Seamanship of the CIO: Fish versus Cut Bait or ... Bail versus Abandon Ship!

Seamanship of the CIO: Seamanship of the CIO: Fish versus Cut Bait or ...Fish versus Cut Bait or ...Bail versus Abandon Ship!Bail versus Abandon Ship!

J. Reid ChristenberryJ. Reid Christenberry

Associate Provost and CIOAssociate Provost and CIO

Georgia State UniversityGeorgia State University

The Grand Tour:The Grand Tour:Plotting This Morning’s CoursePlotting This Morning’s Course

• Looking at an ill-fated CIO Looking at an ill-fated CIO – Remember Ahab and the PequodRemember Ahab and the Pequod

• Come along on some personal voyagesCome along on some personal voyages– Envisioning a new world: a new CIO role and IT Envisioning a new world: a new CIO role and IT

organizationorganization– Charting the course: Consensus-driven IT strategic Charting the course: Consensus-driven IT strategic

planningplanning– Forming a crew: a customer-centric IT organizationForming a crew: a customer-centric IT organization– Exploring functionally-led ERP implementationsExploring functionally-led ERP implementations– Discovering a new technology fee territoryDiscovering a new technology fee territory

The Grand Tour:The Grand Tour:This VoyageThis Voyage

• Advice for the Sailors Who Follow:Advice for the Sailors Who Follow:– Becoming a servant leader in a Becoming a servant leader in a

university university – Movements and legaciesMovements and legacies

• Comments and QuestionsComments and Questions

The Passenger ManifestThe Passenger Manifest

This presentation is targeted for those This presentation is targeted for those aspiring to higher-level IT management aspiring to higher-level IT management positions in a not-for-profit higher positions in a not-for-profit higher education environment.education environment.

Consider Captain AhabConsider Captain Ahabas a poor CIOas a poor CIO

• His ship represents an IT organizationHis ship represents an IT organization

• Moby Dick is his elusive and obsessive Moby Dick is his elusive and obsessive idea of what he wanted IT to be in his idea of what he wanted IT to be in his institutioninstitution

• His crew followed him loyallyHis crew followed him loyally

• He lead them to catastrophic He lead them to catastrophic consequencesconsequences

Captain Ahab . . .Captain Ahab . . .

• Had a reputation Had a reputation among his menamong his men

• A CIO’s reputation A CIO’s reputation can be based on can be based on respect, or fearrespect, or fear– Fear drags people Fear drags people

along unwillinglyalong unwillingly– Respect motivates Respect motivates

people to follow people to follow voluntarilyvoluntarily


• Had his “outside” Had his “outside” criticscritics

• Even outsiders Even outsiders knew he was knew he was unusualunusual– His crew had to His crew had to

hear this all the hear this all the timetime


• Was able to rally Was able to rally his crew around his crew around himhim

• He used He used unorthodox unorthodox methods based methods based on fear and on fear and mysticismmysticism


• Had ship owners Had ship owners who wanted his who wanted his ship to be whalingship to be whaling

• Even his crew Even his crew knew Ahab had a knew Ahab had a personal agenda personal agenda that was differentthat was different

Captain Ahab’sCaptain Ahab’sPersonal Agenda . . .Personal Agenda . . .• Caused doubt Caused doubt

and confusion and confusion among his staffamong his staff

• Should they Should they follow their follow their leader, or leader, or adhere to their adhere to their mission?mission?


• Valued Valued relationships with relationships with others as others as unimportantunimportant

• He violated He violated generally-accepted generally-accepted standards of standards of courtesy and courtesy and ethicsethics

Captain Ahab’s Legacy . . .Captain Ahab’s Legacy . . .

• Not in anyone’s Not in anyone’s top ten list!top ten list!

• This was not a This was not a very good role very good role modelmodel

Captain Ahab’s Crew . . .Captain Ahab’s Crew . . .

