I would like to thank the PLLIP-SIS for a grant to attend the AALL Management Institute! Attending the management institute has been a goal of mine, so I was happy for the opportunity. The institute was held virtually on March 23-24, 2021.
This year’s institute focused on managing remote and hybrid working environments, training on implicit bias, inclusive decision making, management and leadership responsibilities of managers and improving conflict and professional development planning.
AALL was able to focus the management institute on core principals as well as topics that are vital to everyone, including diversity and inclusion initiatives and workplace changes in the times of COVID.
Assessing your Strengths
Jessica Swenson, Employee Learning Programs Manager in Learning and Talent Development at the University of Wisconsin – Madison discussed categorizing our strengths as managers and leaders in the following areas: establishing direction, aligning people, motivating, and inspiring, planning and budgeting, organizing and staffing, and controlling and problem solving.
The moderator asked the attendees the following questions: where do you fit in? What would your colleagues say about you? What does your organization value? Answering these questions proved very insightful and would be great exercises to do with your own institution.
Understanding Organizational Culture
Maureen Sullivan, Organization Development Consultant talked about transforming organizational culture. We discussed the definition of organization culture. We thought about words that describe our current culture and core values.
Some food for thought: are we working in an organization that supports a culture of the work we want to do? What is one thing we would want to change in our organization? How can we go about helping to make this change?
Implicit bias & Inclusivity
From the Perception Institute, Aya Taveras, Director of Story and Representation, and Jessica MacFarlane, Senior Research Director, did a wonderful job discussing training on implicit bias and inclusive decision making. We learned about implicit bias, identity anxiety, microaggressions, stereotype threat, attributional ambiguity, and skills for addressing bias in the hiring and retention process.
We developed tools to address these biases like, navigating identity differences, overriding bias in decision making, strategizing when we have witnessed or experienced harm, resetting, and giving “wise feedback” that encourages consistent feedback for all.
You can explore these mind science key concepts further at the Perception Institute’s resources.
Mindful Management
Joe Lawson, Deputy Director of the Harris County Law Library talked about mindful management resources. I think we can all use some mindfulness especially during the year we have experienced. Check out AALL Mindfulness in Law Librarianship Caucus.
I encourage everyone to attend AALL’s Management Institute when the opportunity arises. Not only were we able to learn about key management principals, but also network with fellow colleagues!