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Making Yourself Indispensable in the |
Thank you for that most gracious introduction. I am very pleased to be with you today and appreciate this opportunity to speak with you. I have been asked to talk about how you as information professionals can make yourselves indispensable in the changing world of information.
Before I begin my remarks...however...I would like to add my voice to the chorus of thanks to the Kentucky Library Association's Special and Academic Sections and to the SLA Kentucky Chapter for sponsoring this outstanding event. I also want to thank our sponsors and I would appreciate it if you would join me in doing so.
While I am sure we would all like to be indispensable to our employers...the truth is...we can all be replaced....and it should be that way. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics... about two million new workers enter the job force each year...as another two and a half million or so retire. For every worker who retires...another is ready to take his or her place. This could be considered the employment equivalent of the Lion King's "Circle of Life."
We also live in a time of tumultuous change. The global economy...spurred on by rapid advances in communications and information technology...is altering the way we do business and is transforming entire industries seemingly overnight. All we need to do is look at what has happened to Ford...Chrysler... and General Motors to understand how true this is.
So even if we cannot guarantee absolute indispensability...we can work to become the next best thing...highly valued and respected leaders.
If I may, I would like to take just a few minutes to talk about how I see the role of information professional evolving as demands for information management change and how this will translate into leadership opportunities for you.
In order to do that...I would like to discuss a little about how technology is changing the world of information.
As I was saying a moment ago...change is happening all around us. And nowhere is this more obvious than in the world of information and communications technology. Advances in Information technology...the Internet with its search and collaboration capabilities...are 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.
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...virtual worlds such as Second Life...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.
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.
I do not believe it is an overstatement to say that without your leadership...without you becoming agents of change...most organizations will fail to develop and implement successful collaboration strategies for their customers and employees.
Let me give you a pretty startling statistic...at least it is startling to me. In the most recent comprehensive survey of SLA members last year...more than 75 percent of respondents indicated they are likely or very likely to experience a rewarding sense of job satisfaction over the next five years. Let me say that again...more than seven out of ten information professionals surveyed said they expect to be find satisfaction in their jobs over the next five years.
I have thought about this statistic quite a bit. How can info pros think they will continue to be happy in their jobs when they know they will have to cope with constant change? 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. And yet...more than seven out of ten info pros say they expect to be satisfied in their job over the next five years. Why do you think that is?
While change is often fraught with peril...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 imbedded in business units or in other strategic areas of an enterprise. In the past...they primarily responded to requests for information and data.
Today...they play an active role as collaborators with decision-makers within their organizations; offering up insightful ideas and meaningful solutions before they are asked for them.
These new roles and responsibilities are often reflected in the various titles many of them hold. In the survey of members I referred to earlier...we found nearly 300 job titles that represent the disparate roles info pros play. A few of these titles include: Knowledge Officer, Business Analyst Content Systems...Reference Attorney...Closed-Loop Marketing Analyst...Electronic Resources Coordinator...and Information Technology Data Architect.
Very different titles...for different roles in different organizations.
But there is one constant. 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 a 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 are 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...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. As this occurs...many are finding they are becoming technology specialists as well as subject specialists. This actually makes sense because... 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?
With information technology playing an increasingly larger role in the professional lives of info pros...SLA is committed to developing and enhancing our own technological 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 U.
While a 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.
I can say with confidence that I believe 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."
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 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.
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.
But it is not always enough to think and act like a senior executive...you must learn to speak the language of business.
Every industry has its own nomenclature...and business is no exception. Not only should you become fluent in the language of business...you should do all you can to understand current business concepts and understand how they apply to information management activities. You may not be an MBA...but it does not hurt to talk like one.
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 of 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.
Let me share with you an example I often like to use. It is the tea kettle. This quintessentially English object has not changed much over time. It is a vessel for holding water while it is being heated to a point where steam is forced out of its spout, thereby creating a whistling noise that tells you it is time for tea.
Enter Michael Graves...one of the most innovative designers in the world. You may recognize his name. He is known for his architectural and design accomplishments...including libraries. In fact... he designed the Denver Central Library. Hopefully...those of you coming to SLA 2007 in Denver in June will get a chance to visit it.
Anyway...Graves was commissioned by Alessi... the Italian product design firm... to create a range of products with a focus on the integration of design and utility. The result of his work can be found in the "Whistling Bird" tea kettle... which is now considered a twentieth century design icon. So Graves is renowned for transforming the essential use of buildings... furniture...and even kitchen items into things that generate interest and increase their value to the user.
And if you would like a more current and high-tech-related example of innovation...look no further than Motorola's successful Razor phone...a phone Adam Lashinsky of Fortune Magazine calls the hottest phone in nearly a decade.
Graves approach...and I suppose you could include Motorola too... is one that... according to Dan Pink... is becoming increasingly necessary for sustaining value in the global marketplace. It is even being applied in the world of information. Just consider the use of blogs, wikis, RSS feeds and information architecture...which I mentioned earlier. Wikipedia refers to these as "An emerging community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape."
Conceptual thinking begins 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 decision. 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 this profession.
That is why the Association is doing all it can to provide members with stimulating conferences...important networking events...relevant and easily accessible learning opportunities...such as Click U....and a safe supportive, 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 the 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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