The Big Picture: Success for all

THE BIG PICTURE: SUCCESS FOR ALL Lincoln County Public Library

Board Meeting

July 9, 2012

Amanda Gearhart, Director

VISION FOR LINCOLN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

• To be a leading, forward-looking institution• To be the heart of the community• To be an award winning library• To be a great place to work where people are

inspired to be the best they can be

HOW DO WE ENSURE THE PATH LEADS TO SUCCESS?

ROLE OF THE BOARD

• Hire and evaluate the library director• Monitor and evaluate the overall

effectiveness of the library• Plan for the future of the library• Set library policies• Advocate for the library

*From Kentucky Public Library Trustee Manual http://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/trustees/Documents/trusteemanual.pdf

BOARD FOCUS: THE “RIGHT STUFF”

• The Right Mind Set• The Right Role• The Right Work• The Right People• The Right Agenda• The Right Information• The Right Culture*From The “Right Stuff” of Governance. McGinnis, William (Community College League of California: Board

Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

BOARD FOCUS: MAKING POLICY

• Establish the general goals of the institution• Long-range plan• Strategic plan• Reflected in budget• Frame the annual goals or priorities of the board

& director

* From High Performing Boards Make & Monitor Policy, Cindra Smith (Community College League of California: Board Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

POLICY ISSUE TEST

• Does it relate to the general goals?• Does it address what the library does instead

of how the library does it?

* From High Performing Boards Make & Monitor Policy, Cindra Smith (Community College League of California: Board Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

A FINE LINE…

DEFINE: MICROMANAGEMENT

• To manage especially with excessive control or attention to details (Merriam-Webster.com)

* From Defining Micromanagement, Cindra Smith (Community College League of California: Board Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

CRITERIA

• The action tells the director or staff member how to do their job

• It probably involves an individual board member

• It is identified as micromanagement by fellow board members or staff members

*From Defining Micromanagement, Cindra Smith (Community College League of California: Board Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY

Micromanagement violates the board’s fiduciary responsibility to ensure that time

and resources of the institution are well spent

* From Defining Micromanagement, Cindra Smith (Community College League of California: Board Focus, Fall 2006. http://www.ccleague.org/files/public/BF06win.pdf)

ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR

Responsible for all business operations including:• management of the assets; • training, promotion, discipline, and

termination of employees; • establishing and maintaining the business

organization and structure to efficiently conduct the management functions

*From Lincoln County Public Library Board Policy (page 9)

“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” – Ronald Reagan

If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you’ll be amazed at the results. – George S. Patton

People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader’s job is to help people have vision of their potential. – John Porter