Managing self, managing others

No matter where you are in your career journey, Public Libraries Victoria and State Library Victoria offer specialised training to help you meet your career aspirations.

If you are a new or existing manager, team leader or coordinator in a Victorian public library and aspire to excel in your role, want insight into your areas of strength and growth, and desire to be a people leader of excellence, you’re encouraged to apply for the Managing Self, Managing Others (MSMO) program.

MSMO presents a unique opportunity for 20 people leaders from regional and metropolitan libraries to take a deep dive into who they are and how they lead their teams, whilst meeting and sharing their journey with others in the greater statewide network.

Managing Self, Managing Others, and other long-standing programs such as Shared Leadership, the Margery C Ramsay and Barrett Reid Scholarships and the Pierre Gorman Award, are designed to suit the professional needs of individuals and develop their capabilities.

You can apply for the MSMO program if you are a:

• people leader in a small or regional library branch or service
• new manager, team leader or coordinator employed in any Victorian public library, including State Library Victoria, who would like to develop management and team-building skills
• experienced manager, team leader and coordinator who has had little formal management training.

Please Note: staff who have participated in the Shared Leadership Program are ineligible, and a total of up to two applications per library service will be accepted.

Download the MSMO application form and endorsement form.

Program overview

The MSMO program is about learning how to lead people. The program has a focus on the key concepts of management and leadership, including:

• personal management styles
• self-awareness
• change management
• workplace communication
• performance management and team building.

The program is highly practical. It is about the ’soft skills’ in people management. The course focusses on how you manage yourself while managing others and is a free professional development opportunity.

Participant testimonies

Develop your skills free from distractions in this residential program. You will see immediate results when applying what you learn to your current role. Here is what past participants have said about the program…

• ’Lots of content useful and tailored to real world experience.’
• ’It has given me a number of tools to work with and a place to start, with confidence.’
• ’It was great to spend time with other library staff and share experiences etc., making new connections.’
• ’Thanks for providing the opportunity. I really appreciated the course … I have benefited and will continue learning in my management journey.’

Role and purpose of the program

The Managing Self, Managing Others program is part of the Statewide Public Library Development Projects, a collaboration of State Library Victoria and Public Libraries Victoria focussing on sector-wide leadership and collaboration, with the aim to:

• deliver statewide benefits to the Victorian community
• increase the capability of public libraries to deliver excellent services
• stimulate innovative responses to the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing environment in which libraries operate

The program aspires to lift the capacity of staff in middle management who lead teams. It aims to:

• Build a culture of best practice in staff management
• Promote a culture of innovation, open communication, staff development and supportive team dynamics
• Increase interaction, partnering and collaboration between public libraries by providing an opportunity for public library staff across Victoria to meet, network and work together

SLV and PLV promotes the opening of this program to all Victorian public library staff through the PLV email lists. Please discuss the program with your manager if you would like to apply for the next intake. Direct your enquiries to [email protected] for more information. General application forms are located above and in the ‘More to explore’ section below.