GO TEAM GO!

Let's start with a big hello to year two of PLMI!  

This week a lot of focus will be placed on how to manage one's staff.  No matter what business you are in your staff is important.  In fact it may be the most important asset a company can have.  I like to say that the front line staff is the "smile" of the whole organization.  If the customer's do not have a pleasant experience they are not likely to return and no business will survive without customers.  So the question is, "How do we as managers keep the staff working at full potential?"  

There are two main answers to this question.  The answers are a properly trained staff and a properly developed staff.  Now, one may consider these two answers to be the same thing.  That is not the case as we discussed today.

I found this topic to be very interesting and appealing as I do not have the appropriate number of staff at my library.  My library is a level III and I am currently the only staff member except for an employee who only works on Saturdays in my absence.  There are a few volunteers who come to help on occasion but other than that as the director I am doing the job of five people.  So naturally, my desire is to gain a staff.  

When the day happens that I do gain personnel I will be prepared.  The knowledge I am gaining from PLMI will be a great guide for me to help train and prepare my staff to put that "smile" on that I believe is so very important to a business.  

In order to explain the difference between a properly trained staff and a properly developed staff I will describe it like this.  Training means learning new skills so when you hold a staff training day this time should be spent working on learning new things, discussing new methods to try, etc.  Development means working to improve existing skills which will allow the staff to reach full potential and become more productive and effective while working.  When planning the staff development days one should heavily involve the staff in the planning.  Take a survey, see what the staff is interested in doing.  Let them help guide the day.  Make certain to have recognition and rewards on that day.  Don't spend the day covering policy, etc.  Invest the time in enhancing their skills and taking them to the next level.  

Most everyone enjoys recognition for a job well done and this can only add to staff moral and in turn this helps them perform better.  That "smile" I spoke about will be even brighter.  A happy staff who is continually being trained and developed properly will only strengthen the team as a whole.  A strong team makes for a successful business.  

I am ready and eager to put these practices into everyday use.  Bring in the staff please.

Pam's Point:  This one is pretty simple.  A great team makes a great business.  As a manager it is up to you to invest the time and resources to guide your staff to reach their full potential and don't forget that "smile".