Jun
21
Thanks to everyone who posted comments yesterday! Feel free to respond to the questions from any day and keep the conversation moving. For those attending the event, we will be continuing the conversations started right here on the day.
Today’s questions are:
Question 1: What should we expect/demand of our thought leaders?
Question 2: We can’t all be thought leaders all the time. Often, by necessity we are followers. So, what does it mean to follow a thought leader well?
Question 1: I’m not sure we should expect or demand anything from our thought leaders. Those people that I identify as thought leaders are acting on their own initiative, they’re doing it in their own time and aren’t getting paid for it. It is based on goodwill and if anything I think thought leaders should expect something from us.
Question 2: This question ties in with my video. I think there is a thought leader in all of us, but you’re quite right we can’t all be thought leaders all of the time. As followers I think we need to support the thought leader by commenting on and sharing their ideas, and if possible building on them.
Question 1: We should demand that they sign their names to what they write. The passive-aggressive snark that anonymity encourages adds nothing constructive to a serious discussion among professionals.
We should expect that they will see and challenge librarian groupthink. We should expect that they treat those who disagree with them fairly. We should expect that they take thoughtful criticism seriously.
Question 2: To be an effective follower of a thought leader involves questioning them when what they have to say contradicts your experiences and observations or otherwise seems to be wrong. It can also mean adding nuance and depth to what thought leaders write–constructively engaging and expanding on what they are saying–as well as encouraging them to continue their work.