Influencing Skills for Librarians

Stephen Abram, MLSOLS North Conference

Sept. 24, 2014

These Slides are Available

• Stephen’s Lighthouse.com• Slideshare.net• At the conference site• In French and English

• Feel free to download, read, and re-use.

What is FOPL?• Simply put: Ontario’s Public Libraries. • Now more than ever before, we play a critical role in the social,

educational, cultural and economic success of the communities in our province. Public Libraries are an essential investment in the future of our communities and are essential drivers of success in school preparedness, reading readiness, economic and employment success, and social equity. As the development of the knowledge economy progresses, public libraries are a vital link for every resident and every community to ensure success of all Ontarians, regardless of location or background.

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FOPL Talking Points

The Public Library value proposition is strong and includes (but isn’t limited to):

– Excellent Return on Investment– Strong Economic Development– Great Employment Support– Welcoming New Canadians– Provable Early Literacy Development– Ongoing Support for Formal Education and Homework Help– Serve the whole community equitably– Affordable access to community resources– Access to Government Services and e-government– Questions Deserve Quality Answers – Support Cultural Vitality– Recognized and Valued Leisure Activities for majority of Ontarians

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Specifics

• Homework positioning• Seniors positioning• Economic Positioning• Early Years Positioning• eGovernment• Digital Divide and Access Divide• Infrastructure capacity• + + +

What’s the ‘Problem”?

• We have a very COMPLEX (not complicated) value proposition

• We have great competencies BUT we need to up our game on influence, advocacy, and focus.

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Public Libraries Transform Communities

• 98.8% of Ontarians have access to public library service.

• 427 municipalities offer public library service through 1,085 service outlets.

• 5.0 million Ontario residents have active library cards.

• Ontarians borrow 128.0 million items a year.

• Ontario’s public libraries provide access to 10,474 public computer workstations, and hundreds of online resources.

• Ontario’s public libraries offer 152,552 programs with annual attendance of 3,011,116 people.

Source: 2009 Ontario Public Library Statistics, Ontario Ministry of Culture.

IDEAS are the Currency of Influence

START WITH THE “WHY?”Influence out of context is just a party conversation.

The Essential Definitions

Advocacy is Different

• Public Relations is getting your library’s message across – This is who we are and what we do, where and for whom.

• Marketing is understanding your customer and how to best deliver services and products

• Advocacy is marketing an ISSUE. Support and awareness are built incrementally. Advocacy is an agenda and not an event!

Propaganda bad, Spin good.

Ask Yourself . . .

How do libraries differ as an issue?Are libraries different than other community or

tax funded services?Are librarians different than libraries?

View from the listener’s point of view and experience?

Selling IdeasYou are engaging in an INFLUENCE agenda.

Selling is not a dirty word!Politics is not a dirty word!

Selling Yourself

You are engaging in a long term relationship!Invest your personality

Position Yourself and not merely your library’s resources and spaces. . .

YOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT AND VALUEYOUR RESOURCES BUT AS THE FOUNDATION FOR OUTPUTS NOT INPUTSYOUR COMPETENCIES – NOT JUST YOUR SKILLSYOUR INSIGHTS AND ADVICEYOUR NETWORK AND CONNECTIONS

YOU!

What are you selling?

Managing Your Brand Equity

• Your social presence in person– Dress– Voice– Office– Handshake– Active listening– Conversation pieces– The Introvert Advantage

Managing Your Brand Equity• Your digital social presence– LinkedIn– Facebook– Twitter– Website– e-mail signature– Digital photo(s)– Google search– Publications– SEO SMO GEO

To whom must you advocate?

• Your board of directors…• Your community - Users, non-

users, clients, customers…• Politicians and councils• Users, clients, customers…• Vendors…• Who else?

Your Network

Essentials for Advocacy

• Someone who cares• Courage• Trustworthiness• Passion• Belief• Proofs • Stories and Knowledge• Respect for whom you need to influence• Understanding beyond caricature (e.g. Politicians, the

“Boss”, Teens, Seniors, The “Public”, Vendors...)

