We’ve all got our heroes…Mom, Dad, or a teacher in High School are traditional ones, but how about in your profession? Who are the heroes in your profession that have changed how you look at your profession? Perhaps it isn’t even a person, but maybe some event or act from a group of people that makes you proud to call your self a professional. This week we have a number of perspectives… even one from a professional musician… about the heroes we look up to in our profession.

I should have known that this is the 666th post from this blog as soon as I woke up this morning to find what my friends wrote about me… apparently, there were some emails flying around last night which I wasn’t included!!

Enjoy the different perspectives, and forgive the love-fest that I received toward the end.

Also, don’t forget that these Elephant Posts are meant to be a public forum, and we all really want to read different perspectives. Scroll down to the bottom to read next week’s question and follow the instructions on how you can contribute your perspective.

Legal Researcher Perspective
Greg Lambert
The Group @ OSCN.NET
Between 1999-2002, I worked one of the best jobs that a law librarian (especially one with a knack for being a techie/geek) could ever want to do. The Oklahoma Supreme Court made a commitment that it would change how it handled the Court’s opinions, and would create an online system (oscn.net) that allowed for anyone to see the Court’s decisions, the day they were published, and they adopted the Uniform Citation System that allowed those decisions to be officially cited that same day.

The staff in the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) were some of the brightest, forward thinking group of people I ever worked with. The law students that worked as interns for the AOC, and had to do all the grunt work of getting old cases ready to be released on the site were great to work with, and I don’t know if they realize the importance of their work, even 10 years later. OSCN put every single court decision from the Oklahoma Courts, with Uniform Citations, going all the way back to the Territory Courts of 1890. We even offered to help, and host other states to do the same with their court decisions. Unfortunately, only Wyoming took us up on that offer. I really wish more states would look at what OSCN is doing and follow the trail blazed by a group of heroes.

B2B Marketer Perspective
Kathryn DeLia
A Material Girl…
My professional hero is Madonna. Yes you may think that is corny and everyone has an opinion of her, but take a look at the business aspects of her. She is extremely marketing and PR savvy, negotiated a financially successful deal with Live Nation for maximum exposure for tours, tons of merchandise including her recent launch of ‘Material Girl’ clothes with her daughter. She has built her brand extremely well and kept it that way for 20 years. Yes, I am sure she has some excellent business advisers but I don’t think they were the brains behind her reinvention, etc. Pure marketing power – a marketing girl who built a sensational brand to become all material girl! Now that is a hero to emulate.

Librarian Perspective
Laura Londa
Leader not Manager
I need to list 2 people, but for the same reasons.  One is Cindy Zollinger, CEO of Cornerstone Research and the other is Bob Oaks, Chief Library & Records Officer of Latham & Watkins.  They are both truly leaders not just managers.  While they do need to manage a lot, when it comes to people, they lead.  They not only show you what is possible, but also instill in you the belief that you can achieve it.  They also both have the unique ability to be kind and caring while still running things.  You can’t help but trust them implicitly and you know that the choices they make for you and the company are carefully considered and respectful of you and of the goals of the company.  There is never any doubt that they are in charge, but there is also always the understanding that you can go to them with suggestions and ideas and you will never be dismissed out-of-hand.  They not only lead, but are willing to learn and know that there is always more to learn.  There are very few chiefs that have these qualities.  I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to work for and with both of them.  And I have always sought to model my work after them as I move into more “”managerial”” roles.  I try to lead as they would, not just manage.

Business Intelligence Analyst Perspective
Denise Rabogliatti
It Opened My Eyes
My hero is the individual who gave me my first research project. The project was simple and direct (and it was a paid exercise). I found that it piqued my interest in finding a career in which I could search for information, pull it together and present it in a way that answered an information need. If I had not had this opportunity, I do not know if I would be writing this today.

Law Student Perspective
Danny Johnson
So Fly Like a G6
My professional hero is Kirk Jowers. I’m starting law school in August and Kirk has given me critical advice about preparing for and pursuing my goals in law. He is the most quoted man in Utah politics and is a partner at a DC firm but still manages to spend time with undergrads at the U of U.
At my job at NetDocuments my hero is Marc Duncan because of his skills on the office IndoBoard 

Professional Musician Perspective
Artie Langston
Heroes In Low Places
My greatest hero and mentor is Ray Brown, who some may know as the long time bassist with Oscar Peterson, and onetime husband of Ella Fitzgerald.

Ray was a consummate artist, and his eminence talents were derived from hard work, as well a beautiful soul.
In spite of his fame, Ray always had time for young people, and the times we met were both thrilling, instructive, and inspirational. the first time I heard him play, I knew without a doubt what I wanted to do with my life, no matter what the cost.

The greatest compliment I ever received was when Snookum Russell, another friend and mentor who had nurtured the careers of a number of great Jazz artists, told me that he had not enjoyed working with anyone as much since he had Ray Brown in his band.

Ray is gone now, but I remember every word he told me, and have passed the wisdom of them down to my own students over the years.

Law Librarian and Competitive Intelligence Liaison Perspective
Jan Rivers
@Glambert Rules!
Greg Lambert is my professional hero. While being a full-time law librarian and manager, he also contributes to a fabulous blog, tests out new and exciting technologies, gives back to his profession, and is always collaborative, informative and, above all, entertaining. Also,rumor has it that he plays a mean sax….”
AFA Perspective
Toby Brown
Greg the Great Oracle
When it comes to knowledge – for possessing, sharing  and knowing how to find it – Greg rules.  The 3 Geeks blog truly rides on his shoulders due to this factoid.  His commitment and passion to knowledge is beyond belief.

