How I Learned to Embrace Uncertainty and Ask Tough Questions

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How I Learned to Embrace
Uncertainty and Ask Tough
Questions
A Complimentary Webinar from Aurora WDC
12:00 Noon Eastern /// Wednesday 16 September 2015
~ featuring ~
Lora Bray Dr. Craig S. Fleisher

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Questions, Commentary & Content

Lora Bray
“Embracing Uncertainty; Asking Questions”
Lora Bray is an information research analyst at Credit Union
National Association (CUNA), in Madison, WI.
She has served in various leadership roles at the Special
Libraries Association (SLA): previously as President of the
Wisconsin Chapter and currently as Membership Chair and
2016 conference planner for SLA’s Competitive Intelligence
Division.
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AGENDA
• How do we move from fearing uncertainty to
embracing it?
• An immediate, natural response to uncertainty; Accept
inevitability of change—or not… Taking stock,
considering options.
• The importance of questions: reference interviews.
• Learning to find confidence in uncertainty and
discovering “how to’s” in creative questioning
• Q&A

Career Disruption Created Uncertainty

Challenges to maintain relevancy within
the traditional library services business
model are posed by:
 Advent of technology
 Budgetary limitations
 Outsourcing of services
 Antiquated view of the role and skill set of “librarian”

With career disruption and uncertainty,
information professionals can:
• Accept change as inevitable;
• Manage it;
• Reconsider their abilities;
• Reposition their roles;
• Deliver new ROI for employers; and
• Endeavor to enjoy progress and new projects rather
than wait to “die on the vine”.

Embracing a state of uncertainty can lead to
incorporating new options resulting in:
 Broader landscapes for learning with new information
delivery channels;
 Comfortable communication environments nurturing
collaborations;
 Leveraging information exchange to create and sustain
client engagement; and
 Greater perception of a growing role for librarians; that
proactive info pros provoke thought and build
community as “askers”.

“It is better to know some of the
questions than all of the answers.” –
James Thurber

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A story of career uncertainty…

Ineffective and useless responses and
beliefs I had (and do not recommend):
 Panic: “Now what do I do??”
 Denial: “You can’t eliminate this function! I’ve done
this well for 13 years!”
 Resistance to change: “I can and will make my old job
work under different conditions.”
 Lack of vision: I failed to see alternatives and
opportunity.
 I took things personally.

What IS the right way? There’s no going
back…

Take Stock!
 I considered resources, tasks, networks, experiences,
personal goals, and objectives of my organization.
 Then, I identified my strengths, vulnerabilities, and
opportunities to grow.
 What services are most valued? What do you think the
company needs you to do? How do you leverage your
strengths?

A pivotal revelation: It’s about asking the
question, not delivering the answer! Initiate
the discussion!

Learn to ask “A More Beautiful Question” per
Warren Berger
Children are good questioners. Adults less so because:
 A focus is on answers;
 Timing is crucial—need opportunity to ask;
 Challenging to formulate the right question; and
 We avoid uncertainty; the question may lack an
answer.

Data Science Central, September 3, 2015 “Big Data: Too Many Answers, Not Enough Questions.”
http://www.datasciencecentral.com/profiles/blogs/big-data-too-many-answers-not-enough-questions
Image: http://v1shal.com/content/25-cartoons-give-current-big-data-hype-perspective/

Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of
Reference and Information Service Providers
(Reference and User Services Association
Division, American Library Association)
http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelines
behavioral

Good Question Asking:
 A growing and changing ability; progressive;
 An important skill for the information professional and
stakeholders;
 Results of it (timely, accurate, relevant, thought-
provoking information) reduce uncertainty for decision
makers, helps to provide successful outcomes.

Five Considerations in the Reference
Interview (American Library Association)
 Visibility and approachability;
 Interest;
 Listening and inquiring;
 Searching; and
 Follow-up.

Take a risk, jump ahead?

Practical things to do to help embrace
uncertainty and ask better questions:
 Learn about yourself;
 Learn about your environment;
 Learn about others;
 Know enough about your industry to ask;
 Listen. Then listen some more;
 Grow your network; and
 Take leadership roles.

Making changes: Telling stories, asking
questions, opening doors.

Uncertainty is everywhere. The only
constant is change…Opportunity
abounds!

Information adds value by provoking
thought, starting conversation and
growing relationships.

“How can I help you?”

“How can you help yourself?”

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Thank you! Now how about a little Q&A?
Lora Bray
Connect with Lora via:
Affiliation: Credit Union National Association (CUNA)
E-mail: lnbray@frontier.com
Tel: +1-608-335-5386
Twitter: @bray_lora

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