Quantum² Highlights - March 2004

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You are receiving Quantum² Highlights, a newsletter of the Dialog leadership development program for information professionals. Unsubscribe information can be found at the bottom of this message.

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Dear Quantum² Member,

We hope the first quarter of 2004 has been productive for you. The Quantum² team has been busy working on new sessions to add to our growing list of workshops. This month we will focus on one of our strategic competencies: management buy-in.

In this issue of Quantum² Highlights:
·?????????????? Quantum² Web Sessions
·?????????????? Upcoming Quantum² Sessions
·?????????????? Gaining Management Buy-in

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Quantum² Web Sessions
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The following WebEx sessions will be offered as part of the Quantum² program in the coming months. The World Clock <http://www.worldtimeserver.com/> will translate the hours to match your local time.

·?????????????? Creating Value-Added Research & Analysis
April 8, 2004 - 2:00 p.m. GMT

·?????????????? Linking Information Services to Compelling Business Events
May 13, 2004 - 2:00 p.m. EST

·?????????????? Assessing Clients' Needs: Map the Information Flow
June 17, 2004 - 2:00 p.m. GMT

The following WebEx sessions are being conducted for the Special Libraries Association's Leadership Management Division

·?????????????? Assessing Clients' Needs: Map the Information Flow
May 6, 2004 - 2:00 p.m. EST

·?????????????? Defining the Value of Information Services: Beyond ROI
July 22, 2004 - 2:00 p.m. EST

To register, and for more information, please visit the Quantum² Workshop page: http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum/training/workshops/

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Upcoming Quantum² Sessions
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Dialog will be holding a Quantum² day at the following locations in Europe:

Barcelona, Tuesday, March 23, 2004
To register, e-mail emeaap.comms@dialog.com or fax +(44) 20 7940 6823

Madrid, Wednesday, March 24, 2004
To register, e-mail emeaap.comms@dialog.com?? or fax +(44) 20 7940 6823

The presentations at these locations will be:
·???????????????? Assessing Clients' Needs: Map the Information Flow
·???????????????? Marketing Information Services
·???????????????? Defining the Value of Information Services: Beyond ROI

Paris, Tuesday, May 4, 2004
To register, e mail contact.france@dialog.com or call +(33) 1 5523 5253

The presentations at this location will be:
·???????????????? Defining the Impact of Information Services: Cost Justify the IRC
·???????????????? Assessing Clients' Needs: Map the Information Flow
·???????????????? Linking Information Services to Compelling Business Events

In May, Dialog will hold Updates that include Quantum² at the following locations in North America:
·???????????????? Philadelphia
·???????????????? San Francisco
·???????????????? Minneapolis

Watch for more information in our April newsletter.

In addition, on Wednesday, April 28, 2004, Quantum² WebEx sessions will be conducted at Linking Information Services to Compelling Business Events, an event hosted by SLA's San Andreas Chapter.

(To register for these events, please contact your local chapter program chair.)

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Gaining Management Buy-In
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Learning how to gain commitment from senior management is a critical element in your professional development. To that effect, one Quantum² strategic competency is management buy-in, and listed below are six key steps to obtain senior management commitment:

·???????????????? Build rapport. Understand the forces affecting your organization and how they impact the stakeholders. Use this understanding to offer precise information to a potential champion, relevant to a key problem or goal of the department.

·???????????????? Identify needs. Ask open-ended questions (how, what, where, why, when) and practice active listening by confirming what you have heard.

·???????????????? Explain solutions. Starting with a feature of the solution, explain the benefits to both the company and the stakeholder. Get reaction from both and offer alternatives.

·???????????????? Handle objections. Listen carefully for the real objection(s) and then reiterate what you have heard. Seek agreement on the objection and answer it, if you can. Ask the stakeholder if this satisfies the objection. If not, try to identify an additional objection or a solution from the stakeholder.

·???????????????? Obtain commitment. Once you have agreement on a solution, obtain if the stakeholder is satisfied and if the stakeholder feels comfortable enough to support you in a request to implement the solution company-wide.

·???????????????? Follow-up. Make sure you circle back to your stakeholder and gain feedback on the effectiveness of the solution. Correct any problems and then follow up. When final approval is gained, thank the stakeholder and use this as an opportunity to begin the cycle again.

Remember, we are no longer merely information administrators, and the coinciding corporate perception of us has shifted. We are now seen as a vital part in an organization's revenue-enhancement plan, and our presence empowers co-workers and builds client relationships. We anticipate needs and provide solutions, both internally and externally. This proactive approach aptly describes the true capabilities of the information professional, which must also include the ability to gain buy-in from decision-makers within the organization.

To read more about this topic, take a look at our whitepaper "The Art of Becoming a Corporate Information Strategist" at http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum/.

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As always, your suggestions for workshop topics are always welcome and encouraged. If you know friends or colleagues who would benefit from Quantum², please encourage them to sign up.

Regards,
Betty Jo Hibberd
Betty.Jo.Hibberd@thomson.com
Manager, Information Professional Market
Dialog

Thomson Scientific
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77 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8JS, UK
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