Executive Outlook
Creating the Value Proposition Through CORRELATION and COLLABORATION
***Use this as a pull quote*****
No man is an island, entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent, part of the main
John Donne, "Upon Emergent Occasions," 1624.
At the turn of the century, major periodicals have done feature stories on the events, achievements, and milestones of the twentieth century. Nearly every one of those achievements required more than one mind, more than one set of hands. John Donne's concept of everyone as part of a larger entity is more appropriate now than it was in 1624. The world is too complex to go it alone.
Starbucks coffee shop staff members wear T-shirts with the word team on the front. The back of the shirt has the letters listed in a column, with the slogan Together Each Achieves More.
To succeed, you need me, I need you, we both need a supportive work environment. Part of the supportiveness is a sense of trust and value. The sense of interdependence has to be present.
I watched two squirrels in my back yard the other day. The first to arrive was seeking out goodies when the second one came along. There ensued a turf battle-royal. Wherever one squirrel went, the other would follow, to chase the first one away. The result was that neither squirrel had time to hunt for what would sustain them over the rough winter ahead. The claims for turf were inconclusive. Both squirrels wasted time and energy running around in circles. Why didn't they agree to each stake out a segment of my yard then pool their findings when they got back to their tree. It would have taken less time, energy, and aggravation, been more productive, and given them a partner for future collaborations. Trust and sane minds were not prevailing.
One of the greatest benefits of SLA membership, people have told us for years, is the networking opportunities it provides. What is networking but creating correlation and interdependence? It is among the things we do best. We have always been outstanding at collaborating with each other. If my backyard squirrels were SLA members, they would have figured out how to get the job done to the benefit of both of them.
Somewhere in our history, we realized the value each of us brings to the others. Why not convey that value consistently to the management of our organizations? W hy not polish our skills for communicating with those who are outside our profession? The trust and understanding required for the cross-cultural/cross-professional communication of value to be successful will begin with small collaborations, strengthened over time. What was, years ago, a sense of "us versus them" in the LIS/MIS battle for dominance, for example, has given way to a true collaborative atmosphere where each group is recognized for its expertise--for the value it brings to the total picture. What brought us to this new correlation and collaboration? Each side had to reach an accommodation. Instead of wasting time, energy, and smarts chasing each other away, we have used those resources to prove our value in the ubiquitous networked environment.
Look around your organization, campus, towns, and identify the three most important people or groups with whom to form collaborative relationships as we begin the new century. Make a "New Century Resolution" if you must. Recognize that making successful collaborations will take energy, flexibility, and an ability to sell your value to the doubters, but in the long-run, everybody is a winner. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Susan DiMattia
SLA President
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