From "Telling" to "Consulting" - The Changing Role of Information Professionals
Jinfo Blog

By Shimrit Janes

Abstract

By now, we are all no doubt familiar with the concept of the "changing role of information professionals", and all that this entails. What are the skills and characteristics needed to survive this transition? As internal clients become more savvy about accessing different types of information, there is an opportunity for information professionals. This is to harness their deep expertise, and become consultants to those who now have the tools in their hands, but not necessarily the knowledge about how to use them.

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Fuelled by changes in business and technology, the role of the information professional is evolving, morphing into its next iteration.

Here are some truths that are now universally known:

• Knowledge and information is no longer confined to books, with the librarian as the gatekeeper
• Individuals and teams have access, in theory, to the world's brain via a quick click of a button (or tap of a screen)
• Managing subscriptions and technology licensing are the bane of the information professional's life. Or so I've been led to believe.

Focus on Consulting

What does this mean for those who wish to survive in their posts?

In May's Community of Practice, hosted by FreePint, a comment from a participant summed up the challenge - and the opportunity - beautifully: she now considered herself an information consultant, who could translate needs between different parts of the business.

The value of her role had changed, from a "telling" one to a "consulting" one.

Internal Clients and Services

This is something I've seen mirrored in my own experience.

Working with law firm RPC, our team increasingly found ourselves saying we need to be consulting with the lawyers and our other stakeholders, in order to tease out their wants, apply our various expertise, and work with them to arrive at a solution. We started to speak of our "internal clients", and the "services" we offered.

It was a subtle shift in mindset, but one with a potentially huge impact. There was a realisation that even though the tools and technology provided our internal clients with everything they may need, they didn't necessarily have the experience, time, or knowledge to use them effectively. And this was where we came in.

What Makes an Effective Consultant?

So, what are the characteristics and skills of an effective consultant? A number that immediately spring to mind are:

• Trusted expert
• Good communicator - and listener
• Inquisitive
• Credibility and gravitas
• Influencing skills
• Problem solver
• Negotiation skills
• Project management skills.

Some of these will no doubt be familiar and well rehearsed. Others may require some work.

But for those seeking to grow their roles within their organisations, seeing yourself as an internal consultant - and expanding your toolbox to include the traits of a consultant - could help you navigate the changes we're all seeing.

Editor's Note

FreePint Subscribers can log in to read and share more in Shimrit's article, Useful Consultancy Skills for Information Professionals.

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