by Justin Yuen, Oregon Chapter, Knowledge Management Division

We live in the information age. A multitude of data streams to us in emails, text messages, instant messages, voicemails, blogs, status updates, and tweets. Still more data exists in endless shared drive folders, magazines, newspapers, books, TV, videos, iPods and smart phones.

How do we make sense of it all? Simply, we do it by being human and getting a little help from our friends at work, and friends at home.

In this never-ending universe of information, we reach out a helping hand to people around us. We recommend articles. We tell people we “like” what they’ve shared. We carry on a dialogue about topics of the day, or post questions that trigger immediate answers.

Over the past several years, collaboration has shifted dramatically from being document or data centric to people centric. Trusted advice or a quick take on complex issues are just a friend away. Technology has not only made the world of information a smaller place; it’s strengthened and broadened our social networks to help make sense of the world.

What does this mean for you as a knowledge management professional?

The importance of people who facilitate collaboration and forge connections to relevant content is critical to our knowledge economy. When it comes down to it, an organization is more than the products or services it produces. It is about the depth of its social network, breadth of knowledge, and the speed by which it can bring its ideas to market.

You are the catalyst to helping your organization make the shift from document or data centric to people centric. The solutions you bring today need to deliver strong social networks, a nimble way for people to share content everyday, and a faster fast for making dreams come true to make the world a better place. It’s time to be powered by human energy.

Justin Yuen is President of FMYI [for my innovation], a social collaboration software company with a commitment to the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profit). Prior to starting FMYI, Justin had a seven year international career at Nike which involved aspects of knowledge management each step of the way. He has been involved with SLA since presenting on best practices in emerging web technologies at an Oregon Special Libraries Association meeting last year.  You can read more at http://www.fmyi.com/company/team_page_content/

by Jodi Gregory

As an independent information professional for over 15 years, I’ve stayed successful and future ready by continually “connecting the dots.”  It is important to stay connected and when networking, we should be thinking about how we can bring together the new people we meet with other people we know for mutually beneficial relationships.  Often my connectedness allows me to tap into my network for the expertise I need for that missing piece in satisfying an information request for a client.  No longer should we expect to provide answers to our client’s questions only from online services, the open or invisible web.

Our work is continually defined and re-defined by multiple and varying clients and our responses to them.  Since we are experts at evaluating and presenting information, we should utilize these skills to identify future trends and anticipate what our client’s needs and questions will be.  We can improve our efficiency by setting up dashboards or alerts on trending topics so that when a request comes our way, we are already knowledgeable about the best and most reliable sources for the information.  Having this knowledge allows us to be even more valuable to our clients.  I get a little thrill when I can stay to my clients “I’ve read about that lately and I have already identified some experts and great sources for this information.”

One example of a new trend is the use of infographics.  Have you begun incorporating infographics in the presentation of your research results?  As always, they need to be vetted for their validity and quality but visual and graphic presentation of information is appreciated by my clients.  I’ve taken this one step further by working with a graphic designer to create my own based on the information I’ve assembled in my research.

We are experts at disseminating information so we can and should use our talents to provide research in advance of a client need.  Let us be the ones to connect the dots and provide research and analysis that is future ready!

Jodi Gregory is the principal of Access Information Services.  She has been an independent information professional for over 15 years and is a past president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (aiip.org). She is also a columnist for Cyberskeptic’s Guide to Internet Research published by Information Today.

by Ellen Naylor, Rocky Mountain Chapter, Competitive Intelligence Division

There has never been more ways to connect and stay in touch 24/7 than today! I predict that this trend will continue. Yet many of these connections, especially through social networks, are shallow. I think they will become deeper as people connect through more relevant social networks such as Quora (www.quora.com) or CI2020 (http://ci2020.com) for competitive intelligence. Also connections are more real-time: witness how quickly news travels through Twitter, and how immediately we can connect with SKYPE video, and for a price SKYPE video teleconferencing.

In our excitement with this technology it’s easy to forget about the individuals behind our connections. The info pro/librarian who understands the motivation of the people s/he serves will excel.

I am a cooperative intelligence practitioner. Through a cooperative attitude and practices, you will be more successful in your business endeavors, and certainly as an info pro. This works since the other person–the one you are serving–feels that you are putting their needs first. You are helping them without strings attached–without expecting “something” in return.

You listen to what they need, ask good questions about why they have this need, and what they will use the information for. You find out how they’re motivated so you can communicate your findings in a way that they can digest, in their language using their analytical tools. You also connect them with the right people to help their cause.

