Using Communication to Position Ourselves as Leaders

摘要

I recently returned from the SLA Leadership Summit in Savannah, Georgia, where attendees had a chance to discuss various aspects of leadership and the positioning of special librarians and information professionals. The purpose of the annual summit isto learn about leadership expectations within the context of SLA as well as focus on the development of personal leadership skills that are effective for each of us in our workplaces. Our keynote speaker for day one was Stephen McGarvey, an authority onunconscious communication, persuasion and influence, who gave a thought-provoking and practical presentation on the importance of developing communication abilities. He spoke about the connection between communication and both leadership and management, focusing specifically on the unconscious aspects of communication and the unintentional effects of negative communication upon listeners. As leaders, he said, we must be able to convey a vision to potential followers.