• Failed miserably, Failed miserably, even thought they even thought they followed their followed their leader all the wayleader all the way

• Ahab’s obsession Ahab’s obsession was the downfall of was the downfall of his organizationhis organization

So Much for AhabSo Much for Ahab

• Now let’s talk about some other, real Now let’s talk about some other, real life voyageslife voyages

Envisioning a New World: Envisioning a New World: A New CIO Role and IT A New CIO Role and IT Organization Organization • The institution has a vision of changeThe institution has a vision of change• Your job is to understand the vision and Your job is to understand the vision and

its key success factorsits key success factors• The hazards of the seaThe hazards of the sea

– New organization & position to be definedNew organization & position to be defined– Change needed, but where and how much?Change needed, but where and how much?– Move from autocratic decision-makingMove from autocratic decision-making– Possible mutiniesPossible mutinies

Possible Courses:Possible Courses:

• Listen and echo back for confirmationListen and echo back for confirmation– Gather information before reorganizingGather information before reorganizing

• Dare to respond differently to the campus Dare to respond differently to the campus from the pastfrom the past– ““Low hanging fruit” produces acceptanceLow hanging fruit” produces acceptance

• Don’t be pushed into an untimely responseDon’t be pushed into an untimely response• Be forthright and open, but not Be forthright and open, but not

confrontational!confrontational!• Mutiny avoidance: budget and responsibilitiesMutiny avoidance: budget and responsibilities• Form alliances with reasonable peopleForm alliances with reasonable people

Charting a Course: Charting a Course: Consensus-Driven IT Consensus-Driven IT Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

• IT strategic planning is essentialIT strategic planning is essential

• How it’s done varies to match the How it’s done varies to match the institutional contextinstitutional context

• The hazards of the seaThe hazards of the sea– Must be open, participativeMust be open, participative– Can run agroundCan run aground– Can become hijacked or piratedCan become hijacked or pirated

Possible CoursesPossible Courses

• Who’s involved determines successWho’s involved determines success– Broad perspectives, campus-wide respectBroad perspectives, campus-wide respect

• Envisioning with top executivesEnvisioning with top executives– Project the futureProject the future

• Must be driven by and cross-linked to Must be driven by and cross-linked to institutional strategic planinstitutional strategic plan

• Write it! -- Don’t wait for all things to be Write it! -- Don’t wait for all things to be closedclosed– Get the “apple pie” down, worry about details Get the “apple pie” down, worry about details

afterwards afterwards • This is incremental, not revolutionary!This is incremental, not revolutionary!

Forming a Crew that is a Forming a Crew that is a Customer-Centric IT Customer-Centric IT OrganizationOrganization• Traditional IT organizations revolve around Traditional IT organizations revolve around

cliques and “caste systems”cliques and “caste systems”

• Unfortunately, customers often are placed Unfortunately, customers often are placed at a lower caste levelat a lower caste level

• The hazards of the seaThe hazards of the sea– You must shift cultures within the organizationYou must shift cultures within the organization– Being an advocate for customers “from within” Being an advocate for customers “from within”

creates a trust gap, but is necessarycreates a trust gap, but is necessary


• Incremental change from the top downIncremental change from the top down– Start with position papers and statementsStart with position papers and statements

• Establish what Establish what youryour driving forces are: driving forces are:– ““It’s all about relationships, not technology”It’s all about relationships, not technology”

• Communicate, communicate, communicateCommunicate, communicate, communicate– The customers need to know what you’ve said The customers need to know what you’ve said

internallyinternally– They should be able to quote it back to your staffThey should be able to quote it back to your staff

Example: Four R’s of IT Example: Four R’s of IT Customer ServiceCustomer Service• ResponsibilityResponsibility

- Each person must assume responsibility and - Each person must assume responsibility and ownership of issuesownership of issues

• RelationshipsRelationships- Every customer interaction should improve - Every customer interaction should improve

positive relationshipspositive relationships• ReputationReputation

- Each person is concerned about the - Each person is concerned about the organization’s reputationorganization’s reputation

• ReliabilityReliability- We consistently make commitments and deliver - We consistently make commitments and deliver

results as promisedresults as promised

Example: Seven Golden Rules of Example: Seven Golden Rules of Customer ServiceCustomer Service

1.1. Never give excuses; focus on resolving the Never give excuses; focus on resolving the problem.problem. Use this phrase: “What I Use this phrase: “What I cancan do is ....”. do is ....”.

