Abstract
This study utilizes Posner and Kouzes’ Characteristics of an Admired Leader (CAL) instrument to determine if there are generational preferences in characteristics of an admired leader among career library professionals. Data was gathered from nearly 800 respondents, coded into generational cohorts, and assessed from commonalities across generational lines. Additional assessment of the data sought trends across generational cohorts within the context of employment status, library type, library subfield, and generational identity. The authors concluded that while there is little generational difference in the characteristics of an admired leader, there are commonalities across the profession at large and suggest that library administrators and leaders prioritize developing the shared characteristics and competencies as they develop and engage in their own practice.
Highlights
Both scholarly and popular publications have, in recent years, spent a significant amount of time and text remarking on the multigenerational workplace
Emphasis on “career library professionals,” even when including students enrolled in an MLIS or MLS granting program, is believed to explain the lack of Generation Z participants
Members of this generation are at most 22 years of age, meaning they have had a limited period to be in the workforce at all, much less a workforce which often requires both a BA and a Master's degree to obtain employment
Summary
Both scholarly and popular publications have, in recent years, spent a significant amount of time and text remarking on the multigenerational workplace. The confluence of so many generations simultaneously in the workforce has resulted in a broad range of theories and reflections regarding generational differences in approach to work/life balance, pay expectations, motivation and incentive patterns, and other perceived generational differences that impact the workplace. These purported generational differences may impact both library workplaces and library leaders who may need to accommodate varying employee expectations and needs; confirmation of generational differences solicited solely from those within the profession have been scant. Responses were solicited from nearly 800 library career professionals regarding the most valued characteristics of an admired leader and assessed for generational trends across the profession, within library subfields, within specific library subtypes, and within gender identity categories
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