Outstanding Supervisor Nominations

Awarded to the supervisor who is recognized to have that unique blend of human relation skills and knowledge of the organization and its mission, coupled with the ability to apply problem-solving and communication skills to the successful management of their employees. This person is able to successfully balance the goals of the Libraries with the individual goals of the employees.

What makes this person an outstanding supervisor (technical skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership)?

What, indeed. Steven came to Archives/Records Management in June of 2000 with no grounding in either area of specialization, but he brought with him a keen understanding of the importance of communication in the workplace, and a willingness to subordinate his authority to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible about his new environment. I have never had the privilege of working with someone so open to challenges presented by change in my 20+ years at the University. That Steven not only succeeded in assimilating this information, but in the intervening not-quite-three years has managed to invest the program with a new dynamism is testament to his commitment to make not only Archives and Records Management, but by extension, UGA Libraries a force to be reckoned with as we help the University explore new avenues of information access. This is accomplished because first and foremost Steven is committed to the human element in the equation. He never forgets the needs of the individual patron, and he never forgets the needs of the individual worker on his team.

Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your unit through a difficult change?

If there was a difficult change in our department for Steven to master, it might have been the reorganization which brought him to Special Collections in the first place. In spite of his newness to the discipline, Steven has proven himself a committed "team player" and has established our program as a valued contributor to both the larger Special Collections "family" and to UGA Libraries as a broader community. Numerous specific instances could be cited, but Steven's commitment to train and pass the exam to become a Certified Archivist speaks most succinctly to his desire to fuse the mission of Archives/Records Management to the larger missions of Special Collections and the Libraries as a whole. His implementation of new Regents' records disposition standards, and his commitment (with Venus Jackson, UGA Records Manager) to educate the larger University community as to the most effective means to implement the new standards likewise speak to his commitment to!
the University and the citizens of Georgia.

What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your nominee?

Steven is both a compassionate humanist and an administrative realist, choosing his battles wisely, but always advocating fiercely for both his people and his program. He is committed to his work here at UGA Libraries, and he is committed to making this the best working environment possible. In an age of economic uncertainty and vocational unrest, he is the very best that anyone could ask for in a supervisor.

That said, I could just as easily have said all of the above in conjunction with the category of mentor (something which I contemplated, but opted out of in favor of placing the recommendation here, as I think that it is the qualities enumerated above which I most admire in a supervisor's role.....

Ms. Browning (Greta) is a processing archivist in the Russell Library with particular expertise in oral histories. Since the summer of 2002, Greta has supervised the Russell Library's student assistants which have numbered from as few as 1 to as many as 4.

What makes this person an outstanding supervisor (technical skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership)?

Greta is able to blend her propensity for organization and details with her considerable interpersonal skills to act as an outstanding supervisor of student assistants. On the more "technical" side, Greta has initiated more efficient ways of handling "the bureaucracy" as well as ways to streamline interdepartmental procedures, e.g., workflow charts, updated manuals, exit interview forms, etc. She works very hard with the other two processing archivists in the Russell to make sure there are always projects lined up for the students. This helps foster communication and trust between her and the student assistants.

On a more personal level, Greta has been able to maintain an air of authority, while simultaneously listening to tales of everything from music to boys to hair to grades to professors to problems of a more serious nature. Greta certainly had a challenge facing her when she agreed to supervise the student assistants. She accepted the challenge and has used the opportunity to continue her own personal and professional growth.

Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your unit through a difficult change?

I could easily cite several instances where Greta's skills have been evident, but would like to focus on one specific challenge that she has dealt with particularly gracefully. Greta has had the difficult task of "reigning" in the students. The Russell Library is a congenial place to work and the "whistle while you work" mentality has been in place for quite some time. Greta has been able to keep the whistle while you work aspect while tempering it with a subtle reminder that we are all, in fact, here to work and be productive. This she has also done with grace. (excerpt from nomination)

What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your nominee?

