Seeing Beyond Yourself: Managing Change Like You Manage Yourself

Change doesn’t happen by sitting at your desk. It happens in conversation. In discomfort. In collaboration.

It happens when you go to conferences and sit next to someone from a library five times your size—or half your size. When you attend a roundtable on democratizing leadership in academic libraries and listen to administrators of color share truths you hadn’t considered. When you talk to people from other institutions, other parts of the country, and other parts of the world—and realize that leadership isn’t about where you work, but how you work with others.

As a white male library director working in a diverse, student-centered environment, I’m acutely aware of how my identity and position shape the experiences for employees, including student workers, temporary staff, and full-time colleagues. Acknowledging this privilege isn’t just an internal exercise—it’s a commitment to building equity into every part of the library’s operations, culture, and collaborations.

Leadership starts with self-awareness—and grows through intentional, inclusive action.

As academic librarians—especially those working in small teams or within understaffed departments—we are often called to be change agents. But change isn’t a memo. It’s not a new workflow or a task force. Change is a mindset. And it starts with managing yourself.

But it doesn’t end there.

Change Starts Within—But Doesn’t Stay There

In a rapidly shifting academic landscape, I had to assess my strengths and limitations before I could guide anyone else. Self-awareness helped me navigate uncertainty with clarity: I knew how I worked best, where I needed help, and when I needed to say no.

But managing yourself is only the first step.

To move forward, you must also move outward—toward colleagues in student affairs, toward adjunct faculty juggling multiple roles, toward students whose needs and perspectives reshape your approach to leadership. My role isn’t to have all the answers—it’s to create the kind of culture where answers emerge through collaboration.

Leadership isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about alignment. Listening. Purposeful movement—together.

Respect and Equity Fuel Collaboration

True collaboration isn’t about splitting up work. It’s about honoring the people doing the work.

In leaner library environments, there’s often pressure to centralize control. But real leadership redistributes it. It creates systems where transparency, equity, and accountability guide decisions—not power.

That’s why I’ve turned to project management tools like ClickUp. Sure, they help track progress and priorities. But more importantly, they make work visible and communication possible, and conversations open. They support collaboration. They give people a voice. It's not just about getting things done—it’s about doing them fairly.

Respect shows up in how we facilitate meetings, how we invite feedback, how we respond to disagreement—and how we recognize contributions, whether from long-time staff or temporary student workers.

And respect must also live in your intention—to advocate, support, and celebrate. That’s my leadership mantra. I advocate for the voices most often excluded, support individual growth and autonomy, and celebrate every contribution, no matter the title or tenure.

A Lesson in Letting Go of Control

One of the most humbling lessons I’ve learned is that I can’t—and shouldn’t—do everything.

When you're used to being the go-to, the fixer, the one who leads from the front, it's hard to step back. But when I did, I gained so much more. New ideas surfaced. Partnerships deepened. Solutions improved. We moved forward—together.

Real change doesn’t come from control. It comes from connection.

Generalizable Takeaway: Lead With, Not At

To make inclusive, sustainable change in academic libraries, treat change the way you would self-management:

• Know yourself—but don’t center yourself.

• Take responsibility—but share power.

• Manage your energy and priorities—so you can engage meaningfully.

• Live your values—and invite others to live theirs, too.

You don’t need a title to lead. You need humility, clarity, and a commitment to building change with others—not for them.

Final Thought

You can’t build change alone. You need other voices. Other perspectives. Other lived experiences.

So get up from your desk. Attend the panel. Stay for the roundtable. Ask the uncomfortable question. Listen deeply. Make space.

Start by managing yourself. But don’t stop there.

That’s where real change begins.

I’d love to hear your experiences.