After two years of planning, Wyoming Library Leadership Institute 2021 gathered June 23-25 in beautiful Pinedale, Wyoming. The first day saw participants learning about the Wyoming Library Leadership Institute, the benefits of belonging to a professional organization, and the many benefits of journaling. That evening we celebrated a spectacular Happy Hour hosted at the Sublette County Library to which past WLLI grads were invited. On Thursday, Elissa Ruckle from Elevate Wyoming determined participants’ personality colors and dove deep into communication tips, lizard brain reactions, leadership styles, and generational traits. Friday morning was spent on building and leading teams. Participants enjoyed the beautiful surroundings in Pinedale, the gorgeous Sublette County Library, and amazing meals from local restaurants. Like Wyoming Library Leadership Institute on Facebook to see more pictures of this year’s gathering.
Left to Right: Susan Parkins, Cindy Mosteller, Jessica Otto, Judi Boyce, Darcy Acord (mentor), Samantha Griffis, Jacque Strike (mentor), Kimberly Redmond, Linda Herget, Tammy Plowman, Liz Palmer, Rachael Svoboda (mentor), and Johanna Tuttle (mentor).
Clockwise from Left: Jessica Otto, Tammy Plowman, Samantha Griffis, Susan Parkins, Darcy Acord (mentor), Cindy Mosteller, Liz Palmer, Johanna Tuttle (mentor), Rachael Svoboda (mentor), Judi Boyce, Elissa Ruckle, Linda Herget, and Kimberly Redmond
Jessica Otto, Wyoming State Library Collections Technician and a member of the WLLI 2021 graduating class, said she found the opportunity to participate in WLLI “lifechanging.”
“I was able to meet more members of my library community and become a part of something really special,” Jessica said. She also admitted her expectations for the experience were exceeded, “I knew this could help me become a better leader at work, but I wasn’t prepared for all these lessons to apply to my family life, my community life, and even my relationship with myself.”
“My biggest takeaway from the institute was relearning what a leader actually is. Being a leader doesn’t mean doing things before anyone else does or telling all the ‘followers’ how to do their tasks,” Jessica said. “Everyone has their own unique abilities and leadership style. Moving forward, I know that teams are comprised of leaders and there are ways for everyone to lead together.”
Visit the Wyoming Library Leadership Institute’s webpage for more information about its history, participants, and upcoming events or to continue your leadership journey through a volunteer committee position.