Effective supervisor training is key to retaining effective organizational leadership. MCPL recognizes that new hires require assistance to transition from “general staff” to “supervisor,” or from a supervisory position to a library branch manager. One aspect to working in MCPL is its employee union environment ⁠— a characteristic with which many newcomers are unaccustomed. This consideration ⁠— along with administrative duties ⁠— are often “foreign” to the newly-hired individual and training must be employed.

The programs foster positive relationships among staff and new supervisors/managers ⁠— a key factor for morale and productivity as well as for maximizing team cohesiveness. The programs’ “didactic discourse” includes leadership and team building, time management and interpersonal communication. “Integration” comprises pairing the newly-hired or promoted manager/supervisor with a current manager/supervisor in a mentor/protégée arrangement. There are no additional costs associated with the programs’ implementation.

The availability of a mentor to discuss how to handle various issues is beneficial to the protégée ⁠— a priceless “personal” connection. There is also a unique path to improving participants’ professional skills and to strengthening MCPL’s succession plan; the programs retain institutional knowledge and expertise in managing multiple branches, different staffing complements and diverse communities of customers. Since the Academy’s and Cohort’s implementation in Fiscal Year 2018, 24 individuals have participated.