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Creating Opportunity Out of Change: |
Thank you David for that most kind introduction. I am very pleased to be with you today and appreciate this opportunity to speak with you. The subject of social networking is something that not only affects many of us personally but will certainly have a direct impact on the future of the information profession.
In keeping with this theme...I would like to talk a little about how I think advances in social networking are affecting the profession and what I believe you as info pros can do to take advantage of significant opportunities resulting from changes occurring in the world of information and knowledge management.
Before I begin...I would also like to add my voice to the chorus of thanks to those who organized this meeting...especially David...Sue Brewsaugh and Christian Gray. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to SLA. I also want to thank our sponsors and I hope each of you will take a moment to do so as well.
We live in a world of change. It is happening all around us and it is happening at breathtaking speed. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the world of information and communications technology. Advances in information technology... the Internet...is revolutionizing the way we gather and use information...and the way we communicate ideas and opinions to one another.
Consider this. In 1994...there were approximately ten thousand Web sites...today that number is estimated at about one hundred million.
And according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project...about one in three Internet users have logged onto the Internet using a wireless connection either around the house...at work...or some place else.
And finally...new data from Edison Media Research tells us the audience for Podcasting grew by eighteen percent in the last year. I suppose this is not difficult to imagine since Apple announced it sold its one-hundred millionth IPod last August and sales for the new video version are brisk. Change is....indeed...upon us.
Keep in mind...however...that back in the early days of the public's use of the Internet...the experience was very one dimensional...very flat. You could retrieve information and you could post it. You could send email and receive it. Web sites were little more than brochures and online catalogues you did not have to wait for in the mail.
And...then...something interesting happened. Users....along with like-minded technologists...discovered the power of the Internet to amplify a single voice. It suddenly gave that voice substance...authority ...and reach.
Anyone with a computer and a mobile phone...or better yet...a video phone, can get play on CNN. Seemingly overnight...Christiana Amanpour and Wolf Blitzer have hundreds...if not thousands...of would-be colleagues and competitors.
Today...we characterize the extensive...multi-faceted... and collaborative nature of Internet communications under the broad umbrella of social networking. As I am sure you are aware...social network analysis is a scientific approach used in many disciplines to explain complex social relationships between individuals or groups of individuals.
With regard to the Internet...the term social networking seems to reflect pretty accurately the interconnection of millions of users through an array of applications that include; blogs...wikis...online reviews...podcasts...and networking sites such as Classmates.com... MySpace...and YouTube.
We know that social networking....search engines...online collaboration... and other aspects of the Internet in the post-Web Two-Point-Oh world are helping to drive its use; making the Internet an extraordinarily robust vehicle for personal and professional expression. More and more experts seem to agree that "prosumers"...those who both produce and consume digital content... will continually seek new more imaginative ways to participate...collaborate...communicate...and influence online. YouTube's amazing story of success is a good example.
Whether through existing information technology or ...as of yet...undeveloped applications....prosumers are just beginning to plug into the power of personal and professional expression which the Internet offers.
I would say there is nearly unanimous agreement among most technology experts that successful organizations in the future will have to find ways to harness this collaborative creativity for the benefit of employees and customers alike...as well as their bottom line.
As I think most of you know...SLA is committed to developing and enhancing our own collaborative capabilities.
One of our goals is to investigate technology that will allow collaboration of members globally. And we are doing just that.
Last month...for example...we began evaluating a technology solution to enhance member networking and we created five wikis to encourage member communication and collaboration.
These efforts are in addition to the launch of a our new Webex system that will make video and audio conferencing and training more effective for members. We have also created and administered more than twenty blogs...including my own.
And we are considering the potential value of an SLA presence in the virtual world of Second Life...in addition to our ongoing efforts to make the SLA Web site more interactive and user-friendly. And...as you know...we are continuing our significant commitment to the development of Click University...which we believe offers great promise for valuable and easily accessible and affordable online education for members.
I am also pleased to tell you about a new SLA member benefit. We have partnered with eBrary to make one thousand business...leadership...and management books available electronically through Click University.
While a primary goal of our technology efforts is to spur online collaboration among members...there is an important secondary benefit. We believe we are creating a laboratory in which you can experiment with different collaborative tools if you are not already familiar with them. We hope this hands-on experience with collaborative approaches in a risk-free environment can ultimately prove beneficial to you and your organizations' clients.
