The Change Competencies

by Betha Gutsche

Last Modified: 21 March 2012

The Change Competencies

Many library organizations have put time and effort into defining the competencies necessary for library staff to provide a high level of service to their patrons and communities. The people who staff the library are key to the vitality of its programs and services. Identifying the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors (referred to as KSAs) for all roles is foundational to effective management of the human capital in the library or any organization.

But things change. Technology, society, and culture march--or leap--forward, rendering some components of a competency set out of date almost as soon as they are codified. Beyond the job-specific KSAs and beyond the ability to keep informed about new ideas and technologies, there is a need to define competencies for embracing change.

Competencies for Personal Change

The pithy version	The formal version
"Curious" by Alan Levine is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal - Public Domain	Maintains an attitude of inquiry and an openness to investigating new resources and technologies At the very least, find out more about them—how they work and how they might enhance library service.
"A message" by Naama ym is licensed under CC BY 2.0	Displays behavior that indicates dedication to patron satisfaction and to delivery of quality service. If you are passionate about providing the best possible service to your patrons, the need to change will follow more naturally.
"The Man of Yesterday" by JD Hancock is licensed under CC BY 2.0	Demonstrates initiative in exploring and experimenting with new ideas, technologies, and services. If you are proactive in looking for new directions and possibilities, you’re less likely to feel steamrollered by change. If you're feeling a little timid, find a colleague or a group to work with.
"No" by duncan c is licensed under CC BY 2.0	Eschews negative responses to new situations. The “no, it won’t work” response to innovations won’t help you, your library, or your patrons. It's too easy to come up with reasons to say no. Discover reasons to say yes and notice how your whole perspective changes.
"Garden of the Gods" by woodleywonderworks is licensed under CC BY 2.0	Selects and accepts new responsibilities and projects that are appropriate to the role and to delivering quality service. Accept that you won’t meet all standards all the time. Define for yourself (or with your supervisor) what skills and knowledge you really need to do your best at your job.
"nick teaching his baby brother how to walk" by sean dreilinger is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0	Shares knowledge willingly and demonstrates the ability to transfer skills to others. Once you've got the hang of a new technology, help your colleagues to understand new systems and technologies. Avoid the all-too-prevalent tendency to play one-upmanship with techno knowledge.
	It all adds up to an embrace of CHANGE!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License

The Change Competencies

The Change Competencies

Maintains an attitude of inquiry and an openness to investigating new resources and technologies

At the very least, find out more about them—how they work and how they might enhance library service.

Displays behavior that indicates dedication to patron satisfaction and to delivery of quality service.

If you are passionate about providing the best possible service to your patrons, the need to change will follow more naturally.

Demonstrates initiative in exploring and experimenting with new ideas, technologies, and services.

If you are proactive in looking for new directions and possibilities, you’re less likely to feel steamrollered by change. If you're feeling a little timid, find a colleague or a group to work with.

Eschews negative responses to new situations.

The “no, it won’t work” response to innovations won’t help you, your library, or your patrons. It's too easy to come up with reasons to say no. Discover reasons to say yes and notice how your whole perspective changes.

Selects and accepts new responsibilities and projects that are appropriate to the role and to delivering quality service.

Accept that you won’t meet all standards all the time. Define for yourself (or with your supervisor) what skills and knowledge you really need to do your best at your job.

Shares knowledge willingly and demonstrates the ability to transfer skills to others.

Once you've got the hang of a new technology, help your colleagues to understand new systems and technologies. Avoid the all-too-prevalent tendency to play one-upmanship with techno knowledge.

It all adds up to an embrace of CHANGE!

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