Trekking
Association Governance
Roles of Elected and Staff Leaders
Julie Walker, Executive Director, AASL
Ann M. Martin, Immediate Past President, AASL
She Said…
She Meant…
Four Leader Preferences
Communicating
 Planning and/or problem solving
 Resolving conflict
 Deciding

Tecker Consultants, LLC
Beam Me Up Scotty
There’s no intelligent life down here.
Bumper Sticker
This session will:
Describe four leadership obligations
 Define pre-requisites for a culture of trust
 Introduce four components of a strategic
board agenda
 Provide an example of knowledge-based
governance

Starship Challenges
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncross/457315390/sizes/s/
Trekking the Association
Culture
Organizational Dynamics
The Setting
The Federation
The Enterprise
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.html
Stellar Leadership
Leading the Way
 Navigating Decisions
 Transforming the Association
 Creating a New World

Starring Roles
Captain Kirk
Spock
Scotty
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.html
Starring Roles
Scotty
 Kirk
 Spock

Chief Engineer
 Commander
 Alien

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/MOV/
Scotty the Division Leader
Miracle worker
 Technical skill
 Determination
 Expansive knowledge and ingenuity
 Creative
 Effective
 Crucial

Scotty
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/character/1112502.html
Your challenge
Four Obligations of Leadership
First Obligation
To ensure that the leadership team has access
to a common stream of information from
members & stakeholders that allows them to
understand their views of the world.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.htm
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Second Obligation
To provide a coherent stream of information back
to members & stakeholders that allows them to
understand not just what decisions have been
made, but why.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.html
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Third Obligation
To bridge the gap between
members/stakeholders views of the world and
the views held by those who seek to earn the
right to lead them.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.html
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Fourth Obligation
To understand that in the voluntary nature of
associations, people choose to engage because
they perceive that it is in their own self interest to
do so.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/characters/index.html
Tecker Consultants, LLC
A Culture of Trust
http://www.pragia.cz/domain/pragia/templates/default/images/velke/duver.jpg
2006 Tekker Consultants, LLC
Trust Pre-requisites
Confidence in the competence of
your leadership partners
 Open access to common
information.
 Clarity and consensus about what
will constitute success.

Tecker Consultants, LLC
Moving the Association
Forward
2243225155_00e4becdfd.jpg
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Strategic Board Agendas
Components include:
 Discussion of Strategic Issues
 Review & Adjustment of Strategy
 Policy Determination
 Routine Board Business
Knowledge-based
Governance
Key to Strategic Decisions
Four Knowledge Bases
 What
do we know about:
 Stakeholder
needs, wants, preferences
 Current realities
 Association capacity
 Ethical implications
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Four Knowledge Bases
 Question
One
 What do we know about:
 our
stakeholders
 needs, wants, and preferences

that is relevant to this decision?
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Four Knowledge Bases
 Question
Two
 What do we know about:
 Current
realities
 Evolving dynamics
 that
is relevant to this decision?
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Four Knowledge Bases
 Question
Three
 What do we know about:
 Capacity
 Strategic
 that
Position
is relevant to this decision?
Tecker Consultants, LLC
Four Knowledge Bases
 Question
Four
 What are the ethical implications?
Tecker Consultants, LLC
From Mega Issue to Motion
An Example
Mega Issue Question
How can AASL ensure visibility for school
library media specialists in the current
movement toward 21st Century Skills?
Mega Issue Question
 Prepare
Background Information
 Conduct Dialog on Informing the Issue
 Conduct Dialogue on Evaluating Choices
 Conduct Dialogue on Identifying Choices
Mega Issue Question
Determine Areas of Consensus
 Identify Actions, Intent and Accountability
 Craft a Motion

Board Motion
“…that AASL move forward in raising
school library media specialists visibility
and viability through the following:
influencing the development of the
Common Core State Standards and
ensuring specific recognition of the
instructional role of the SLMS within the
language of ESEA.”
Destination Success
Association Leaders:
 Create a shared vision.
 Develop an empowering climate.
 Establish supportive communication.
 Deliver association program initiatives.
Bibliography

Hoellinger, Jonathan. "The Federation in Star Trek".
12/28/2008 <jonathanhoellinger.de/scifi.html>.

"Star Trek: The Original Series". CBS Paramount
Television. 12/31/2008
<http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/chara
cters/index.html>.

Tecker Consultants, CEO Symposium for Chief Elected
& Chief Staff Officers, 2006, 2007, 2008.