Most organizations...ours included...are just beginning to experiment with meaningful social networking. What will it take for most of us to make the transition from business-as-usual...to business in a wired-in world? First and foremost...I believe it will take the unique knowledge...experience...and vision of information professionals like you.
When it comes to the information needs of an organization... no one can match the skills of the information professional. That is why in many organizations...info pros are becoming the hub of wheel... playing an integral role in all decision-making and education practices surrounding them.
You know what quality information and valid data look like. You know how to gather it. You know how to evaluate it. And... most importantly...you know how it can and should be used strategically. That makes you significant contributors to your organization's decision-making and to its bottom line.
This view of the information professional as contributor to the bottom line is supported by the most current data available from Bersin Associates which conducted an interesting survey a year or so ago. The firm surveyed business executives to determine how they learn... stay informed... and access timely information. The results were very interesting.
- While 71 percent of these executives felt they were well-informed..., most admitted they devote a significant amount of time to searching for information.
- Seventy three percent indicated they spend 2 to 4 hours per week conducting research.
By taking into account the typical salary of a top executive... Bersin calculated that at least one thousand dollars per week is lost in time spent on each executive doing his own research. AND, the firm pointed out...this figure doesn't reflect the opportunity cost associated with these executives focusing on activities not directly tied to their primary responsibility of managing their companies.
Without question...info pros are assuming more and more responsibility for information management inside their organizations.
Frankly...who is better qualified than an info pro to explain to a CEO or other senior management the advantages of one information technology over another?
While the long-term picture for info pros appears bright...I know we can all site numerous examples of organizations that have closed their libraries or information centers because some senior manager was more interested in cutting costs than considering the very real ROI info pros provide.
No one can explain the value you provide to your organization better than you. That is why I believe it is critically important for you to continue educating senior managers about the significant contributions you make. That is why you must regularly communicate the business case for the growth of your positions.
And that is why you must never stop thinking strategically about your organization's goals and objectives, and the role you play in helping achieve them.
Ever since I joined the SLA leadership in 2003, I have repeated a quote from retired U.S. Army General Eric Shinseki many times. He is known for saying: "If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less."
Change is not something most people embrace naturally. Information professionals have faced a lot of change in recent years as your roles have evolved.
A recent study of twenty-four Fortune 500 companies by Best Practices found that nearly 50 percent of all corporate library resources are currently available electronically. About one in three of these companies now offer more than 90 percent of their content electronically. This I would call significant change.
While change is often fraught with peril and uncertainty...it also creates opportunity. Without question...the changing role of information professionals at companies and institutions is creating opportunity like never before.
Today...you often find info pros playing key roles in business units or in other strategic areas of an organization. In the past...you and your colleagues typically were expected to respond to requests for information and data. Today...you are active collaborators with decision-makers within your organizations often taking the lead in driving important study and analysis.
But is it enough simply to adapt to change...even if it is done well? The Japanese have a term I like very much. It is..."Kie-Zen." Loosely translated...it means a continuing quest to do better. In my view...that is the role of a change agent. That is the role of a leader. More than anything else...I believe info pros have the ability to take on this role inside their organizations.
What does it take to be a leader? If I were asked to sum it up in a word...I would probably say...preparation.
If you look at the lecture circuit today...you will find no shortage of former politicians...generals...business executives...and football coaches ready to provide you with the answer to this question for a fee.
They are able to talk about leadership because they were successful. What did all of them have in common? They had the opportunity to lead and they were prepared.
I believe there is always room for growth in all of us. In particular...info pros have to find ways to think strategically with a focus on organizational goals in order to gain support and attention from senior management. Many practicing info pros have succeeded in doing this...but it is time to make their success the norm. And by doing so...you can literally transform the career and the entire profession.
No matter your area of practice...no matter the scope or scale of your work...and no matter the industry in which you work...you must continually align your thinking and actions with those of the leaders of change in your organization.
I have always believed that transforming one's career requires a change in perspective. That perspective should bring a person into greater alignment with the goals of their organization...with the vision of their organization's leadership... and with the needs of their customers, both internal and external. How do you make this happen? The answer is probably not the same for any two people...but I have some thoughts that may help you to think about it.