2.2. Always be pleasant with customers, even if Always be pleasant with customers, even if they are not pleasant to you.they are not pleasant to you. Focus on resolving the problem, not on adjusting Focus on resolving the problem, not on adjusting the customer’s attitude.the customer’s attitude.

3.3. Customers are not interruptions of our Customers are not interruptions of our work, they are the reason for it.work, they are the reason for it. Customer relations is an integral part of your job, Customer relations is an integral part of your job, not an extension of it. Our business is not an extension of it. Our business is developing relationships through respect and developing relationships through respect and trustworthiness, coupled with appropriate trustworthiness, coupled with appropriate technical expertise. People don’t care how much technical expertise. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.you know until they know how much you care.

Example: Seven Golden Rules of Example: Seven Golden Rules of Customer ServiceCustomer Service

4.4. Always Be Responsive to Customers.Always Be Responsive to Customers.Return phone calls and e-mail in a timely manner - Return phone calls and e-mail in a timely manner - within one business day. Never have a full voice within one business day. Never have a full voice mailbox.mailbox.

5.5. Honor your service and support commitments.Honor your service and support commitments.Every customer has the right to expect a commitment Every customer has the right to expect a commitment to an appointment time for scheduled services. Every to an appointment time for scheduled services. Every customer has the right to expect our rapid response to customer has the right to expect our rapid response to a crisis disruption of service. If a commitment can’t a crisis disruption of service. If a commitment can’t be met, inform the customer immediately.be met, inform the customer immediately.

6.6. Take ownership of problemsTake ownership of problems. . If it’s not your problem to resolve, involve the If it’s not your problem to resolve, involve the appropriate party, and ensure that ownership of the appropriate party, and ensure that ownership of the problem is transferred with the customer’s knowledge.problem is transferred with the customer’s knowledge.

7.7. Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.it.Autograph your work with excellenceAutograph your work with excellence..

Exploring Functionally-Led ERP Exploring Functionally-Led ERP ImplementationsImplementations

• Functional leadership is critically importantFunctional leadership is critically important

• ERP Implementation requires more than ERP Implementation requires more than functional understandingfunctional understanding

• The hazards of the sea:The hazards of the sea:– Underestimation of total resources requiredUnderestimation of total resources required– Coordination of functional implementation plans Coordination of functional implementation plans

and technical infrastructure plansand technical infrastructure plans– The implementation team can “go native”The implementation team can “go native”– Folding the team back into the mainstream is hardFolding the team back into the mainstream is hard


• State roles and responsibilities before startingState roles and responsibilities before starting

• Develop a “sunset plan” for folding the Develop a “sunset plan” for folding the implementation team back into the implementation team back into the mainstreammainstream

• Develop a communication plan along with the Develop a communication plan along with the implementation planimplementation plan

• Teamwork workshops are needed in advanceTeamwork workshops are needed in advance

• Banish territorial thinkingBanish territorial thinking

Discovering a New TechnologyDiscovering a New TechnologyFee TerritoryFee Territory

• We worked for years to get a technology feeWe worked for years to get a technology fee

• When achieved, a process had to be When achieved, a process had to be identified to propose and allocate these identified to propose and allocate these fundsfunds

• The hazards of the sea:The hazards of the sea:– Constituency balkanizationConstituency balkanization– A First: Combined student-faculty deliberationA First: Combined student-faculty deliberation– IT organization was perceived as a controller IT organization was perceived as a controller – Dichotomous CIO role adds ambiguityDichotomous CIO role adds ambiguity


