Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Cynthia Hetherington

When I started out in the information business, I was dubbed the Virtual Librarian (virtuallibrarian.com), mostly in part for my assistance to the law enforcement world and security sectors as the go-to source for research assistance and training. That was too many years ago to count, but I still hold the title and a now very stale Web site. As I write this 365 piece from an airport kiosk, I realize that EVERYTHING has changed and NOTHING has changed. I’m still on the road 200+ days a year training in the security industry, and I am a Private Investigator myself as well. However, the material and resources have changed significantly.

Now I am teaching social network investigations and reminding the audience of the oft-missed deep and invisible Web, which is valuable in most criminal and civil cases.

That said, how I teach hasn’t changed. Informing my clients and attendees is done the same way today that it was 15 years ago. I also have been publishing a newsletter for the past 10 years, which has been profitable for at least the last four!

Education and publishing are two things every librarian should embrace and consider as resources to not only spread their name, but to also validate their resourcefulness in their community. The reasoning comes down to diversity. If the only thing you do is sit behind a reference desk answering questions, you’ll never grow professionally. The same chair you sat in as a new librarian will be the same one you leave when you retire.

In our dreadful economy, it is absolutely paramount that the extra skills you can nurture, develop, and sell yourself on will be considered assets to your organization.

Granted, you do not need to be offering full-day seminars in front of thousands of people, but small classes, topic-specific presentations, and articles on the same subject are a great start.

Within AIIP, I am always drawing out of our membership, “what makes you special?” We can all do research, manage archives, and understand information, so what makes you stand out amongst the rest of us? Everyone I’ve asked this question of has since written articles for our Connections journal, has further focused their business marketing, and has seriously considered going more toward a niche and less toward the broad spectrum of information scientist. They are all budding successes who can speak intelligently on their unique skill set.

If you’re lost and aren’t sure what your focus needs to be, then it’s time to sit down and have a conversation to decide where you see yourself down the road. Draw out the map of how you plan on getting there. Don’t be afraid to look for a mentor, such as in AIIP’s mentoring program, or find a coach, as we have a few among our ranks. And, by all means, talk to those who have been out there for years and get the details of their war stories.

Once prepared, stick to your plan, follow your strategy, and always consider that there is a venue waiting to hear your voice and read your informational pearls of wisdom.

Cynthia Hetherington is the current president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals and has more than 17 years of experience in research, investigations and corporate intelligence. She is the founder of Hetherington Group, a consulting, publishing and training firm focusing on intelligence, security, and investigations. A widely-published author, Cynthia authored Business Background Investigations (2007) and the Manual to Online Public Records (2008). She is the publisher of Data2know.com: Internet & Online Intelligence Newsletter and has co-authored articles on steganography, computer forensics, Internet investigations, and other security-focused monographs. She is also recognized for providing corporate security officials, military intelligence units, and federal, state and local agencies with training on online intelligence practices.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. -  C.S.

by Marge King

Management and leadership gurus as well as sociologists and psychologists have discussed and debated the differences between management and leadership for a number of years now.  If you follow Peter Drucker, you know that he prefers the term “management” over leadership.  But many other scholars believe there are subtle but very real differences between the two roles.  Management is all about exercising administrative, supervisory, and executive direction to a group of people or an organization.  Leadership, on the other hand, is a process where an individual influences a group of people to achieve a common goal.  The two roles are not mutually exclusive, though.

SLA and AIIP members, in general, have superb technical skills, a key ingredient to being a competent and successful manager.  But having technical skills is not the only piece; to be truly effective as a manager we also need to have conceptual (the ability to see opportunities and/or work with ideas and concepts) and interpersonal skills.  Leadership requires us to develop broader and deeper interpersonal skills—become effective coaches and to be empathic, good listeners, inspiring, while being willing to delegate tasks and give recognition to others.  Leadership also requires us to expand our conceptual skills to establish direction, clarity, and vision to influence others to achieve a common goal. 