Transforming your value should begin with a clear understanding of your values and those of your employer. Of course...your values are likely to vary from those sitting to your right or your left, so we have to think in terms of the kinds of values that enhance your stature in your organization.
Some of the questions you should be asking yourselves...Are you service oriented? Do you prefer collaborative decision making? Are you innovative? Do you expect diversity in the workplace? Is transparency something you desire?
If you have the vision and the ability to mesh your values with those of your employer...you are likely to have a much stronger affinity for your work life. But there is a catch.. There always is. The direct line to success is not always easy or a consistently upward track with a commensurate salary.
Being flexible enough to adapt to changes in the workplace...in the market...and even in your personal life is very important and a key to success. I would say argue that values should not be sacrificed in the name of flexibility.
If you have a clear understanding of your value and your values...AND how they mesh with the value and values of your organization... you are well on your way to becoming a leader.
I believe the single most important thing you can do to change your perspective to enhance your career is to adopt the mindset of a senior executive. We may not always agree with or like the people who inhabit the top positions at our organizations. Nevertheless...it makes sense for us to think and act as though we are part of this group.
A colleague once told me that while she is not a CEO...she regularly asks herself, "What would I do if I WERE the CEO?" Is this risky thinking? Absolutely not. You are probably familiar with the well-known Native American proverb that admonishes us to "never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins." If we change our perspective to consider how things are done at the top...we may begin to look differently at the way we do things. But this yields another requirement for adopting the mindset of a senior executive.
To advance your personal and professional growth...I encourage you to develop the capacity for conceptual thinking..., or systems thinking...as it is sometimes called. . Linear thinking typically focuses on the starting point of a thought or idea and moves toward an end progressively.
Conceptual thinking...on the other hand... requires a holistic approach to a project or initiative...keeping the result in mind from start to finish. Why is this important? It has been my experience that... unless you can visualize where you want to go...you cannot possibly get there.
Dan Pink... who authored the bestseller A Whole New Mind... believes that the future will belong to conceptual thinkers. These are people who understand the importance of storytelling...the design in every aspect of business... the symphony of ideas and goals...the needs of customers and colleagues...even the importance of play... in the context working hard and finding meaning in the work we do. Linear, analytical thinkers may be skeptical of this, but...all around us...there are signs pointing to an increasing focus on these capabilities.
In order to be a conceptual thinker...you must begin with an end in mind...the end of a project...or the end of an initiative. Thinking about the outcome of your work gives you a vision of what you hope to achieve.
Psychologists believe that seeing what you hope to accomplish in your mind's eye can make you more successful. This technique is commonly used today by professional golfers and other high-performance athletes.
You must...however...avoid the tendency to return to linear thinking... by continually envisioning the results of your work... its scope... and its impact on you... your organization and on all of your stakeholders.
Executive coach Steven Robbins describes working in the executive suite as the ultimate "buck stops here" scenario. He says the essence of being a successful executive lies in one's capacity to make good decisions with confidence.
Robbins says, "an executive's job is making decisions from the perspective of the entire business. Executives think about making the entire business succeed, not just their own domain. Remember that grand vision statement your company spent so much time and attention creating? It is the executives who link the leadership vision with the strategy and tactics that get carried out."
Getting to this point requires experience...confidence...and the willingness to relinquish the notion that what we do or what we control is more important than achieving the overall goals of the organization.
It turns out then...that preparation for leadership includes...the flexibility to embrace and even create change...the awareness of your value in context of your values...the ability to think conceptually like a senior executive...and the courage to make good decisions. Information professionals...people who are extremely capable of gathering...sharing...and analyzing data, content, and knowledge...are better prepared for this challenge of leadership than anyone else I can imagine.
At a conference I attended last fall...a speaker was talking about the field of physics....and I apologize in advance to all of you who work in this discipline. He made the wry observation that progress in the field of physics is made one funeral at a time.
We at SLA are determined to make sure no one ever says that about your profession.
That is why the Association is doing all it can to provide you with stimulating conferences...important networking events...relevant and easily accessible learning opportunities...such as Click U....and a safe... supportive...and risk-free environment for experimentation of all kinds ...in order to help you develop the right mix of skills and experience you need to be the innovative leaders of tomorrow.
You have the talent...the skill...the desire...and commitment to succeed in the changing information industry. And...just as importantly...you have the opportunity to make it so. This is your time. I know you will make the most of it.
Thank you very much.
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