TEDxLibrariansTO Countdown Questions: Day 1: Adding value

As you read this, I'll be at TEDxLibrariansTO helping out with registration. And having a great time talking about librarians as thought leaders!

As I've done for the last few days, here is my answer for yesterday's TEDxLibrariansTO Countdown Question:

Question 1: What means should librarians choose to encourage their institutions to embrace change?

I'm not sure I know how to approach even beginning to answer this question other than to just say 42!

However, I was lucky enough to attend Drew Dudley's amazing keynote address at yesterday's York IT Day conference. He really talked about redefining leadership in a such a way that everyday everyone has a chance to add value to their lives and organizations. Everyone can make a difference just by being more mindful of how they conduct their everyday lives.

I really liked how he used six questions we can all ask ourselves everyday to frame his value adding strategy.

With Drew's permission, here they are:

1. What have you done today to be helpful?
2. What have you done today to make it more likely you will learn something?
3. What have you done today to make it more likely someone else will learn something?
4. Have you said something positive about someone to their face today?
5. Have you said something positive about someone when they're not even in the room today?
6. What have you done today to be good to yourself?

It's a start. Make a difference.

(More on the questions forthcoming in Anyone Can Make the Waitress Laugh: 'Lollipop Moments' and Redefining Leadership by Drew Dudley)