We are often presented with opportunities to hone our management skills, but generally it is up to us, as individuals, to seek out leadership roles.  So how does one find leadership opportunities?  The answer is simple: Volunteer.  Several years ago Women’s Way conducted a study that showed critical business skills like problem solving, coaching/mentoring, and public speaking are developed and improved through volunteerism.  By volunteering for a leadership role for small projects or even unpopular or tough projects, you can develop your leadership skills and visibility.  If your corporate setting doesn’t have any leadership opportunities available for you, look for committee or board positions in your favorite professional association or local nonprofit.

Aside from connecting with your regional nonprofit association, three of my favorite resources for finding volunteer leadership opportunities are:

• Boardnetusa.org: A clearinghouse for matching potential board candidates with nonprofit organizations.
• Opportunityknocks.org: A job site that lists both volunteer and paid positions.
• Volunteermatch.org: A clearinghouse for matching volunteers with nonprofit organizations.

Finally, I recommend that you read Bridgestar’s article on finding a rewarding nonprofit board position.

As your career develops and you consider becoming an information entrepreneur or moving up the ladder in a corporate setting, your leadership skills will help you make the leap with ease and grace. 

Marge King is president of InfoRich Group, Inc. (www.inforichgroup.com), a research-based fundraising consulting firm, and current past-president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (www.aiip.org). In addition to raising millions of dollars for her clients, she has broad experience developing and organizing nonprofit boards and advisory councils. She is a highly–skilled researcher and proposal writer; she is adept at researching individuals, corporations and foundations. She also speaks and writes about contemporary fundraising issues.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Marcy Phelps

At a recent meeting of the I-25ers, a group of independent information professionals located in and around Colorado, we had an interesting discussion about staying focused. We all agreed it’s really hard these days, with the many hats we wear and the ever-increasing rate of change in our lives and work, to make decisions about whether or not to take a new direction.

In my nearly 12 years of running a business, I’ve found that long-range planning is the key to developing a path and staying on track. And it’s not just for business owners. Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, planning and setting goals for the next 5 to 10 years provides focus in our lives and milestones for success. It will also keep you sane.

We’re constantly juggling our varied job functions. Business owners, in addition to being researchers, knowledge managers, or consultants, also take care of an assortment of administrative, financial, marketing and other tasks on a daily basis. With cutbacks in the workplace, we’ve taken on additional roles and responsibilities – while trying to make sure our careers and our jobs are future ready. Having a long-range plan keeps you on target for each of your many roles.

It’s also easy these days to get distracted by the latest new toy or way of thinking. Technology develops at an ever-increasing rate, and ideas spread in an instant. It’s difficult to know what you should or should not pursue. Your long-range plan becomes a measure for how it all fits in with your life and your goals.

Long-range planning requires some time to think about where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. Block out a morning or afternoon, shut off email and other distractions, and find a place to work where you’ll be most creative.

Here are some tips for getting started with developing your personal and professional long-range plan:

Think big – It’s OK if you don’t reach all your goals. Go ahead and dare to dream. Visualize what you want your life to look like in 5 to 10 years. What kind of work do you want to do? At what level do you see your business or career?

Think about how to get from here to there – Consider what skills, resources, etc. you need to accomplish your goals. Should you take a class, join an association, hire a coach, or sign up for mentoring? What will it cost to carry out your plan, and how will you pay for it? 

Put it in writing – Don’t ask me why, but there’s something about committing something to paper (yes, pen and paper!) that sets things in motion. Trust me on this. When confronted by something new, take out your plan and see if it aligns with where you want to be and what you want to become.

Stay flexible – While your goals keep you on track, be open to new opportunities. You can’t plan for those out-of-the-blue job offers or disruptive technologies (who knew five years ago that we’d be tweeting with clients?). Again, use your plan as a guide.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this Future Ready 365 blog, it’s that we are the ones who control our futures. It just takes a little planning to get on the right path and to stay focused. The investment you make now will pay off in the future.

