The No-nonsense Guide to Leadership, Management and Team Working

Book excerpt: This book provides a straight forward and pragmatic guide to leadership, management and team working in contemporary library and information services. Contemporary managers and leaders in library and information services are working in a challenging context; dealing with multiple demands on their time, expertise and resources. This book translates theories in team work, management and leadership into practical guidance backed up with examples and case studies from current library and information workers globally. There is a focus on attitudes, values and practices that make for good leadership and management. The book covers: -analysing your environment, understanding culture and developing strategies -working in the senior team and making an impact -confident leadership and management, decision making, problem solving and managing crises -leading, managing and supervising your team, establishing working practices and conflict management -delegation, dealing with overload and evaluating outcomes -managing large and small projects and the people side of projects -innovation and management of the change process -communications, managing e-mails and text messages and effective use of social media -recruitment and selection and performance management -managing and leading complex teams including collaborative, multi-professional, partnership and virtual teams -budgeting, managing finances, tendering, crowdfunding and taking part in audits -managing work/life balance, coaching and mentoring, emotional intelligence, resilience and mindfulness. The No-Nonsense Guide to Leadership, Management and Teamwork is a book that a new or aspiring manager or team leader will use to guide them through the first few years in their new role. It will also provide guidance and support to new or aspiring directors of library services and help them to navigate their way through decision making and problem solving at senior levels. In addition, individual practitioners who are struggling to understand the management and leadership practices that they are experiencing may find that it helps them to make sense of their current environment.