LEADERSHIP EDUCATION

Does an MBA degree make you a good leader? If the number of leadership schools sprouting across the world is anything to go by, the answer could be debatable

Leadership education is picking up like never be fore, with corporate organisations, educational institutes and top MBA schools joining the fray with gusto.

Harvard Business School has an in-house `leadership initiative' that undertakes cuttingedge research and course development projects about leadership and leadership development, both within Harvard Business School and through collaborations with other organisations. The Piramal Group also undertook a similar initiative with the Piramal School of Leadership. And then, there are individual initiatives like the National School of Leadership (NSL) and the School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL), which focus almost entirely, on courses that groom senior professionals to be great leaders.

What sets these schools apart from a run-of-the-mill MBA institute is that most of their students are professionals who are already heading departments in their respective organisations. Take Umesh Bhapkar, head IT infra operations & CISO, Tata Technologies for instance. A student of NSL, he says, “I believe like most human capabilities, leadership capability falls along a bell curve with about 10-15 per cent at the tip of the bell curve; they are `born leaders' who start out good and tend to get better.

At the bottom of the curve is the 10-15 per cent of people who do not make it however hard they try. In the middle of the curve is the vast majority that have some degree of innate leadership capability that can be developed. This is where the real potential for `made leaders' lies.“

MBA students at Stanford's Graduate School of Business take part in experiential leadership labs and project-based simulations that present students with real-life leadership issues like negotiations, while Teachers College at Columbia University offers a PhD in Education Leadership with three potential concentrations in leadership, policy and politics or organisation, leadership and learning. So who should go for a leadership course? “I would recommend that one takes up a shortterm programme for understanding some basic leadership concepts,“ suggests Anil Sachdev, founder and CEO, SOIL. “Participants pursuing these programmes include on-campus students, working professionals including senior management from companies, institutional and corporate trainers and multiple organisations who get their leadership trainings conducted by us,” says Dr Satasuryaa K Sharma, chairman, NSL. 

Leadership education doesn’t come cheap. So is the effort worth it? “What leadership certification doesn’t do is build you a reputation of success as a leader or much else for that matter,” cautions GSS Gopal Krishna, country head, TCS and student of NSL. “A well-known development model is the 70:20:10 model where 70 per cent of effective development happens through ‘on-the-job experiences’ , 20 per cent through feedback and mentoring and ten per cent through formal training,” says Sonali De Sarker, director, human resources staff, NetApp India R&D. 

While organisations do take note of leadership certifications, they have to be combined with real-life examples that demonstrate your leadership abilities. “A certification proves candidates’ interest towards learning, which is an appreciable quality but a certificate is not the only source of credibility for being a leader. The profile of a candidate must display initiative taken towards handling challenges and overcoming them,” remarks Santosh Verma, director, My Eco Energy. “Sometimes, leadership certificates are instruments of attracting people to attend the course, which can be used for decorating one’s profile. But in the professional life, the same person may not have successfully demonstrated leadership qualities,” warns Dr Rajeev Mishra, VP corporate HR & admin, AMW Motors Ltd. What they promise to do is eliminate flaws and orient you to think in a manner conducive to better decision-making. Are you game?

Source | Economic Times | 22 July 2014

What next shall I do?

Generally this question comes in mind when I finish one task and I believe
this question must be taking place in every professional's mind. Really, it
is very tough task to decide what next I can do which will be beneficial
for everyone.

Actually, in my opinion, we must sense the need of our library users and
accordingly we should provide the services from library. I thought of
sharing some of my experiences with young library professionals who have
just started their career...hope it will be very useful for everyone.

*1.      **Library Automation:*

This mechanism has reduced the work load of every professional in this
digital era but now-a-days, the biggest problem is to choose the right
library automation software. Actually, there are many good library
automation software available in the market (Commercial and Open Source
both). In my opinion, those libraries which are in primitive stage, they
must go ahead with Open Source Technology such as *Koha, NewGenLib, and
Evergreen etc*. which supports International Standards and later, if you
are not satisfied with the current software's functionality, very easily
you can switch over to the Commercial Software or any other with all your
bibliographical data in same condition.

*Open Source Tools for Library Automation:*

Koha, NewGenLib, Evergreen etc.

*2.      **Digitization:*

A library can start this service for maintaining the Institutional
Repository or managing the electronic documents with the help of open
source technology such as *DSpace, E-Print, and Greenstone* etc. But In my
opinion, *DSpace* will be suitable for all as it has some unique features
which will be very effective for academic community as well as for working
staff for both operation and dissemination of Information.

*Tools for Digitization: *

DSpace, Greenstone, e-Print and Fedora Project etc.

*3.      **Library Website*

This is the best service & application for any library to dissemination
information quickly. As web application can be accessed anytime from
anywhere, every library must maintain library web page. Now the question is
how to maintain and develop the website? Now-a-days, there are many open
source content management system available using which anyone can develop a
very good and attractive website for library. I have also developed many
websites using Joomla. (http://library.nitrkl.ac.in), wordpress (
www.librarianguide.net)  etc.

Please download the PDF file which contains the information on Joomla and
Its use:

http://www.joomlashine.com/free-download.html

For video just visit the link given below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwhz4vhMz-c

*4.      **e-Newsletter*

This service can also be started in library which will be very effective
for library to bring to the notice of all the library users about one month
activity of library. This e-newsletter can be designed and published using
many methods. But, I find easy to publish e-newsletter with *Microsoft
Publisher* which is available in *MS Office Package* in every system now a
days. This tool is very easy to use and publish the newsletter.

http://library.nitrkl.ac.in/enewsletter/v1n7.pdf

*Tool to publish e-newsletter: *

a.      Microsoft Publisher

b.      Adobe Photoshop etc.