• Develop a clear proposal submittal processDevelop a clear proposal submittal process• Involve deans in suggesting the pathInvolve deans in suggesting the path• IT organization facilitates, but does not IT organization facilitates, but does not

controlcontrol• Academic mission is placed at the center of Academic mission is placed at the center of

considerations: considerations: • Must share the resourcesMust share the resources• Student representatives are heavily involvedStudent representatives are heavily involved• CIO maintains “arm’s length” involvementCIO maintains “arm’s length” involvement

– Let go! It’s Let go! It’s theirtheir future! You are the facilitator! future! You are the facilitator!

Advice for Becoming a Servant Advice for Becoming a Servant Leader in a UniversityLeader in a University

• The “Commander of the Ship” model is deadThe “Commander of the Ship” model is dead• Today’s CIO must be more of a servant Today’s CIO must be more of a servant

leaderleader• The hazards of the sea:The hazards of the sea:

– This is new, and we may not have been exposed This is new, and we may not have been exposed to this type of leader in our own career pathto this type of leader in our own career path

– Being a servant requires respect for othersBeing a servant requires respect for others– Also, it requires the ability to collaborate and Also, it requires the ability to collaborate and

even be submissive in natureeven be submissive in nature– Phrases and actions can cause lapses into old Phrases and actions can cause lapses into old

paradigmsparadigms

The Course TakenThe Course Taken

• Consider your job as a service to othersConsider your job as a service to others• Develop the concept of peer-to-peer (or Develop the concept of peer-to-peer (or

client-server) work relationshipsclient-server) work relationships– We’re all servers or clients in some senseWe’re all servers or clients in some sense– Roles may switch on any given interactionRoles may switch on any given interaction– No longer a centralized or top-down modelNo longer a centralized or top-down model

• Let go of things when this will achieve the Let go of things when this will achieve the primary imperativeprimary imperative

• Hold on to things that critically affect your Hold on to things that critically affect your institutioninstitution

Suggestion:Suggestion:Make Your Organization a Make Your Organization a MovementMovement• In the not-for-profit world, exceptional In the not-for-profit world, exceptional

organizations can become organizations can become movementsmovements• Characteristics:Characteristics:

– The future can be The future can be created,created, not simply experienced not simply experienced– Harmony in relationshipsHarmony in relationships– Constructive conflict of ideasConstructive conflict of ideas– Sense of urgencySense of urgency– High levels of trustHigh levels of trust– StoriesStories are told about relationships, failures, are told about relationships, failures,

surprisessurprises– StoriesStories expose and, therefore, reduce the expose and, therefore, reduce the

temptation to imposetemptation to impose

What is Needed to Become a What is Needed to Become a Movement?Movement?

• Leadership that is:Leadership that is:– Spirit-lifting Spirit-lifting – EnablingEnabling– EnrichingEnriching– Holds the Organization AccountableHolds the Organization Accountable– In the End, Will Let GoIn the End, Will Let Go

• Competence in RelationshipsCompetence in Relationships– Poor relationships sabotage even the most Poor relationships sabotage even the most

technically competent person or organizationtechnically competent person or organization


• Clear Commitment to Substance over Clear Commitment to Substance over BureaucracyBureaucracy– Superficial & trivial leads to priorities Superficial & trivial leads to priorities

and disciplineand discipline– Movements increase breadth of mind, Movements increase breadth of mind,

regardless of the topicregardless of the topic

• It is Always a Civil PlaceIt is Always a Civil Place– People respect each other and work for People respect each other and work for

the common goodthe common good


• Disciplined Routines Exist in the Disciplined Routines Exist in the Midst of FreedomMidst of Freedom

• Look for Challenge, Rather than Look for Challenge, Rather than ComfortComfort

• Respect Individual Gifts, Rather than Respect Individual Gifts, Rather than Job AssignmentsJob Assignments

When do Movements When do Movements Suffer?Suffer?