It used to be when I wanted to find something, I would first send emails out to my circle of knowledge (a.k.a. The Brady’s).  Usually the Greg (a.k.a. The Master of Knowledge) would be a the first or at least an excellent responder.  So then I switched to first sending him a note.  And finally, after much prodding from Greg – I just check our blog.  9 times out of 10 he has already discovered the bit of knowledge I need, reviewed and analyzed it and posted about it on the blog.

That’s why 3 Geeks Rules.  Greg is my professional hero since he sets such a fine example of how to master knowledge and share it with the world.

To boot – he’s a damn fine friend to have.

Knowledge Management Perspective
Ayelette Robinson
“Greg, You Are Da Man”
Greg Lambert is my hero because he inspires those around him to share and collaborate in ways that make us not only better professionals, but also better people.

Thank you, Greg!

Internet Marketing Perspective
Sophia Lisa Salazar
“The One, The Only …”
Greg Lambert! 🙂

After much thoughtful consideration, I know that Greg is the only other person that can write as much as I can but he actually posts his stuff!

Always thoughtful, always productive, always provocative, Greg’s aces in my book.

He’s not only a 3Geeks Blogger, he’s a hell of a nice guy!

Competitive Intelligence Perspective
Zena Applebaum
Man of Geeky Mystery
Greg Lambert is my professional hero.  I don’t know how he does it!  He plays with gizmos and gadgets all day and still manages to be seen as a thought leader and man knowledgeable about libraries and the law.  How does he do it???

I want to be like Greg.

Law Librarian Perspective
Mark Gediman
Greg Bueller-er- Lambert Is My Hero
I don’t know anyone who is more of an all-around mensch than Greg Lambert.
He is always there to keep me in my place.  He critiques my work, pokes pins in my premises and gives me cool nicknames (like Sam the Butcher-don’t ask).

He’s the one that goaded me into blogging into the first place.   So know my critics now know who to blame.
I can’t think of anyone who works harder or nags better to get stuff out of me (to be fair, I did commit to it.  At least, that’s what Greg told me).

Seriously, Mr. Lambert is inspirational:  He has a respected blog, he is willing to serve in a leadership role in his organizations, he is a respected voice in the librarian community, can go toe-to-toe with the best of them when it comes to pop culture and, most importantly, is a great guy to have a beer with.

In fact, I want to be just like him when I grow up.

Information Technologist Perspective
Scott Preston
The Renaissance Man
Greg Lambert is my professional hero.
He has a tremendous breadth of knowledge with experience in law, computers, programming and legal research.  He is always bringing new technology and ideas to the table.  He is fun to work with, inspires many of us to contribute to the greater community and has introduced me to some truly great people.  Greg is one of those amazing people that seems to be able to morph into whatever is needed at the moment.  He is more than willing to share his knowledge and does so in a manner that makes everybody feel important.  Rumor has it he is really good at Frisbee golf too.

I want to be just like Greg when I get to be his age!

Greg is the Renaissance Man.

Business Intelligence Analyst Perspective
Denise Rabogliatti
What! More?
No one says that we can’t have more than one hero . . .

Greg is one of mine.

What more can be said than has already been stated? His broad and deep knowledge, insatiable curiosity and willingness to share will lead the profession to the future. He is an example to which we can aspire.

Blogger & Collaborator Perspective
Greg Lambert
Let’s Finish Off The Love Fest With Some “Brady Love”
Well… waking up early this morning to discover all the “love” that my fellow Brady Bunch crew wrote about me was both fun to read, and a little embarrassing at the same time (but, I quickly got over the embarrassment.) A couple of years ago, I wrote a post called “Improve Yourself – Join a Clique” where I mentioned my clique (AKA “The Bradys”) and the benefits of having peers that you can bounce ideas off of. Although it appears from the previous writings that I’m doing the heavy lifting in this relationship, it is not true. I just happen to be the loudest member of a great group. So, I thank them for their kind words, but I also have to remind them that it is the overall conversation and collaboration that we give each other as a group that is what makes this a great relationship. As anyone in “The Bradys” knows, they love to give feedback… just ask anyone of us that has gone to a meeting for an hour, only to come back to their desk and see 25+ emails sitting in their in-box from “The Bradys” responding to a question one of us asked.

Next Week’s Elephant Post Question:

What Unorthodox Predictions do you have for 2011? What Taboos are going to go away this year?

The first few weeks of the year are filled with predictions of changes to come in the legal industry. Most of those predictions are “yawners” (such as Richard Susskind’s prediction of firms adopting more social media, adopting cloud-based apps, and using tablets… which Toby labeled as Susskind “jumping the shark” on his predictions.)

Let us know what you think are changes that are occurring “under the radar” in the industry. Are partners at firms going to feel the downsizing this year – by being downsized themselves? Are unprofitable practice groups going to be cut loose from their firms? Will there be a change in the legal publishing industry that will shake up the way law firms buy legal research? Is outsourcing going to be no longer a taboo word that makes the hair on the back of every one’s neck stand up?

So the Elephant question for next week is, What are your “other” predictions for 2011?

Simply fill out the form we have created for this question, and you can check in occasionally to see what others are contributing. This should be a fun Elephant Post to read!!

See you next week!!