THE NEW ZEALAND LIBRARY & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT JOURNAL NGĀ PŪRONGO

NEW ZEALAND LIBRARY & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT JOURNAL • NGĀ PŪRONGO VOL 55, ISSUE NO. 3 • OCTOBER 2015
on their applications. For the first intake, LIANZA discouraged
people from applying if they were from large organisations
that already offered leadership programmes. After receiving
feedback that many workplace programmes were available
only to people in managerial positions, LIANZA decided that,
from 2016 onwards, the Kōtuku programme would have a
wider intake.
The programme commenced in February 2015. By August
2015, more than half the cohort had changed roles, some within
their organisations while others moved to new employers. In
addition, members of the cohort have had considerable involvement
in LIANZA and other professional associations through
membership of working parties and committees, conference
organising groups, and initiating and organising events. There
was a strong Kōtuku presence at LIANZA’s Future of Libraries
Summit, and cohort members have been encouraged to write
conference papers and articles about their experience. Each
member of the cohort is on their own journey of leadership
development. Would they have been successful in this without
the programme? Possibly. However, anecdotal comments
suggest that participants have gained confidence and skills
through Kōtuku that encouraged them to apply for these new
roles, volunteer for opportunities, and try things out.
The content of the programme focuses heavily on personal
reflection and encourages participants to consider their behaviour
in the past, in current situations, and in future situations.
Activities include analysing scenarios, reflecting on readings,
commenting on situations, and writing about library projects
and issues in New Zealand. The cohort share their own insights
and experiences with other members of the group, and are
encouraged to take opportunities to develop their leadership
skills through involvement in workplace and professional association
activities throughout the programme.
Kōtuku participants were asked to spend 12-15 hours a
week on leadership development, with some of this time being
their involvement in workplace and professional association
activities. This is a similar time commitment to that recommended
by both New Zealand LIS education providers for a
single paper. The actual amount of time that participants spent
varied between individuals, and at different times in the programme—someone
interested in a particular topic, could read
further and participate in all activities, but when either not interested,
or busy with day to day life, a topic could be skimmed
over or returned to at a later date. Participants gave mixed
feedback as to levels of work required.
The Kōtuku programme had very few compulsory activities
and scheduled class times in order to make the programme as
flexible as possible. Each participant had a workplace mentor
as well as a professional association contact, which was
particularly useful for those people who were not previously
involved in their professional association.
The criteria for completing the programme were indicated to
participants at the start of the year. They were: being an active
participant throughout the full eight months of the programme;
completing and making progress on a learning and development
plan; and meeting regularly with both their mentor and
professional association contact. These will be refined for future
Kōtuku intakes.
The content of the programme was delivered using the
online learning management system Schoology, supplemented
by a Wikispaces site. There was some videoconferencing using
Zoom, collaborative brainstorming activities, and individual
members of Kōtuku15 also created opportunities for discussions
both face to face and by other methods. While some participants
were not particularly active online, they were actively
seeking leadership opportunities in their workplaces and professional
associations. The ELWG needs to seek a balance
between requiring active participation in the programme and
acknowledging participants’ different learning and communication
styles.
What makes Kōtuku different?
A number of overseas LIS Leadership programmes consist
solely of a residential programme. In contrast, Kōtuku has a
short residential component, Camp Kōtuku, before continuing
online for eight months. Participants come together again at
the end of the programme. This enables people from all over
New Zealand to participate in Kōtuku. By having such a short
residential component (two nights), the programme is suitable
for people with family commitments who may not be able be
away for longer. This also minimises financial issues for participants.
LIANZA also chose to hold Camp Kōtuku in a main
centre, to reduce the price of airfares from regional centres as
much as possible.
Running Camp Kōtuku over Friday and Saturday achieved
multiple goals:
• Recognition that the programme requires commitment
in both work and personal time. Some people needed
to take annual leave for the Friday, while others were
supported by their employers.
• By holding the event in a main centre, participants
had the option of adding time in the city, at their own
expense
• The overnight programme allowed time for socialising
as well as formal sessions.
The Camp itself consisted of a mixture of speakers introducing
topics that would be studied in more depth throughout
the programme, as well as interactive activities and reflective
thinking. Selected library leaders shared their personal journeys
to give participants an insight into the range of paths to
leadership.
In hindsight, the Camp Kōtuku programme included too
much content for only two days, and this will be revised for
the second offering. This information overload may have been
overwhelming for participants. However, it demonstrated links
between topics, and key themes came through at the Camp
from current library leaders.
Bringing everybody together face to face at the start of
the programme was helpful in starting relationships that have
formed over the course of the programme. One component
of the Leadership Diamond is the ability to build relationships
with others, and studies have shown that face to face meetings
can form stronger relationships than a purely online relationship
(Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, 2009). While the
online component of the Kōtuku programme has been vital,
face to face relationships have continued, with participants
co-presenting at conferences together, staying together for
LIANZA events, and socialising. Ideally these relationships and
networks will continue throughout the participants’ careers,
21