Vision and Strategy
In 1962, John F Kennedy paid a visit to NASA. While touring the facility, he reportedly met a janitor pushing a broom. "Hi, I'm Jack Kennedy," he said. "What are you doing?"
"Well, Mr. President," replied the janitor, "I'm helping put a man on the moon."
To me, engaging people with a shared vision is the cornerstone of leadership. Its true deliverable isn't a written plan or product, but an inspired, cohesive organization that moves toward the future with enthusiasm and fearlessness. Bringing people together, rallying them around a common cause and shared values, and building an internal community as strong as our external one is the most exciting, joyful, and meaningful part of my work.
To help my library build and communicate a vision, I have played key roles in strategic planning, rebranding, and user-centered website design teams. I led the creation of an entirely new cross-departmental team for my library system, and brought us together around a mission and identity. I build on that by creating annual department and individual goals with my teams that inspire a sense of shared purpose by clearly demonstrating a connection to the organization's larger goals, plans, and values.
Vision is woven into every choice we make, small to large. Of course, that makes it rather difficult to demonstrate on a website! So I will include examples of times I have been recognized for my vision (such as Movers & Shakers), been involved in a formal visioning process (strategic planning, rebranding), or had a measurable impact on my library (i.e. receiving grant funds for a visionary program.)
Most of all, I hope that if you visit my library, you'll catch one of my team members shelving a book or pulling a report and ask "What are you doing?" And I hope they'll reply "I'm helping to inspire my community."
"Well, Mr. President," replied the janitor, "I'm helping put a man on the moon."
To me, engaging people with a shared vision is the cornerstone of leadership. Its true deliverable isn't a written plan or product, but an inspired, cohesive organization that moves toward the future with enthusiasm and fearlessness. Bringing people together, rallying them around a common cause and shared values, and building an internal community as strong as our external one is the most exciting, joyful, and meaningful part of my work.
To help my library build and communicate a vision, I have played key roles in strategic planning, rebranding, and user-centered website design teams. I led the creation of an entirely new cross-departmental team for my library system, and brought us together around a mission and identity. I build on that by creating annual department and individual goals with my teams that inspire a sense of shared purpose by clearly demonstrating a connection to the organization's larger goals, plans, and values.
Vision is woven into every choice we make, small to large. Of course, that makes it rather difficult to demonstrate on a website! So I will include examples of times I have been recognized for my vision (such as Movers & Shakers), been involved in a formal visioning process (strategic planning, rebranding), or had a measurable impact on my library (i.e. receiving grant funds for a visionary program.)
Most of all, I hope that if you visit my library, you'll catch one of my team members shelving a book or pulling a report and ask "What are you doing?" And I hope they'll reply "I'm helping to inspire my community."
