Report: Legacy Toxicity in Formal Leader Low-Morale Experiences – Part 2 (March 2023)

Since Fall of 2021 I’ve been tracking formal leaders’ experiences with Legacy Toxicity, and earlier this month I shared the inaugural quantitative dataset for this ongoing data collection project. In this post, I’m sharing qualitative data from the survey (n=53). These are selected responses from two open-ended questions asking participants to offer contextual information aboutContinue reading “Report: Legacy Toxicity in Formal Leader Low-Morale Experiences – Part 2 (March 2023)”

Report: Legacy Toxicity in Formal Leader Low-Morale Experiences – Part 1 (February 2023)

For the past few years I’ve been considering something I call Legacy Toxicity: the dysfunctional environment inherited by a person who assumes a leadership position in a toxic organization or group. Such toxicity may not be effectively mitigated due to the previous incumbent’s role in a) engaging in or perpetuating abuse/neglect, b) already exhausting avenuesContinue reading “Report: Legacy Toxicity in Formal Leader Low-Morale Experiences – Part 1 (February 2023)”

Launched: Renewals Executive Coaching

A year ago on this day, I started Renewals Coaching! Today, I’m beyond excited to announce that I’m launching Renewals Executive Coaching, designed to focus on the organizational culture and performance needs and concerns of formal leaders.  This service expansion continues its core objective of working with people seeking support while working in dysfunctional workplaces, withContinue reading “Launched: Renewals Executive Coaching”

Red Flag: Problematic Leadership Behaviors

The 2017, 2019, and 2021 low-morale studies all reveal and/or validate that the behaviors of formal leaders often are central to the onset and/or proliferation of low-morale experiences in modern workplaces. There are particular leadership styles that are more likely to cause or exacerbate workplace abuse and neglect; the following qualitative data highlight tactics ofContinue reading “Red Flag: Problematic Leadership Behaviors”

Report: The Renewal Colloquium for Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (December 2021)

Two weeks ago, the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) held their Continuing Education Forum and invited me to lead a  Renewal Colloquium. Just under 50 were in attendance at the event, which was held virtually.  This reports shares some attendee data generated from the event’s pre-work activities, along with some data from theContinue reading “Report: The Renewal Colloquium for Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (December 2021)”

Recorded: Library Leadership Podcast (November 2021)

Library Leadership Podcast host Adriane Juarez recently invited me to discuss my low-morale studies and how they can inform formal library leaders who want to improve their organization’s cultures, as well as some impact factors that may be influencing their own experiences. Listen to the episode.

Book Haul: Leadership

When it comes to the causes of low-morale, leadership is cited as a high quantitative and qualitative trigger. Quantitatively, participants highlight incompetent leaders as the problem; qualitatatively, participants highlight certain leadership styles as the problem. On the other hand, leadership is also a countermeasure for low-morale; those who practice it are more likely to regain aContinue reading “Book Haul: Leadership”

Renewals Reach: supervisor impact on morale

Kennedy and Garewal offer quantitative support to the role of formal leaders – in this case, supervisors – on academic librarian morale. Their objectives include gathering a quantitative foundation for measuring academic librarians’ workplace morale and analyzing variables that intersect with academic librarian morale and what supervisors influence. The study finds links between morale andContinue reading “Renewals Reach: supervisor impact on morale”

Renewals Reach: Soft skills for library leaders

Steven Bell presented at the 2020 Library 2.0 Conference, wherein he discussed his concerns about employee disengagement and leadership problems in libraries. Noting the original 2017 study and the 2019 study, Bell asserts that library leaders must identify, develop, and apply a humane leadership style that supports employees authentically. View the presentation.

Renewals Reach: lived experiences of toxic leadership

Walker and Watkins offer a qualitative study resulting in a model of toxic leadership informed by those who follow toxic leaders. The original study is cited as part of a global concern among those concerned with improving leadership in various workplaces.  Review the article (possible paywall).