Definitions

"Advocacy is planned, deliberate, sustained effort to develop understanding and support

incrementally over time." - Dr. Ken Haycock

Before you need it!!

When is Advocacy Needed?

AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

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Issues and Timing

Why is Advocacy Needed?• Is our environment changing? Then you need to advocate and re-

position.• Are consumer or community expectations changing?• Survive or Thrive? Choose words carefully since they frame

understanding . . .• To avoid downsizing of locations, budgets, staff, collections that hurt

end-user success, opportunities and goals• To address shallow thinking about the web, access, electronic

resources like e-books, or the role of community libraries• To speak up for the silent majority of library users• To position libraries in the minds of funders and decision-makers• To prepare for future success and to build a well of support and

goodwill• To inoculate against political trends and competition for resources

and capital within communities (police, fire, parks, etc.)

AdvocacyActivitiesMustBe PLANNED!

Crafting messages

Am I an introvert or extrovert or somewhere in between?

Who is the general audience? Who is interested?

What interests them?

What should I do to pique their interest?

Will they agree with what I have to say?

And will they commit or just nod?

If not (which will likely be the case!) what counter-arguments

should I be prepared to answer?

Key Tactical Tips

• Mirror body image and stance• Introduce others• Lead the conversation• Engage and Disengage• Share your ideas• People don’t care how much you know until

they know how much you care.• Follow through

Logic and valuesBias: Impact, Quality, Speed, Time-savings, Authority,

Comprehensiveness, strategic alignment with community needs,... the Truth?!

Why do you think there’s a problem at all? Is it conceptual or pragmatic? What are the costs? Is their

perception of the ‘issue’ the same as your’s? Competition?

What kind of solution do you propose? Does it ask me to do something or to understand something?

Does it match the problem exactly?

Is it a relatively better way, compatible with my methods, less complex, trialable, and observable?

Plan within a plan• Identify your goal and message

• Establish relationships with key decision makers

• Work with key stakeholders, find new friends

• Link with groups that may influence decisions

• Stay up-to-date with research

• Keep plans ongoing

Lobbying

Grassroots

Partnering

Robert Cialdini's Six Tactics

• Authority• Consistency and

commitment• Liking

• Reciprocity• Scarcity

• Social proof

Homework

1. Identify two to three stakeholders in your local setting.

2. Learn two things about those stakeholders that can help you make meaningful contact with each.

Questions?

Seeking and Getting Attention

Hints

The Value of Conversations

source: http://www.distilled.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/conversation.jpg

Beyond Elevator Speeches

The Elevator Speech

Timmies’ Coffee

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_ioCJ2kqZyyU/TWY39FR9okI/AAAAAAAAFT4/HkdkuHriXFY/s1400/020611-Tim-Hortons-001a.jpg

The Quick Break: Hot Dogs or Deli

Lunch

Social – Out(standing) in the Field

Can You Stand Out in a Crowd?

Metrics

• Traditional versus New Statistics / Altmetrics• Statistics versus Measurements• Visualizations• Impact Studies using sampling• Geo-IP data• Massive increases in virtual usage• Social Media• Satisfaction surveys

Learn to tell a story for influence and not just Information andentertainment

VIP

• Value• Impact / Influence• Positioning

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Elections (Oct. 25th!): We can . . .

1. Inform our communities about the vital role of libraries in the overall community priorities context.2. Talk to and engage community groups that value the public library.3. Engage and Educate politically active citizens in their roles as trustees, incumbents, candidates, and political activists.

