Sandler Training celebrates our Chattanooga client’s nomination for a top national library award.
Anyone who has ever been on a diet can attest to this simple, yet profound truth from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung: “Simple things are always the most difficult.” Why are the things that seem so simple always the ones that are the most difficult to change? Knowing what we should do is rarely the issue. Eating moderate amounts of fruits, vegetables and lean protein, getting plenty of exercise, and staying away from sweets isn’t exactly rocket science. Before you know it though, great intentions just reverted to the same old bad habits.
When Corinne Hill arrived in Chattanooga to become the Executive Director of the Chattanooga Public Library in 2012, her goal as a manager was simple and straightforward: “I wanted to manage the way I always wished I was managed. But, to make that happen, I saw that we had to change our culture.” Identifying the problems within an organization are frequently much more apparent than the solutions. As the old saying goes, “It’s much easier to poke holes in a ship than it is to sail one.”
Internal culture change is one of those key areas of business where the solution often seems incredibly simple. Often, leadership knows what they underlying issues are that the company is facing. Whether it’s inefficient staff members, poor customer service, or declining sales, pointing to the root of the problem is often so easy that it can lead to decisions that are poorly thought out, such as barking commands or firing team members. The solutions are rarely that simple, though. Good leaders might be able to identify what the problem is that is facing the organization. Great leaders take the extra time to identify why that problem is there in the first place.
Doing the hard things and transforming cultures are where leaders are truly born. Leaders like Corinne understand that problems are rarely as simple as they seem on the surface and that strategic solutions must be implemented to achieve success.
After spending time with her Sandler Training business mentor, Corinne began seeing that “simple” problems like greeting customers properly at the Chattanooga Public Library actually stemmed from decades of self-confidence and self-esteem issues. By treating the problem and not simply trying to address the symptom, Corinne says that culture change finally started to happen. The Chattanooga Library has even been nominated for the prestigious Leslie B. Knope Award for the nation’s top library. The Chattanooga Library is one of only 32 libraries across the country nominated.
“Our staff knows we invest in them because they are a valuable resource,” she said. “Sandler Training has made a big impact on staff morale and engagement.”
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