Anne Gresham In-Basket Exercise ILS 565-S70 Fall 2011 Professor James M.

Kusack In Basket Exercise I interpreted this exercise as the director of a medium public library under the supervision of the Town Manager. I gave myself two hours to handle the twelve communications in my inbox before preparing my notes and driving to a workshop. If each response required twenty minutes, I would be able to take six actions. My first priorities were health and safety concerns, followed by any issues that threatened daily operations. My next priority was responding to communications from my supervisor. I began by sorting the twelve issues according to urgency and importance. Urgent tasks needed to be addressed that day, and included facilities/technology issues, specifically the overflowing toilet and my secretary's broken computers. I also considered time sensitive tasks as urgent, including Mr. Muki's email requesting a list of expendable positions, the spot audit warning, and the staff committee's proposed cuts, which I need to finalize before meeting with Mr. Muki. Additionally, I considered a staff conflict in an unsupervised department to be urgent, since I wanted to address it before leaving so that it wouldn't boil over in my absence. Several of these tasks were both urgent and important. I classified tasks related to the structure and philosophy of my library as important tasks, including Mr. Muki's emails about spot audits and personnel recision, and the staff committee's proposed cuts. I also felt that poor performance of an employee (customer service issues, lack of adherence to the organization's values, and a conflict of interest) was an important concern, but one which could be addressed when I returned to the office. Whenever possible, I attempted to address related but less urgent/important tasks along with others. For example, the filthy windows issue could be addressed in the exploding toilet communication with the custodian. The communications are presented below in the order in which I would respond to them.

Communication 5: Exploding Toilet / Communication 4: Filthy Windows Status: Urgent

Anne Gresham In-Basket Exercise ILS 565-S70 Fall 2011 Professor James M. Kusack Action: Call Elmo immediately to find out whether the overflow has been stopped or if it is ongoing. Be sure to thank Elmo for bringing the problem to my attention. Tell Ms. Loiale to call a plumber immediately to deal with the problem. Ask her to call Elmo and instruct him to 1) assist the plumber as needed, and 2) clean the windows by the end of the day. Rationale: An overflowing toilet is a serious facilities issue water damage needs to be prevented, and health concerns need to be cleaned up. Hopefully my swift personal response and gratitude for his vigilance will inspire Elmo to get the windows cleaned by the end of the day.

Communication 9: Ad Hoc Task Force of Personnel Recision Status: Urgent/Important Action: Email Mr. Muki and explain that my department is already short staffed due to the vacant Head of Technical Services position. Our ability to provide service will suffer if we cut any more positions. However, there may be other options, including those proposed by a staff committee. Offer to prepare a list of proposed cutbacks in other areas by Wednesday morning, as I will be out of the office until Tuesday afternoon. Rationale: I gave this task importance because it comes from my supervisor and concerns one of my primary objectives as a director advocating for my team. I chose to address it early in the day, since this will be a difficult email to write and I need to work on it while I am still fresh. I also want to let Mr. Muki know as soon as possible that I won't be able to meet his proposed deadline.

Communication 4: Broken Computers/IT Harrassment Status: Urgent

Anne Gresham In-Basket Exercise ILS 565-S70 Fall 2011 Professor James M. Kusack Action: Tell Ms. Loiale to try restarting the computer, and to find a new IT service provider who is able to provide onsite assistance1. Ask her to use the vacant Head of Technical Services desk in the interim. While she works in the office, ask her to be sure that the thermostat is set at 68 degrees and that the windows remain closed. Rationale: This is an urgent matter, since Ms. Loiale needs a computer to run the office, especially since I'll be out. Our current IT repair provider has demonstrated incompetence; furthermore, I will not tolerate harassment of my staff. Delivering computers to an offsite IT shop is also a poor use of my secretary's time. Fortuitously, though, having a third person in the technical services office may help diffuse some of the tension between Mia and Sylvia, which I suspect has little to do with the temperature and everything to do with a power struggle.

Communication 2: Spot Audits / Communication 10: Internet Abuse Status: Urgent/Important Action: Ask Ms. Loiale to be sure that monthly financial reports are in order. Send a memo to all staff reminding them of stated internet use policies and use the phrase "time theft" for clarity. Outline the disciplinary process that will be used for infractions. Rationale: I consider this a relatively urgent action, since spot audits might occur in the near future, and I do not want to lose any positions. If I am forced to fire employees, I doubt that I will be given the opportunity to re-fill their positions due to the city's interest in cutting positions. However, I need to give employees some warning before I start enforcing policies. Additionally, this memo would signal to Mr. Jonakin that I took his complaint under consideration and would give Ms. Baumgarten advance notice that her internet abuse is unacceptable.

1 Assumption: the library relies on a third party for IT service and has the autonomy to choose a provider. 3

Anne Gresham In-Basket Exercise ILS 565-S70 Fall 2011 Professor James M. Kusack Communication 3: Participatory Management Decision Status: Urgent/Important Action: Send an email to the committee. They need to know that any savings resulting from their proposed plan will not be funneled into salaries or bonuses, due to economic conditions and shrinking budgets (without mentioning Mr. Muki's email about personnel cuts). Ask them to develop a presentation of their plan so that I can see their logic by Tuesday afternoon, which will give me time to incorporate their suggestions into my discussion with Mr. Muki on Wednesday. Rationale: Their decision is troubling. However, as front line staff, they may be more in touch with what the library wants and needs, even though it goes against everything I assume about public library services. I am willing to hear them out, but I need to be sure their motives are to improve the organization and not to avoid reference desk duty or to increase their salaries at the expense of our patrons.

Communications 11 and 12: Thermostat Wars Status: Urgent Action: Email Sylvia and Mia. Tell them that the temperature is to remain at 68 degrees, as per the personnel manual, and that windows must stay closed. Let them know that if this is unsatisfactory, I will facilitate conflict resolution for them when I return. Rationale: This is a very petty argument, but has the potential to explode if left unaddressed. My employees need recourse to a supervisor, and since the Head of Technical Services position is vacant, I want to avoid escalation of the conflict in my absence.

Delayed Actions Communication 6: "Found" Billed Items / Communication 7: Pornography Filters Status: Important

Anne Gresham In-Basket Exercise ILS 565-S70 Fall 2011 Professor James M. Kusack Action: Ask Ms. Loiale to tell Ms. Baumgarten that I received her emails and will speak with her next week. Rationale: Neither of these are pressing concerns by themselves. However, I am unhappy with Ms. Baumgarten's performance and the allegations of her internet abuse. I plan to give her an oral warning for using library time to operate her private business. I also want to revisit customer service values with her she must stop referring to patrons in derogatory terms. I am also unwilling to install filters until the city requires it, and I need to be sure Ms. Baumgarten understands the implications of filters for intellectual freedom. While I recognize the importance of swift intervention for problem employees, I need to spend more than twenty minutes preparing for this and meeting with her. I plan to address this as soon as I return.

Communication 1: Employee Lateness Status: Not Urgent/Unimportant Action: Email Mr. Jonakin when I return tomorrow and explain that I expect him to administer tardiness policies as he sees fit. Rationale: An employee who may have been ten minutes late twice does not constitute an urgent or important matter. Additionally, the tone of Mr. Jonakin's email suggests that I should be doing his job for him. He is the manager of the department, and I expect him to manage his staff.