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Short list of Election Ideas• All-candidate meetings in libraries• Voter registration tables in library branches• Poll stations in library branches on Election Day• Social media information strategies about the economic, social, learning and cultural impact

of libraries• Educational activities about the proven impact of public libraries • Offer columns and articles to print media on major issues - print media shines during an

election. Be strategic. • Offer programs on understanding the local election process for teens, young adults, new

Canadians, etc. Invite seasoned politicians and candidates to present.• Up your TOUR game for community, candidates, counsellors and add photo-ops.• Do a census of your employees. Do you know whom they know? • Create events to get your message out there. Have volunteer thank you events • Make everything viral. Use tools like social media, infographics, annual reports, and online

videos to position the library's goodness and impact well and memorably. • Strategically determine the timing of your educational activities value of your library• Review your distribution lists to assess what you can use them for promotion

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Qualities of Effectiveness

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• LISTEN first• Be visible • Be likable• Be FOR something . . . not just against a policy or

position.• Be memorable• Thank supporters for the past support - well and

often• Follow up with a thank you note • And don't complain, whine, attack, or be

memorably negative.

The Players

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• Library board members (trustees)• The CEO• Library management team• Library staff • The union leadership• Community partners• Other municipal departments (that may be partners or

competitors for public or funding attention)• Cardholders• The community (groups, associations, individuals, donors)• Your associations (FOPL, OLA, OLBA, OPLA, AMPLO, ARUPLO,

CELUPL, CULC) and suppliers (SOLS, OLS-N, vendors) who have a shared interest in your success.

Tips

• Be short and to the point• Avoid library jargon• Be visual (pictures and charts)• Avoid raw statistics and instead show

measurements and impact• Make your point about impact memorable.• Train everyone connected to your talking points

so that they can follow up and not just parrot.

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The Impact Factor Checklist• Brief• Succinct• Complete• Intelligible• Shock Value/Surprise• Upbeat• Illustrative• Appropriate• Personable• Memorable• Inspirational• Actionable

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Test Your Story(ies) using these ?’s• Is it short and sweet? Can listeners quickly get the message and repeat it to others

later• Is there just enough detail to get the point across or does it wander?• Does if answer the basic questions: Who? What? When? Where? How?• Will your audience appreciate the situation you are describing? Does this tale

resonate? • Is the situation unusual in any way? Can the ending be predicted? Where’s the

“punch line”? Are they likely to retell it?• Does the story have a happy ending? Finish on a high note.• Does this story implicitly illustrate an impact the library made and the outcome

you want?• Does this story fit with your main business? • Will the audience identify with or care about your story’s hero? • Will the listener be able to remember this story? Can it be easily retold?• Does the story have the potential to cause listeners to think about what it means

to them? • Does the story have the potential to spring the listener to a new level of

understanding and action? 57

Implementation: Talking Point Tools• Tools– Presentations– Handouts– Annual Reports– Video (YouTube)– Social Media (Facebook,

Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, etc.)

– Press releases– Print Media– Events

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Strategies – P’s and C’s and more

• Who?• What?• Where?• When?• Why?• How?• (News)

• Product• Place• Positioning• Promotion• People• Price• Public

Relations• (Kotler)

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Plan Ploy Pattern Priorities Position Perspective (Mintzberg)

Concept Common Interest Community Context Creativity Content Climate Collaborators Counsellors Competitors Citizens

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

Testimonials and Word-of-Mouth

Find Target, Aim, Shoot, Check-in

Be The Sun

Stand Out in a Crowd

Ask for It!

Drive them to what they want

Ummm, It’s real easy! Talk to me about something I am interested in, where I am, that meets my needs and goals.

Speak Up!

Money is not the key.

TIME IS THE KEY

Thank Heaven You Have the Library!

The Virtual Handout (English Content)

• Value of Libraries Megapost http://stephenslighthouse.com/2013/08/29/value-of-libraries-megapost/ • The Value of Public Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-public-libraries/• The Value of School Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-school-libraries/• The Value of Academic and College Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-academic-and-college-libraries/

• The Value of Special Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-special-libraries/

• Library Advocacy: Save the Library Campaignshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/01/save-the-library-campaigns/

• Springboard Stories

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/having-the-value-conversation-springboard-stories/

• Cheryl Stenström's dissertation• http://eprints.qut.edu.au/59510/

Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLAFederation of Ontario Public Libraries

Lighthouse ConsultingCel: 416-669-4855

stephen.abram@gmail.comStephen’s Lighthouse Blog

http://stephenslighthouse.com

Thanks!