Emory University Libraries Step Back to Look Forward

Friday April 7, 2006

Presented by:

Linda Nodine, Human Resource Associate

Eric Bymaster, Director, Budget & Finance

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Discussion Outline

1. Who we are2. Background and context

A. Timeline of library reorganizationB. New University strategic plan

3. Library assessment process4. Task force analysis5. Organizational findings and next steps6. Case study: communication7. Where are we now8. Conclusion and questions

Who We AreEmory University, General Libraries:

• 172 (head count) staff

• $23 million budget

• 12,000 students

• 3,107,525 ARL volume count

• Primary users: Undergraduates, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Business School

Timeline of Reorganization• May 1998 - Design Proposal• May 2000 – New Structure• Jan 2001- Staffing of Teams/Team Start Up • 2001-2003 - Goals Based Evaluations, Values Based

Awards• 2003 – University Strategic Plan begins• 2004 – Library and Academic Units Strategic Plan begins• 2005 – Organizational Assessment Task Force convenes• 2005-2006 – Library begins implementing

recommendations from OATF

Strategic Planning

“When you’re dying of thirst, it’s too late to think about digging a well.”

-Japanese Proverb

New University strategic plan

Emory Strategic Plan Introduction

Strategic Plan: 2005-15

Library Strategic Plan Numbers

5 Years9 Goals

17 Initiatives43 Tactics

100s of targets

1,000s of staff hours

Strategic plan participation:Impact

• Inter-team collaboration • Broaden perspectives and understanding• Reduce barriers to getting work done• Strengthen sense of community• In position to best accomplish strategic goals

Task Force AssignmentThe assignment will determine if:

• goals are right for today’s environment; • we making continued progress; • if not, what changes need to be made; and, • if the library is positioned to achieve its goals.

The process must:• involve all members of organization;• use effective communication and information gathering techniques;• include report and recommendations based on assessment outcomes;• be completed in less than 6 months.

Library assessment process

• Team composition• Process

– Review of reorganization documents– Review of library strategic plan– Review of campus climate survey results– Discussions:

• “what is our purpose?”• “what we want to know?”• “what will be helpful to the organization?”

– Planning• Three staff surveys• Four focus group discussions

Task Force Forming• Ground Rules

• Challenges

• Group Dynamics

Task Force Focus Areas

• Culture

• Challenges in achieving strategic plan

• Goals of reorganization

• Communication and decision making

• Structure

Survey Methodology

• Consultant assistance

• Structure and composition– 3 surveys over 4 weeks

• Topic areas– Change management– Vision– Coordination/collaboration– Communication

Survey Key Findings

• Complex coordination across functions difficult

• Making decisions and changing directions do not happen quickly

• High autonomy and decentralized organization needs balance

Focus Groups Methodology

• Consultant assistance• Structure and composition

– 4 groups (8-11 people each)– 90 minutes to discuss 6 topics

• Topic areas– Organization (division of tasks and responsibilities)– Communication– Inter-team collaboration– Library values– Meeting culture– Unwritten rules

Focus Group Key Findings

• Unevenness

• Uniqueness

• Openness

• Information overload

• Willingness to serve

Task Force Analysis

• WIKI

Task Force Analysis

• WIKI

• Debriefed with consultants

• Task force discussions

• Three groups • Communication, Decision Making and

Structure • Culture • Goals of the Reorg

Task Force Reporting

• Drafted report– Discussions– Standard outline

• Key findings• Questions to consider

• Final report and presentation

• Feedback opportunity

Organizational Findings

Strengths• Quick decisions• Personal networks• Good meetings• Sense of community• Empowered staff

Areas for Improvement• Vertical communication• Organizational values• Complex coordination• Information overload • Decentralized structure

Next Steps - Fixes

• Quick fixes:– Regular leader meetings

– Team Talks

– Intranet working group

– Best practices-meetings

• Complex challenges:– Vertical communication

– Decision making

– Complex coordination

– Encourage a risk-taking culture

Where are we now?

