What is it about?

This study develops a leadership competency model tailored to library and information professionals in Kuwait. Drawing on an extensive literature review and a field study of 141 library managers across public, academic, school, and special libraries, the authors identified 42 leadership competencies, later refined to the top 20 most critical competencies. Using structured ratings and statistical analyses, the study organizes these competencies into six domains: managerial effectiveness, cognitive skills, social skills, motivational competencies, personal competencies, and occupational (professional–ethical) competencies. The results highlight which competencies are most valued and how their importance varies across library contexts.

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Why is it important?

Applied contribution: Provides one of the first empirically grounded leadership competency frameworks for librarianship in the Gulf region. Professional relevance: Identifies concrete competencies that can inform selection, training, appraisal, and curriculum design in library and information science. Cultural grounding: Moves beyond importing Western leadership models by grounding competencies in local professional expectations. Strategic insight: Shows that ethical commitment, trustworthiness, motivation, and communication are prioritized over purely technical or strategic skills in this context.

Perspectives

Leadership effectiveness is often discussed in abstract terms. This study translates leadership into observable, teachable competencies grounded in practitioners’ own judgments. By listening to library leaders themselves, we aimed to provide a practical model that supports professional development while remaining sensitive to cultural and organizational realities in Kuwait.

Prof. Othman H Alkhadher
Kuwait University

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This page is a summary of: Developing a Leadership Competency Model for Library and Information Professionals in Kuwait, Libri, January 2011, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/libr.2011.020.
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