Leadership IS top down

Where would we be without Michael Kumer and the Nonprofit Leadership Institute!?!

As a former library director and a district consultant for the past 12 + years, I have seen lots of boards. And like anything else, there is a rhythm or dynamic to them. When a board is positively "in-sync", working well together with each other AND their library's CEO there isn't anything that can't be accomplished. Working well together both inside the library and outside the library, that is the key to a successful library. We live in a society that "goes"--if your library isn't a pleasant experience; if your library is nothing but "drama"; if your library isn't all about your community...guess what...your community will go elsewhere! After all, this is PA. Throw a stone and you hit another library.

But, the "formula" has to be right. Sometimes, boards become stagnate. Sometimes, boards are complacent. Sometimes boards have a case of "Pollyanna": poor me, poor us, we can't, they won't... ; sometimes individual board members poison a board. Sometimes boards are confused. Confused as to their "role". They want to run the library and run over the library's director. There are many reasons why this happens, board continuing education is a way to break that cycle. Sometimes boards don't "know any better". Boards, like libraries, can be provincial. Set in their ways; going backwards instead of forwards.

It is important for board members to do their jobs in-between board meetings; and, no that doesn't mean "running the library". It means advocating for your library. Fundraising and Friendraising! Library development--which means cultivating relationships within the community for the long term sustainability of the library. Planning! This is a biggie. Boards are to plan for the future, not get "lost" in the day-to-day. Like Michael says, boards waste time on the mundane non-issues because it is EASY! Being a board member and truly doing a boards "work" is HARD WORK!

So, hire a great director;
attend board member continuing education opportunities;
network with other board members and visit other libraries to get fresh ideas.
Lead from the top and everything will fall into place. Honest!