• Outgrowths of assessment report– Leader meetings– Communications training– Upward evaluations– Best practices – Review of organizational values– Orientation

Case Study: Communication

• What we wanted to know

• Survey and focus group questions

• Results and feedback

• Analysis

• Next steps (Action Plan)

Case Study: Communication

“Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood.”

-Jr. Teague, North Carolina State

Legislator

Case Study: CommunicationWhat we wanted to know

• Does communication happen in a timely way?

• Do decisions get communicated?

• Do meetings achieve what we want them to?

• What are meetings good at accomplishing?

• Are people heard?

Case Study: Communicationfocus group question

• “From what sources (team leader, peer, another team) and through what channels (email, phone, meeting, newsletter, chat) do you get the information necessary to do your job?”

Case Study: Communicationsurvey questions

• Survey (Likert Scale)– My supervisor clearly explains policy

changes.– My supervisor lets me know what work needs

done.– My supervisor lets me know which areas of

my performance are weak.– My supervisor takes time to listen to what I

have to say.

Case Study: CommunicationResults and Feedback

• Focus Groups

– Horizontal vs Vertical Communication

– Personal Networks

Case Study: CommunicationResults and Feedback

• Surveys– Response average 2.0

(scale 1=strongly agree, 5=strongly disagree)

• My supervisor clearly explains policy changes 2.21

• My supervisor lets me know what work needs done 2.00

• My supervisor lets me know which areas of my performance are weak 2.45

• My supervisor takes time to listen to what I have to say 1.72

Case Study: CommunicationAnalysis

Excerpt from WIKI Notes August 22, 2005:

Communication:Horizontal Communication (Fp1, 2)

Valve of team/working group meetings (Fp4)

Personal network needed to gain info (Fp2)

Info Overload (Fp1)

All info through team leader—if they don’t get it team doesn’t (Fp3 1d4)

Confusion over method of general communication method (Fp9)

Case Study: CommunicationAnalysis

• Strong personal networks

• Vertical communication

• Information overload

• Clarify decision-making

• Inter-team collaboration

• Effective meetings

Case Study: CommunicationNext Steps

• Team Talks

• Meeting best practices (checklist)

• Upward evaluations

• Intranet working group

• Communication styles training

Why was this Successful?

Questions and Further discussion about…

Thank you

Contact information:Linda libln@emory.eduEric eric.bymaster@emory.edu

Emory homepage: www.emory.edu

Wiki:https://staffweb.library.emory.edu/wiki/index.php/

Category:Organizational_Assessment_Task_Force

Organizational Design Principles

Questions to Consider

• How could the library develop a common understanding of how to deliver quality customer service?

• Are there ways to encourage broader understanding of teams' roles and responsibilities throughout the library?

• How do we remove any boundaries that may exist (or

may be perceived to exist) between teams to allow the necessary inter-team collaboration?

• How do we best facilitate complex coordination and process improvement throughout the organization?

Library Organizational Strengths

• Quick decisions (if they are simple)

• Strong personal networks

• Good meetings

• Strong sense of community

• Autonomous, empowered staff

Key Organizational Concerns

• Vertical communication

• Confusion about the MLRR

• Complex coordination across functions

• Challenges in a decentralized org structure

• Information overload

Summary - Places to Start

• Quick fixes:– Broaden understanding of the MLRR and their role in the organization– Communicate to everyone what the different teams do and the

preferred channel of communication for each team– Improve information management– Widely implement “characteristics of valuable meetings”

• Complex challenges:– Improve vertical communication – Clarify how decisions are made (beyond the team level) and increase

the timeliness of complex decision-making

Next Steps• Communication Plan

– Discussion with ESG last week– Q&A– Share feedback from this discussion with ESG

• Provide feedback here, email, or notes to Linda Nodine

• Future ESG discussion with Task Force – Action Plans

Questions

• Is there general agreement with the issues?

• What major issues are not addressed?

• In what ways were you surprised?

• Anything else that could be acted upon quickly?

• Priorities?