Marcy Phelps is the owner of Phelps Research, a provider of research and analysis to support business planning. She served as the AIIP 2009-2010 President and is the current Chair of SLA’s Advertising and Marketing Division.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Crystal Sharp

In the usual course of play, study, or work, individuals — consciously or not — take steps to exert some control over their immediate short-term or long-term future. What is unsettling about this age of Twitter and YouTube is the rapid pace at which our world is being stretched, flattened and flexed, and as the familiar and predictable structures of social, professional and personal relationships are shifted, we are left less in control.  

Sometimes it is hard not to feel left behind as others implement new solutions, devices, and paradigms, and seemingly march confidently into the future. There seems no time to stop, reflect and take stock as the information world keeps up its rapid shifting. However, it seems more important than ever to cut through the many competing claims on our attention and to stop and think about what we are doing, and why we are doing it, so we can meet the future with some confidence, even in this environment. 

Each of us should start by identifying our own core competencies and then aligning them with goals. This sets some boundaries and enables focus and prioritization of what to spend precious energy on. We don’t need to be part of everything that is happening around us. 

By core competencies, I refer not just to one’s collection of skills, knowledge and experience – but to the unique combination (or portfolio) of skills, services and intangible assets an individual possesses or has access to, that can be used strategically to develop products and services of economic and/or social value.  My core competency portfolio, for example, includes not only the education, experience and knowledge I possess, but that of my knowledge network as well as access to knowledge and special services and programs available to me by associations like AIIP and SLA. I bring all these to bear on the products and services I offer my clients. 

As information professionals we collectively have the core competencies to understand, harness creativity, and guide developments in information and communication technologies; to preserve knowledge, making it findable, usable and useful; and to educate and empower others in ways we have traditionally done. Now we need to be strategic about doing what we do. The concept of being “future ready” has different implications depending on the time horizon. Near-term future-readiness requires that we come to terms with change, enhance professional qualifications, understand how new technologies empower, enhance and endanger; and critically assess our core competencies and goals.  Longer-term future-readiness, however, demands thinking beyond our individual contexts, to shaping new environments; to providing insight and innovation that influences and guides wider operational, intelligence and social environments; and enhancing sustainability of the profession. We are part of this change and it is up to us to guide that change, to pave the way, to shape the future. 

Theodore Roosevelt in his Labor Day address in 1903 was reported to have said “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”  The democratization of knowledge we are experiencing today offers us this possibility. We need to seize the opportunity, but maintain perspective and understand that though tools will change and how we work and what we do will change, we cannot lose sight of who we are, what our mission is, and what matters in the long run.  We have to find a balance that works.

Crystal Sharp, MA, MLIS, is a Grant Consultant, Researcher and Writer at CD Sharp Information Systems, Ltd (www.cdsharp.com), an independent information business in London, Ontario, Canada. She has been a member of AIIP and SLA since 1998 and was President of AIIP in 2006.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Mary Ellen Bates

When I launched my business back in 1991, I was surprised both by how different it was from my last job as a librarian and how freeing it was to be in control of my professional future. Being a future ready entrepreneur (and I think being future ready is a requirement) has meant constantly pushing myself. The unexpected trade-off to being challenged is that the new skills I’ve built over the years as an info-entrepreneur leak over into the rest of my life as well.

I recently staffed a booth for a local non-profit that I care about. I just picked up brochures, stepped out in front of the booth, and started approaching everyone who walked by, inviting them to find out more about us. The other booth volunteers were amazed. “You just walked up to someone and started talking?!?”

I realized at that moment that all those years staffing conference booths for my business really paid off. I had finally learned that it is, in fact, not at all scary to walk up to people and offer them info about a group. Had I not pushed myself to develop a skill I needed for my business, I wouldn’t have been able to let people know about a local group that I think is doing amazing things.

Fortunately, there’s no need to give up your paycheck just to think like an entrepreneur; you can be an intrapreneur within your own organization. As I reflect on the entrepreneurial skills that are most valued by employers, I realize that most of them are the skills that any future ready info pro needs.

