Taking the lead': a professional development programme case study at The University of Western Australia

摘要

Between the start of 2005 and the end of 2007, The University of Western Australia Library embarked on a programme of activities and projects that would implement its ambitious strategic plan entitled 'Re-placing the Library'. Among the projects involved were implementations of: Open URL linking service, federated searching, library portal, document delivery end-user requesting, a learning objects repository, and a research repository. There was also a project to investigate and implement web 2.0 technologies. To ensure that the library had the knowledge, skills, organisational structure and roles to implement these projects and thus achieve the objectives of the strategic plan, the strategic plan also included a theme entitled 'Transforming the Organisation'. Broadly, this theme had as its aims: to change the way staff worked together, and to improve staff roles and skills so that the strategic plan's objectives could be achieved. Amongst other responses to this theme, the library identified the need to develop a management team that is forward thinking, proactive and ready to lead staff in addressing the challenges that change involves. In 2006 The University of Western Australia Library commenced a leadership programme that would identify each manager's skill gaps and a range of training and development strategies for its 24 most senior staff. This group made up about one sixth of the total library staff. The programme included the use of a 360-degree feedback instrument and a personal profile system to determine the management skill gaps for each member of staff. Each participant then developed a training plan in conjunction with the programme team leader. The individual training plans were collated and skills were identified that would best be addressed in a group setting, and a group-training programme was put in place to do this. Once the group and individual training programmes were completed, the 360-degree feedback process is to be repeated. At the same time as the formal programme was running its course, monthly informal forums for participants to discuss leadership and management topics were conducted. Two evaluation processes were established to identify whether the programme was a success: post workshop questionnaires were completed and a survey of participants was conducted at the completion of the programme. The evaluation analysis showed that all programme participants identified positive outcomes from the programme, although these depended on their level of experience and the readiness of the individual to participate.