 22-23) and I will apply to be new staff coordinator. I hope to build a culture where staff welcome collaboration with the teacher librarian as instructional partner.
I am reminded of the blog post Miller, 2020, May 1, when I first realised the importance of building community, but expressed insecurity in my abilities. I see a growing confidence in Miller, 2023, April 11, when I identified the link between a successful change process and positive stakeholder relationships. I was developing self- awareness of my transformative leadership style in areas such as having a clear vision and garnering support for this vision through inspiring stakeholders (McCarley, 2016, p. 325). Knowing my leadership style means that I can be more conscious about my future leadership and can apply other leadership styles depending on the context. I would love to cultivate servant leadership skills in my future practice to build on my authenticity and listening skills.
Honest communication is a key strength for me, as identified in my blog Miller, 2022, April 18 while examining conflict resolution styles. I realised that I can let go of the insecurity that I have held onto to bravely negotiate challenging conversations with authenticity, an inevitable part of the change management process. Davis’s (2022) ideas on the practical application of Kotter’s change management had a profound impact. It provided me with a clear method to navigate change in a more nuanced way (pp. 275-290). Projecting forward to future practice, I will use this process for new initiatives in the library such as embedding digital literacy in the curriculum.
In my last blog post Miller, 2022, May 17, I see my confidence solidifying. My research on current global trends has had an impact on me. I am inspired to lead from the middle to drive educational change. I now have the tools. I can reflect on myself as a leader and unpack the dynamics of my school through my knowledge of these styles. I have a change management process and I understand more about the value of authentic communication skills. I understand the place of vison, mission and strategic planning in new library initiatives. I can be fearless. This is my call to action.
References
Cox, E., & Korodaj, L. (2019), Leading from the sweet spot: Embedding the library and the teacher librarian in your school community. Access, 33(4), 14-25.
Davis, J. (2022). Dewey goes corporate: Examining the suitability of Kotter’s change management model for use in libraries. Journal of Library Administration, 62(3), 275–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2022.2043687
Farrell, M. (2014). Leading from the middle. Journal of Library Administration, 54(8), 691–699. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2014.965099
McCarley, T. A., Peters, M. L., & Decman, J. M. (2016). Transformational leadership related to school climate: A multi-level analysis. Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, 44(2), 322–342. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143214549966