* Look at yourself as a brand, and identify what tangible value you are providing to your organization. How does what you do for your (internal) clients advance the goals of your organization? Are you seen as a strategic asset who brings a unique perspective to a team or project? Can you explain your value in one sentence, in a way that others will hear and understand it?

* Be responsive. In this SMS-driven world, it’s remarkable to find someone who answers the phone when it rings. If someone texts you, respond immediately – even if just to say that you are busy and will call/email/text back later. Pick up the phone to talk directly with clients, because you know that the personal touch makes you memorable.

* Think like your clients. Read the newspapers, magazines and blogs that your clients read. Really. Even when you don’t have the time. The insights and perspectives you gain make you that much more valuable to your clients and enable you to be seen as a partner.

* Shake things up. Assume that whatever you’re doing now will need to be changed within a year. That updating service you’ve offered for years? Maybe it’s being deleted, unread, from everyone’s email. Put a sunset clause in all your programs and re-examine their usefulness, relevance and popularity regularly.

* Push your comfort level. Learning to network, to speak publicly or to write doesn’t come easy to most people. We entrepreneurs push ourselves from Day One to take on things we have never done before and that scare us silly. And we all learn eventually that, with practice and familiarity, it’s not all that hard.

Commit to doing one scary thing for six months, and you’ll see the magic work. Volunteer to host a brown-bag lunch and talk about the value the information center brings to a project team. Call the head of your SLA chapter or division and offer to take on one responsibility – welcoming new members, planning a webinar, or whatever else gives you an opportunity to stretch yourself. Take a client out for coffee and learn about their concerns. (See owl.li/6kHnQ for tips on conducting “informational interviews.”) You get the idea.

Want tools for building your intrapreneurial skills? Check out the Future Ready Toolkit, available to SLA members at wiki.sla.org/display/future/Home.

Mary Ellen Bates is an info industry long-timer, having started her business in 1991. She provides business research and analysis, as well as strategic business and entrepreneurial coaching. She was AIIP president in 1996-1997 and 2004-2005, and currently serves on the SLA Board of Directors.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Jane John

Over the past ten years as an independent information professional I have provided services to numerous small and mid-stage companies in high tech sectors. One key to being future ready for serving these clients is to envision how their business environment will evolve. Here are five ways I try to envision what’s next for business clients. 

Imagine future business decisions. Currently I might ask: “What is the next business decision you must make and how will you use this information to make it?” How will the decisions made by businesspeople change in the future? I have watched companies produce prototypes of products or services only to discover that market acceptance was less than enthusiastic – where in the business cycle should those companies seek research to validate their hunches? Companies typically pay for independent research to save money, make money, or reduce the risk of business decisions. How are the decisions that affect their bottom line evolving and where in the business cycle can information play the most pivotal role?

“Get connected – stay connected.” This was the theme of a recent business workshop I saw advertised. Being future ready for delivering information may mean connecting with clients in new ways. I recently had a client phone from a meeting asking for data related to a presentation he was making. He was able to integrate my updates in near real time. LinkedIn, texting, phone and email are some current modes of staying connected, but what will connectivity and conversation look like in the future? Voice? Text? Video? Other? And at what point in the client’s business day can we have the most impact in terms of providing information via various connections. 

Watch for new, more modular, formats. Many research clients don’t know what they want in terms of research results, but like other kinds of shopping or exploration, they’ll recognize it when they see it. Currently I may offer samples that help a client visualize research results – enough for them to realize they can choose between a list of citations, a do-it-yourself tutorial, a PowerPoint summary, a comparison chart, or a 50-page analysis. Increasingly clients want modular formats – information presented in ways they can disassemble, reassemble and use for multiple purposes. I assume basic elements of content, design, and usability may remain, but the format those elements take will likely change. I keep an eye out for compelling formats, especially the modular presentation of information, from other professions.  

