Tipping Points and Competencies: Our Profession and our Association Ethel M. Salonen, MSLS June 9, 2003 SLA Annual Conference Professional Competencies for the Digital Age: Cybrarian, Librarian, or Information Specialist

Ethel M. Salonen2 Agenda Tipping Point – What is it? Examples Tipping Point – What does it mean? SLA 2003 Competencies Document – June How the two relate Conclusions Bibliography

Ethel M. Salonen3 What is a Tipping Point? –A tipping point is that moment in an epidemic when it reaches a critical mass; its the point on the curve when the epidemic starts to take off. –Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do. –Three characteristics – contagiousness, the fact that little causes can have big effects, and that change happens not gradually but at one dramatic moment. –The moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point. –Why is it that some ideas or behavior or products start epidemics and others dont? Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Little, Brown and Company, January 2002, 301pages.

Ethel M. Salonen4 Some examples Hush Puppies – East Village of Manhattan Paul Reveres Ride to Lexington, MA Sesame Street William Bratton Internet Web based platforms

Ethel M. Salonen5 Three rules of the Tipping Point The Law of the Few connectors – know lots of people, special gift for bringing people together, information specialists, social glue maven – one who accumulates knowledge, connects people to the marketplace and has the inside scoop on the marketplace, data banks salespeople – skills to persuade us when we are unconvinced of what we are hearing, energetic, enthusiastic, charming

Ethel M. Salonen6 Three rules of the Tipping Point (cont.) The Stickiness Factor the content of the message must be so memorable that it can create change and spur someone to action can be small and trivial The Power of Context epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur epidemics can be reversed, tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment minor changes in our external environment can have a dramatic effect on how we behave and who we are

Ethel M. Salonen7 Professional Competencies Relates to the practitioners knowledge of information resources, access, technology and management, and the ability to use this knowledge as a basis for providing the highest quality information services. There are 4 major competencies, each augmented with specific skills Draft: Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21 st Century, Revised: June 2003

Ethel M. Salonen8 Professional Competencies (cont.) Four competencies –Managing information organizations alignment, assessment and communication, effective processes, strategic planning, team leader, marketing skills, product development, copyright and intellectual property issues –Managing information resources product life cycle, collection management, content management, policy development

Ethel M. Salonen9 Professional Competencies (cont.) Four competencies –Managing information services client driven information services, client driven market research, research information products, metrics management, value based services –Applying information tools and Technologies tool driven solutions, information organization management, privacy, current awareness services

Ethel M. Salonen10 Personal Competencies Represent a set of attitudes, skills and values that enable practitioners to work effectively and contribute positively to their organizations, clients and profession. These competencies range from being strong communicators, to demonstrating the value-add of their contributions, to remaining flexible and positive in an ever changing environment.

Ethel M. Salonen11 Personal Competencies (cont.) Seeks our challenges and new opportunities Sees the big picture Effective communicator Creates partnerships and alliances Mutual respect and trust Team approach

Ethel M. Salonen12 Personal Competencies (cont.) Knows how to prioritize Career planning skills Innovative and creative thinker Networking skills Work/Life balance skills Adaptable to change Positive and flexible Celebrates achievements for others and self

Ethel M. Salonen13 Tipping Point and Competencies We are connectors –KM, workflow tools We are mavens –information specialists We are salespeople –selling intranet services The vote on the proposed name change –Law of the Few, Stickiness, Power of context

Ethel M. Salonen14 Conclusions Tipping Point –Starting epidemics requires concentrating resources on a few key areas. The Law of the Few says that Connectors, Mavens, and Salespeople are responsible for starting word-of-mouth epidemics, which means that if you are interested in starting a word-of mouth epidemic, your resources ought to be solely concentrated on those three groups. SLAs Tipping Point –Whatever decision is made at the June 2003 Annual Business Meeting Professional Tipping point –How each of use uses these skills to bring effective change to our organizations.

Ethel M. Salonen15 Bibliograhpy Cross, Rob and Larry Prusak. The People Who Make organizations Goor Stop. The Harvard Business Review, June 2002, P. 104 Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. ittle Brown and Company, January 2002, 301 pages. Kim, W. Chan and Renee Mauborgne. Tipping Point Leadership. The Harvard Business Review, June 2003, P. 60

Ethel M. Salonen16 Questions Thank you! Ethel M. Salonen Manager, External Content Information Resources Millennium Pharmaceuticals 75 Sidney Street Cambridge, MA Voice: