I just finished reading the post There’s No Such Thing As Library Leadership (Library Journal, September 25, 2013). Though I don’t think I’ve ever thought of it exactly that way, I guess I agree.  The author delivered a webinar on leadership styles, based on an examination of Steven Jobs‘ leadership style.  Among the evaluations he received was one which said the webinar should have focused more on libraries, saying “There is a big difference between running Apple and a library.”  The author’s response:  “Really?”

To be sure, the Apple corporation is very different from a library, maybe especially a public library.  BUT “when it comes to being a leader, there are surely many more similarities than differences.”  I’m glad to have come across this article right now, because just recently I’ve been thinking that maybe I refer to business and leadership articles too often in this blog, and don’t focus specifically on libraries enough.  Now I think that I too, believe that technically there is no such thing as library leadership, as an entity.  I agree with the author of the article:  “If you want to be a good library leader, you need to be a good leader who works in a library.”

What do you think?

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