Focus on all types of key players. When I started in the information field I often created competitor profiles. Now I call this type of research ‘key players.’ In the current world of partnerships, collaboration, co-creation and “co-opetition” the idea of competitors seems less relevant. Watching all types of key players in a niche industry, not just competitors, will likely continue to be important to the future of small and mid-sized businesses.  

Get onsite and observe. I often look for ways to be out among my clients observing their work environment. If I have the option of meeting a client at their workplace or instead at an offsite location, I choose the workplace. It is much easier to understand how a client functions, and how to best integrate information into their workflow if you can envision their workplace. Observation is key. What information do your users seek, absorb and use? How do you observe them handling business decisions while you are visiting? In larger organizations there has been a trend towards embedded librarian roles to facilitate this first-hand observation. Being future ready will mean tracking how people use information by direct observation of information habits.

In the future it will be up to us as information professionals to suggest to clients new ways they may choose to interact with information and how it fits with their work environment.

Jane John is owner and principal researcher at On Point Research (Brunswick, Maine, USA), a company that produces customized Market Views for technology firms seeking to commercialize new products and services. The research helps companies reduce risk in their many business decisions. Ms. John is a past president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (2007-2008), and a member of the Business & Finance, and Engineering divisions of SLA. On Point Research, jjohn@onpointresearch.com, 207-373-1755, www.onpointresearch.com.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — C.S.

by Cindy Shamel

My livelihood depends upon successfully engaging a target market willing to pay cash money for my products and services.  Today I have an established client base, but sustainability requires strategic and ongoing monitoring looking for gaps and opportunities.  To maintain or increase revenue, I systematically seek to balance my client base with the proper mix of products and services.  Sometimes this means identifying a new target market to serve with existing services.  Other times it means developing new products or services for an existing clientele.

How do you identify new target markets or services to offer?  Track, watch, lurk, and pay attention.  As Susanne Bjorner suggested in yesterday’s blog post, insight often “comes when observing an activity, industry, or practice far removed from the area we are working in.”  Here are a few of the resources I use to keep the ideas flowing.

Track the Trends – It Keeps You Ahead of the Game

Follow ReadWriteWeb for insight and analysis about the internet industry.  Launched in 2003, RWW has become “one of the most popular technology blogs in the world.”  Reading this blog regularly could help you manage client expectations, develop new products or services, and anticipate the “next big thing.”

MarketingProfs delivers a range of marketing resources including five articles each week written by experts from all across the marketing field.  The site offers case studies, how-to articles, guides and reports.  This site helps me stay on top of marketing trends and tools.

Watch for Weirdness – It Helps You Think Laterally

Boing Boing delivers a steady stream of pointers and stories about technology, gadgets, science, business, and at their own admission, weirdness.  Boing Boing offers up a world outside the information profession, helping to trigger new ideas.

Lifehacker offers “tips, tricks, and downloads for getting things done.”  You never know what kind of work related idea might spring from a Lifehacker tip or trick.   Keep an open mind. Recent postings included “Ask a dumb question to spark a conversation with a stranger” and “The best web browser for Android.”  Surely I need not elaborate on the value here.

Lurk on LinkedIn – It Facilitates Learning from Others

What are your LinkedIn connections saying?  Find out by going to your LinkedIn Home page.  One of my connections just posted something about 70,000 students flocking to a free online course in artificial intelligence.  Do I need to offer online training?  Are students a good target market?  Should I start paying attention to artificial intelligence?  Maybe.

Are there LinkedIn Groups with members who might shed light on my clients, products, or services? No doubt.  One of my “industries of interest” has a group with over 25,000 members.  Hmmm, better check the buzz and see what they’re saying.

Pay Attention to Your Peers – It Provides Food for Thought

Stephen’s Lighthouse by Stephen Abram provides stimulating and innovative thinking in matters related to the information industry.  As the tagline says, “Illuminating library industry trends, innovation and information.”  Stephen’s blog includes lots of graphics, embedded videos, news, polls, and no end of content to get you thinking.