*5.      **Information KIOSK*

The users find very easy to get the information about library & its
resources with this equipment. Generally, it costs approximately Rs.
140000/- It is available with different configuration such as Thin Client,
Stand Alone etc. Develop the software your own for this and keep in front
of main gate of library which will be very effective for dissemination of
information.

*Tools to develop program for Information KIOSK: *

We can use HTML and Flash for developing the program for Information KIOSK.

 *6 **Develop Android Application for Library*

A library can develop an Android Application for its services which will
also be very effective as keeping smartphone has become very easy for
everyone so the users can be made aware about library services through
smart phone.

*Tools to develop android application: *

*Intel XDK*, this can be downloaded from the link given below:

http://xdk-software.intel.com/downloader.html?windows

*7.      **New Arrival*

This service is very essential as it keeps every library users updated with
the latest editions available in the library. Generating the list of new
arrivals is very easy as ready option is available in almost every software
now-a-days. If not, this can be generated manually based on the processed
documents in technical section. Later, the same list can be sent to all
members through mail. User likes this service very much as they get
information about latest books.

http://library.nitrkl.ac.in/newarrival/2014/june/4.pdf

*8.      **Photocopier with Smart Card: *

This service can also be provided to the user with Smart Card facility. In
this, users are given one smart card (just like an ATM Card) with an option
to have balance in it. When users come to take photocopy, they first swap
the card and deduct the amount equal to the calculation of pages for which
photocopy is to be done. Then, system allows user to photocopy the document
up to the limit already deducted from user's account. In-case, user does
not have sufficient balance then user can recharge it.

*9.      **User Education Program: *

Every month, a user education program can be organized on library services
and its resources. This service is very useful for making the students
aware about library resources, how to use these and also about other
services. This program generally must be provided according to the user's
requirement.

*10.  **Demonstration:*

Most of the library users don't understand the nature of resources
available in the library especially e-resources. A demo can be very helpful
for all the users who access e-resources.



Apart from all these, there are many services which can be provided to our
users.

Thanks for spending time to read my post, if you also have any new service,
kindly share with all of us.

Princeton University Press Launches Princeton Legacy Library

More than 3,000 Out-of-Print Books from Its Celebrated Backlist will become available through Ingram Content Group

Princeton Legacy Library Web site: http://press.princeton.edu/princeton-legacy-library

On Monday, July 14, 2014, Princeton University Press will introduce the Princeton Legacy Library (PLL), its newly digitized out-of-print backlist. The PLL will make Princeton’s backlist titles available digitally through Ingram Content Group in both print-on-demand editions and as ebooks for libraries and scholarly institutions through leading library aggregators.

According to Press Director Peter J. Dougherty, “By digitizing our backlist in the Princeton Legacy Library, the Press has used the latest technology to make our past publications readily available to readers all over the world. Researchers and students in many developing countries will have access to our historical titles for the first time ever.”

On July 14, over 1,200 titles will be released in the Princeton Legacy Library with subsequent batches planned through 2016, moving backward through Princeton University Press’s vaunted publishing history. Books included in the first installment will cover the years from approximately 1980 to 2000. When completed, the program will include over 3,000 titles. Notable titles this year include George Kennan’s Russia Leaves the War. Volume 1 of Soviet-American Relations(1986), John Wheeler’s edited Quantum Theory and Measurement (1983), Gladys Reichard’s Navaho Religion (1963), Sandra Zimdars-Swartz’s Encountering Mary: From La Salette to Medjugorje (1991), and John Polkinghorne’s The Faith of a Physicist: Reflections on a Bottom-Up Thinker (1994).

“It’s gratifying to know that our work and innovation at Ingram Content Group is making a program such as the Princeton Legacy Library possible,” said John Ingram, Ingram Content Group’s Chairman and CEO, and ’83 graduate of Princeton University. “Reviving out-of-print works so they continue to be resources for learning is one of the many ways we are using new technology to improve accessibility and availability of reading material on a global scale. On many levels, I’m pleased that Ingram is partnering with Princeton University Press to support their pursuit to provide scholarly content to learners around the world.”

“This project has been made possible in large part by advances in digital technology,” according to Assistant Director and Director of Marketing Adam Fortgang, who noted, “Over the past few years, the Press has seen a significant increase in demand for our out-of-print books and, with the advent of improved scanning technology, we felt we could fulfill our scholarly mission by making high-quality digital editions of these books available once again.”

Produced using the latest print-on-demand technology, these paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books and present them in durable and affordable volumes for new generations of readers.

Working closely with Ingram, the Press developed a system to automate the creation of paperback covers to give the Princeton Legacy Library a standard look and format. The cover designs were created by Tom Geismar of the distinguished graphic design firm, Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv. All books in the Library will be available digitally for libraries and institutions. Initially, the ebook versions will not be available via retailers until sufficient demand warrants additional conversions.

In keeping with the fundamental mission of Princeton University Press, the Princeton Legacy Library continues the Press’s commitment, “to disseminating the highest quality scholarship (through print and digital media) both within academia and to society at large. Princeton University Press seeks to publish the innovative works of the greatest minds in academia, from the most respected senior scholar to the extraordinarily promising graduate student, in each of the disciplines in which we publish.”