Ying Yi is the newly appointed Professional Development Committee Chair, who also co-chairs the Training & Development Committee.
What is your vision/aspiration for LAS as Professional Development Chair for 2019-2021?
To get as many members onboard in developing themselves professionally. Having “tuned-in” members knowledgeable in their fields is key to helping LAS grow from strength to strength.
What’s the first thing you do every morning to start your day on the right foot?
Breakfast! I strongly believe in the magic of a good breakfast. It energises you and sets the tone right for the rest of the day.
Is there a piece of professional or life advice you’ve gotten that has always stuck with you? What is it?
This is an interesting one—”There will always be work. Go home and spend time with your family!” It has been a great reminder when I get caught up, to remember there will always be work waiting for me when I come back. I place great value on family and it is important to get home to my loved ones, and to rest and recharge for the next challenge. It’s something I find myself reminding my staff to do as well.
Is there a fear or professional challenge that keeps you up at night? What is it?
How to stay relevant as a profession. The landscape and jobs are changing, sometimes faster than we can keep up. How can we best set a broad direction, stay nimble through continuous upskilling, and ensure we bring our whole team on this journey with us? It is often too easy to stay in our comfort zone, and I want to challenge my team to find joy and be excited about meeting new challenges.
What recommendations would you have for a new LAS member who is unsure about how to get involved?
Check out our programmes and join us! That’s a good and not-so-daunting way to network and get to know other members in the profession.
Is there anything we’re behind the curve on as an association?
The speed at which improvements and new initiatives are implemented. Unfortunately, because the whole Council comprises members who hold full-time jobs and can only engage in Council work after-hours, we aren’t able to move along as fast we would like.
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Interview questions prepared by Edward Lim. He is the Reference and Research Services Librarian for Business at New York University Shanghai and a member of the LAS Training and Development Committee.