Phil Bradley’s Weblog, coming out of the UK, presents information from another perspective.  Phil says his weblog is where librarians and the internet meet.  A recent posting included something about Easy Notecards, a free educational tool for students and teachers to create, study, print and share interactive note cards.  Hmmm, that gives me an idea.  Gotta run!

Cindy Shamel has operated a business providing information services since 1998.  She served the Association of Independent Information Professionals as president in 2003-2004 and the San Diego Chapter of SLA in 2009.  In 2006 AIIP awarded her the Sue Rugge Memorial Award for mentoring.

Info-entrepreneurs, represented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals, stand out as innovative, forward thinking, and client focused information professionals.  This series of posts delivers future ready solutions and strategies from current and past presidents of AIIP.  As industry thought leaders they have much to share about staying ahead of the curve and delivering cost effective solutions to clients worldwide.  In this insightful series of postings readers will learn how to create a job for life by listening for opportunity, watching for changes, stretching to acquire new skills, finding a balance, planning for the long term, and drawing on your strengths. — Cindy Shamel

by Susanne Bjorner

 “Once you have been an independent information professional,” I like to tell those new to information entrepreneurship, “you will have a job for life.”

But only if you accept the fact that the job will change a thousand times, and that you must create and re-create the job yourself.

Since the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP) was formed over a quarter century ago, I have seen many of its members establish businesses, market their services, achieve their professional and financial goals, and then revise and reinvent their businesses as change rolled in to hit society at large, the information industry, their market niche, or them personally.

I have also seen several smart, capable business owners make the decision to move on from their successful business and take higher-level jobs in corporations, academic institutions, and prestigious non-profits. Often these were institutions that were former clients or partners. The new employee had seen an opportunity and created their next job, this time choosing to be on the inside.

Eyes wide open

Independent information professionals learn to look at the open market around them and see what needs to be done. What encourages independents to keep their eyes wide open while facing the future? We have to. There is no paycheck coming in automatically next week or next month. We are constantly on the lookout for the next job, whether it is a new client or a new service to sell to an existing client. Success demands constant watchfulness.

AIIP members have a unique forum that keeps them continually aware that change is coming. In order to maximize profits by targeting their resources, most small information business owners work within just one or two industries or market sectors. As a group, however, AIIP members cover the gamut of industries and business sectors. All members have access to a lively private electronic discussion list that has been running since the second year of the association’s existence (way back in 1988). In this active members-only forum, AIIPers share their experiences, questions, and reflections as they discuss–while observing client confidentiality–projects, resources, tactics, strategies, technology, and possible trends.

Active reflection

I say “possible” trends because the word “trend” rarely comes up in the discussion. Discerning potential trends that may affect the information industry–and our businesses–is an individual responsibility and largely an individual activity. The beauty of the AIIP discussion group is that there are readers and contributors from multiple industries and geographic areas who provide very different services and perspectives. Discussion is not targeted toward specific disciplines, specialties, or market sectors as it is with many e-discussion lists. Often, a key insight comes when observing an activity, industry, or practice far removed from the area we are working in, carried out by someone we might never know if we did not share association in this very diverse forum. Not everyone figures out future trends from the wealth of data points that are offered in this global exchange, but the opportunity is there.

Look outside

Even if you are not a member of AIIP (though you are welcome and do not have to own an information business to become an associate member) you can take a step toward being future-ready by participating in forums (electronic and otherwise) outside your area of immediate interest and practice. Yes, it requires a time commitment that may be hard to manage in the short term. But this is an easy way to look into the long term, and we need to do that frequently and reflectively. Because by definition, the future is outside of where we are today.

When Susanne Bjorner attended the organizational meeting of AIIP in 1987, she had no idea that today her business would be providing editorial services from a home in Spain. Along the way she has had hundreds of jobs, belonged to six SLA chapters, and observed countless information professionals move successfully into the future.  Susanne served as AIIP president in 1989-1990.