Break Through an Organizational Legacy Structure that is No Longer Working

Do you have a legacy structure that is holding your organization back? In 2018, Johnson County Library worked to intentionally restructure operational systems in an attempt to solve broken communication channels and inequitable application of processes, procedures, opportunities, and policies across our 14-branch system. The result of that work is focused systemwide strategies that increased coordination, collaboration, and optimized decision making and communication processes throughout the organization.

After taking the time to recognize and evaluate the inefficient structure our branch management team and department managers were struggling to work within, the Johnson County Library created a Coordinated Management Team. This team consists of circulation assistant branch managers and system-wide, department managers. Structurally, the team contains four subcommittees that each member is required to contribute to for a pre-determined period of time. While working on each subcommittee, participants complete procedure updates, coordinate and institute leadership and growth opportunities for all staff, gather and disseminate branch-level statistics, work on system-wide and circulation-specific projects, and hire all circulation staff within the Library system. As the Coordinated Management Team completes work that supports system-wide strategic plan goals, communication is rolled out as one voice. The system supports all team members in an environment that champions individual leadership and growth opportunities while ensuring that silos and duplications of work are no longer the organizational standard.

Whether working in a library organization with multiple buildings and departments or a single branch, this session will offer new insights and ideas. Explore how to recognize if decision making and communication challenges are affecting your organization and discover options for addressing those challenges. Learn directly from librarians who implemented and work in this system and become inspired to evaluate your own organization and break down any structures that could be impeding your organization's growth and innovation.