starting out

One of the amazing opportunities I've had working in an academic library is to be part of the library leadership team. This in itself is not amazing, it's a great place to work, what makes it amazing to me is that I was not management HEW level (Higher Education Worker) at the time of joining the team.

The ethos was, and still is, leading from all levels so I joined the team as a HEW 4. I'm not sure if this is a unique approach but it is one I can certainly get behind. Although it took me a long time to start a sentence without saying "I know I'm only a HEW  4 but..." I am starting to see the benefits to both me and the organisation of this ethos.

For me the benefits are perhaps obvious...opportunity to learn, to see how things are done, to participate in culture formation/improvement: I was, however dubious about how much my organisation would benefit. Sure it would benefit from a newly formed leadership-zealot but I was only one person, lucky enough to be invited on to the team after the EOI (Expression of Interest) - how would that benefit the whole organisation?

It's true, I am very lucky to have this opportunity and that my career will become so much richer for it but I also came to see that, as I develop I can give back. I've been involved in visiting and talking to all the staff about the library leadership model, which at first scared me witless but as I stepped outside that comfort-zone I realised I was just talking to people. People who were engaged, clever, inspiring, scared, overwhelmed or worried and that I could relate to them all.

I have been involved in running leadership workshops for all staff which at first scared me witless but as I stepped into that unknown I learnt that the other members of the leadership team had impressive skills they were willing to share and by the end of the workshop week I wasn't just doing it, I was really enjoying myself - up the front of the room talking to large groups of people. This to me was quite an eye- opener.

After 18 months on the leadership team I received another opportunity to take on a higher duties appointment (HDA) not necessarily related to, but I'm not sure a factor in making me brave enough to apply for this position. It was a big leap from a HEW 4 to a HEW 7 and I needed help. I put my hand up for a university-wide leadership program called Inspire and was accepted. 

So here I am learning to be a leader.