Greta has been proactive in the quest to improve her leadership skills as evidenced by her participation in the "FrontLine Leadership Series" offered through Training and Development. She has completed 2 of the 5 required classes and immediately implemented skills learned in the workshops to improve efficiency within the Processing Dept. As the person who supervised the student workers prior to Greta, I am well aware of the challenges that one faces while supervising student assistants (as well as the rewards). Greta has consciously carried on the positive Russell traditions of supervising students, e.g., tailoring projects to their interests and working styles. Equally important, she has implemented her own supervisory style and policies which can be extremely difficult when supervising employees who have been under one or two different supervisors. Greta has done an EXCELLENT job!!!!!!

What makes this person an outstanding supervisor (technical skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership)?

Jacquie possesses all of the above mentioned assets: Technical skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude(the good kind!), and leadership. I was torn between submitting my nomination under the Mentor/Trainer or Supervisor category but decided on the latter. She has the ability to work equally well with staff, professionals and patrons. She is a wonderful supervisor with leadership ability and a team attitude. In her position she is amazing in her ability recognize problems and get them fixed. When possible she either fixes them herself or she contacts the person that can. She is able to delegate tasks and make work assignments but is willing to jump in herself when the situation requires an extra person. Jacquie is a champion for those that for and with her.

Jacquie's mentoring skills are usually at work though not necessarily in a formal way. She is simply available to pass on her work knowledge when someone inquires of her. She is willing to give you as much information as you desire; a simple answer to the question or the reasoning behind the answer as well. Often people in other departments will come to Jacquie seeking assistance with a problem and she is always willing to help (either through answering a question or helping to shift books if need be) and she gives the same excellent "customer service" to co-workers as she does the patrons. She also helps teach the freshman library classes scheduled by professors and also teaches patrons as they come to the Reference Desk. It's not just a matter of giving them an answer but showing the how they can find the answer themselves the next time. She does in a manner that instills confidence in the patron but lets them know that they should always feel that they can come to the Reference Desk when they cannot find what they need.

Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your unit through a difficult change?

There are no specific incidents to cite because it is simply her work style to be there when needed and make sure that all tasks have a person to accomplish them. We are seldom in crisis situations with assignments because everyone is willing to pick up where needed and fill in if someone is out unexpectedly or for an extended period of time. This is how Jacquie works and she encourages those around her to do so as well. Schedules are often changed but work is never disrupted.

What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your nominee?

Jacquie is the same whether at work or off. She is active in soccer and has coached, refereed and schedule referees for games and tournaments. She is well regarded outside of work for the same reasons as at work. She instills a sense of confidence in players she has coached and she always tries to make sure that referees are covered even if it means she is filling in herself.... That's just the kind of person Jacquie is.

What makes this person an outstanding supervisor (technical skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership)?

Sheila is the most organized person I know. She always knows exactly what needs to be accomplished at every stage in each of our large and complex projects. In addition, she has been a great teacher and mentor for me this year, which was my first working for the library. She enables all who work for her to see the big picture so they can appreciate what they are working toward. Leading by example, Sheila promotes a diligent work environment. She rewards accomplishments on a daily basis with appreciation and encouragement. Sheila is especially good at identifying and capitalizing on employee strengths in order to accomplish the best work in the most efficient manner. Her experience in the Russell Library and Hargrett allows her to readily identify useful cataloging and archival resources. Sheila's multi department experience and networking skills also enable her to identify and work with people in and outside the library who can help us solve both administrational and project related problems. One of Sheila's greatest strengths is that she encourages and rewards initiative while closely tracking progress toward goals.

Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your unit through a difficult change?

Though we have been without a permanent Director since the Fall, work at the Digital Library has progressed smoothly due largely to Sheila's coordination. In addition, Sheila has worked closely with the interim directors and the rest of the DLG group to streamline operations for the future based on her extensive experience with digital projects.

What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your nominee?

Sheila is dedicated to mentoring and it shows in her support of training and development. Not only does she develop her own technical and managerial skills on an on-going basis, but she has encouraged and enabled me to broaden my archival, cataloging, and software skills. Such training benefits the Digital Library directly by increasing my efficiency and effectiveness and indirectly by appealing to my interest in the work that we do. By encouraging her employees to take an active interest in their work, Sheila creates an environment of high morale and promotes a disciplined work ethic.