Education Resources

In this interactive workshop, booksellers will have the opportunity to practice service leadership skills. Service leaders turn the traditional “power leadership” model upside down by focusing on empowering instead of commanding. Managers who practice service leadership have found that this method supports potential, creativity, and purpose in their employees. If this approach is different from what you practice and you want to learn more, come join the conversation! And if you are already practicing servant leadership, you will enjoy the opportunity to refresh your skills. (Managers)

This financial modeling workshop will help you evaluate potential new initiatives for your business. Whether you think it’s time to expand your space with another physical or pop-up location, you want to begin or increase your offering of used books or non-book items, or you’re considering adding a cafe or bar, this workshop will walk you through the financial analysis to help you make sound business decisions. Preliminary work in the Strategic Planning Series: Part I, Part II, and Part III will benefit attendees of this session.

Regular and honest communication creates stronger teams and stronger customer connections. However, our current age is one of great volatility and great change, making successful communication harder than ever. But don’t despair! Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy, authors of Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies (Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster) will offer you insight on how to improve your communication skills. You will learn principles of psychology and human behavior that you can leverage to effectively and empathetically communicate with your team and customers. You will learn how to apologize when needed, and why good apologies are essential, powerful, and restorative. Even in the face of large ideological conflicts, good communication is possible! Join us for this important conversation!

Led by a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) facilitator, this workshop will address current conflicts in retail spaces. Participants will have practice opportunities with real-life scenarios. (All)

There are many factors that go into publisher decisions for author visits and tours, and bookseller event grids help them make those choices. In this session, publishers will provide sample event grids, explain how they use them to determine author tours, and share info on what has changed in their approach to events since 2020. Booksellers will learn:
- The number one thing publishers are looking for in potential events
- How to make your event proposal stand out
- How to make your grids more specific
- Important ways to follow up after you submit the grid
- The ways in which publishers determine virtual vs in-person vs hybrid events

A good hiring process will help you attract and retain high-quality booksellers who are passionate about your mission. Onboarding new employees, while time consuming, can make or break that employee’s successful transition from a new employee to an involved and productive employee. If it’s been a while since you took some time to think about hiring and onboarding in a strategic way, then this session is for you! Booksellers who have developed processes around these critical bookstore procedures will share hiring and onboarding strategies for bookstores of all sizes. (Managers)