• When leaders lose their sense of When leaders lose their sense of dependence on peopledependence on people

• When rules dominate decision-When rules dominate decision-makingmaking

• When leaders are unable or unwilling When leaders are unable or unwilling to hold the group accountableto hold the group accountable

Leaving a LegacyLeaving a Legacy

• There is a difference between being a There is a difference between being a good planner and leaving a good legacygood planner and leaving a good legacy– What you plan to do differs enormously from What you plan to do differs enormously from

what you leave behindwhat you leave behind

• Legacies run deeper in our lives than Legacies run deeper in our lives than meeting goalsmeeting goals

• In the not-for-profit world, legacies may be In the not-for-profit world, legacies may be more important than goals to many peoplemore important than goals to many people

Elements of a LegacyElements of a Legacy

• To establish a legacy, we must To establish a legacy, we must become competent in establishing become competent in establishing and maintaining relationshipsand maintaining relationships

• A true legacy establishes directionA true legacy establishes direction– It’s the pursuit of a vision, not following It’s the pursuit of a vision, not following

a strategya strategy

• Truth is at the core of a successful Truth is at the core of a successful legacylegacy


• In building a legacy, we choose to be In building a legacy, we choose to be personally accountablepersonally accountable

• A legacy sets standardsA legacy sets standards– These outlast short-term plansThese outlast short-term plans– Not just standards of performance, but Not just standards of performance, but

of dignity and servanthood, of good of dignity and servanthood, of good manners, good taste and decorum.manners, good taste and decorum.

• Guiding legacies lift the spiritGuiding legacies lift the spirit


• Legacies live in the actions of many Legacies live in the actions of many peoplepeople– Each of us is capable of being a mentor Each of us is capable of being a mentor

in one way or the otherin one way or the other

• A legacy is the most significant way A legacy is the most significant way of saying “Thank You” to an of saying “Thank You” to an organization and its peopleorganization and its people

What is Your Legacy as an IT What is Your Legacy as an IT Leader in Your Institution?Leader in Your Institution?

• Everyone leaves a personal legacyEveryone leaves a personal legacy– Good or badGood or bad

• We need to intentionally think about We need to intentionally think about the legacy we want to leavethe legacy we want to leave– Your staff will attach to (or detach from) Your staff will attach to (or detach from)

your legacyyour legacy

Questions for YouQuestions for You

• Do you understand the critical Do you understand the critical importance of relationships in higher importance of relationships in higher education information technology?education information technology?

• Will your IT organization be Will your IT organization be considered a movement or just an considered a movement or just an organization?organization?

• What is the legacy you are leaving What is the legacy you are leaving that your staff will attach to?that your staff will attach to?

For more on Movements and For more on Movements and LegaciesLegacies

Recommended Recommended Reading:Reading:

Leading Without Leading Without PowerPower

ByBy

Max De PreeMax De Pree

Disembarking: Questions and Disembarking: Questions and AnswersAnswers

CreditsCredits• United Artists and Fox Home United Artists and Fox Home

Video for scenes from “Moby Video for scenes from “Moby Dick”Dick”

• David McBride, digital editing, David McBride, digital editing, University Educational Technology University Educational Technology Services, Georgia StateServices, Georgia State

• Max De Pree, author of Max De Pree, author of Leading Leading Without PowerWithout Power

Seamanship of the CIO: Seamanship of the CIO: Fish versus Cut Bait or ...Fish versus Cut Bait or ...Bail versus Abandon Ship!Bail versus Abandon Ship!

J. Reid ChristenberryJ. Reid Christenberry

Associate Provost and CIOAssociate Provost and CIO

Georgia State UniversityGeorgia State University

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Seamanship of the CIO: Fish versus Cut Bait or ... Bail versus Abandon Ship!