There are two skills that often get overlooked in this information explosion: critical thinking and intuition. With the abundance of information we jump to conclusions with more certainty; yet we don’t test them by standing back and questioning our assumptions in a broader context. Likewise, many of us have lost touch with our intuition, which I consider the barometer of veracity. No amount of information replaces that gut reaction that tells the experienced info pro that something doesn’t feel right or something is missing.

I hope in the future that we become better at cooperative intelligence; retain our ability to stand back and be critical thinkers; and stay true to ourselves by trusting our intuition as the sixth sense of research.

All the best,
Ellen

Ellen Naylor is the owner of The Business Intelligence Source (http://www.thecisource.com). Read more of her insights at http://cooperativeintelligenceblog.com.

by Scott Brown, Rocky Mountain Chapter, Competitive Intelligence Division

Over the past few years, I’ve earned my Masters in Counseling as a supplement to my career path. I earned my MLIS in 1999, and became interested in therapy and counseling soon afterward. My intent on getting my Masters in Counseling was to provide coaching services to information professionals, as well as to provide psychotherapy services to the public.

In November of 2009, I was asked to give a presentation on navigating transition to a group of corporate folks who were facing a large layoff. The layoff hadn’t happened yet, but the reality was that layoffs were imminent, and the topic was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

After asking her permission, I shamelessly stole Cindy Romaine’s “Future Ready” tag as a title for the presentation. The full title was “Future-ready: Thriving in times of transition and change”.

In the presentation, I discussed both the logistics and the psychology of impending change. Logistics included things like detaching from your organizational email address; making sure you have the files you need from your work system; updating your resume; making appointments while you still have benefits.

These are important items. I also chose to focus on the other things that go along with change like this. How do you pass on your responsibilities to someone else, especially projects you’ve cared about for years, or something you started yourself? How do you let go? How do you understand why you feel crappy, scared, excited, angry, uncertain, hopeless and hopeful, all at the same time? How do you move forward from a job or duties that you don’t necessarily want to leave?

Part of the process of successfully navigating change is having the understanding that paradox is inherent in change. Change is scary AND exciting. Change will affect you in ways that you can’t control, AND you have the opportunity to have some control in the midst of change.

When our jobs and careers change, the effect on our life can be dramatic. So much of our identity can be wrapped up in our jobs and careers.

So what’s important about being future ready for me? I think about three factors:

• Being prepared
• Being connected
• Being open and flexible

Being prepared means looking ahead to not only what might happen that seems negative – losing my job, say – but also looking at where the opportunities might lie. Are there other ways I can leverage my skills? Am I happy doing what I’m doing? Is this an opportunity for me to drive change for myself? What really interest me at this point in my life and career? What are ALL the things that might be a part of my future?

The next step is, I realize I can’t do this myself. Number one, relying only on myself is not going to get me another job, and number two, I can’t possibly know all the options and opportunities out there. Likely, what’s going to happen next is something I would never be able to anticipate.

This is why my networks – all of them – are important to me. My networks keep me connected, visible, active and aware. Personally, in this respect, SLA is one of my strongest networks. I know SO many different people in different ways – and it’s one of the most helpful networks I have. I also know from my experience that it’s OK to ask for help from my SLA network.

Conversely, I make myself available to share my experience with my networks. “How can I help you?”

Lastly, I listen. I stay open to opportunities. I’ve had headhunters contact me for positions I never would have sought out, or even KNOWN to seek them out. I’ve been offered amazing opportunities in my organization that allowed me to not just build my skills, but also to increase my visibility and credibility in the organization. I’ve had people ask me to do work – paid work – which I never would have thought to offer.

At the 2010 SLA Conference, I was talking with a colleague who was in a new position, but was struggling with seeing the next step in her position and in her career.

“You want to know the secret?” I said. “When someone asks if you can do something, say ‘yes.’ Whether you think you have the ability or the knowledge or not at this moment, say ‘yes’. Because as an information professional, you have the skills to learn quickly, and the attention and insight to do well. You have the ability to turn yourself into an expert. And, more importantly, that person asked you because THEY think you can do it.”

When I think of ‘future ready’, this is what I think of: saying ‘yes’.

Scott Brown is the Owner of Social Information Group in Longmont, Colorado. Scott is SLA’s Division Cabinet Chair and has held past leadership roles in the Competitive Intelligence Division and Rocky Mountain Chapter.