Aaron the Librarian

Incoming ALA Committee Chair Orientation
Hilton N. O. Riverside — Napoleon BR
Thursday 6/22/06

Put on by ALA OTLD with a very nice buffet. Not very many new ALA committee chairs were able to make it, which is too bad as the food was good and the ideas shared were good (some common sense, others insightful)

{editorial comment, I dislike how the unnumbered bullets display so I’m using asterisks to indicate sub-ideas, sorry for the ugliness}

How to run a meeting
*Process
**Suffering is optional
**Committee work should be like a canoe, everyone has a paddle and is responsible for moving forward
**Chairs should make members feel they are co-partners
**Meeting control should be shared so when the chair misses something the members can catch it to be sure it is covered

*Meetings, Opening
**Introduce self (as chair or acting chair)
**Iterate (or reiterate) the committee charge, to whom the committee reports or is responsible
**Go around table to introduce selves and describe what members currently do (for the committee +/ ALA — or if new what they do at work)
**

*Meetings, Initial (or first) and subsequent
**Explain ground rules at the beginning
***Silence = Consent
***Ask about expectations of members
****How can we serve the committee best?
****How can the committee serve each other best?
****Individual contact, pre-meeting, could be preparation for this
**Explain Committee Charge (and do not exceed this Charge)

*Meetings, Conflict in
**Soft redirection is suggested (depending on style)
***Move away from argument, toward inclusion
***Make sure everyone id able to share their thoughts on the matter
**Rambling members
***Chair should alert rambler about time overrun
***Chair should feel obligated to cut rambler short
****Make this a positive experience by asking group for a show of hands to allow rambler to continue over time limit (give other members voices back)
**Domination / Hijack
***Chair is central to defusing situation
****Refer/defer to rest of group to determine what group wants
****Chair needs to promote balance of viewpoints
****Keep positive energy while defusing hijack: Thank you for the input, let’s check for other points of view
****Follow up with feedback to help avoid future problems
*Meetings, Closing
**Closure
**How do you feel we did today?
**Consensus statement
***What was agreed
***who will do what
***timeline/deadlines

*Minutes, what needs to be contained in
**Clarity
**Discussion points
**Decisions
**Who is tasked with what
**General consent or vote tally as needed
**If more formalized action needed, suggest a motion would be in order

*Ideas
**Break in to small groups (if a large meeting)
***Ask a well thought out, clear question to have the groups work upon
***set a reasonable time frame
***provide an alert to notify when time is almost up

*Manage Transitions
**Old and new chairs should be present at the meeting before and immediately after the change
**Continuity is good for the overall organization

*Development, Committee Member
**Teach/encourage members to dissociate from the issue, frame discussions around the issue, rather than about a person or suggstor or personalities
**Chairs should be facilitative and supportive rather than aggressive or overbearing
**Give feedback to members (usually one on one)
***Instead of talking about a certain member to others, talk to the member when there is a perception that the member is a problem (also provide feedback to ‘good’ members)
**Encourage members to step into the future and invite a look at what the finished product might be

**Make it your business to know (everything?)
***Definitions
***Check for comprehension (ask)
***Insatiable appetite to learn from others

Chairs can be:

***Bulldozer (bad)
***Drifter (also bad)
***Dancer (good)
****Be sure to dance with entire group, plus the clock/passing time, and the reporting authority
*Goal
**Concise statement or recommendation, clearly stated
*Miscellaneous
**Greatest job of a leader is to develop more leaders
**For future committee appointments (if current and recent committees have been flat) consider making specific recommendations to appointers (President-elect)
**Remember to follow-up if nothing has been heard, but don’t nag
**ALA Staff Liaisons are voices for continuity in committee work
**Identify/track speaker order for lively discussions
***keep a paper list if preferred

Remember:

**Feedback is a gift