Repairing a Bad Reputation: It Takes More Than Good Works

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Repairing a Bad Reputation It Takes More Than
Good Works

• J. Michael Yohe
• Executive Director
• Electronic Information Services
• Mike.Yohe_at_valpo.edu

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1. Introduction

• CIO job is political
• All jobs are political
• Reputations are political
• difficult to build, easy to destroy
• Politics is a ticklish business
• If you have everything under control, youre not
  moving fast enough.- Mario Andretti, race car
  driver

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2. Causes of Bad Reputation

• 2.1 Bad Attitude
• 2.2 Alienation
• 2.3 Lack of Communication
• 2.4 Poor Service
• The key to this whole business is sincerity.
  Once you can fake that, youve got it made. -
  Former Detroit Lions coach Monte Clark

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Lets reflect. . . How can we calm troubled
waters?
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Repair Strategy

• 3. Reassess Attitude
• 4. Build Community
• 5. Improve Communication
• 6. Take Action

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3. Reassess Attitude

• 3.1 Be Service-Oriented
• 3.2 Be Steady
• 3.3 Be Respectful
• 3.4 Be Positive
• It is the attitude of these men, more than any
  communication which they make, that attracts us.
  - Henry David Thoreau (18171862)

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3.1 Be service-oriented

• What makes you feel well served?
• What does this customer need, and when?
• What's best for the institution?

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3.2 Be steady

• Do you stand firm on matters of principle?
• Do you deal fairly with others?
• Are you consistent?
• Do you work toward the common good?

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3.3 Be respectful

• Do you appreciate the variety in personalities,
  backgrounds, and experiences?
• Do you respect other opinions?
• Can you disagree without being disagreeable?
• Are you on time to meetings?
• Are you concise in communications?
• Do you praise in public, criticize in private?

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3.4 Be Positive

• Can you find something good in almost any
  situation?
• Do you compliment others often?
• Do you use humor effectively?
• Can you laugh at yourself?

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4. Build Community

• 4.1 Cultivate Contacts
• 4.2 Use Your Contacts
• 4.3 Be Loyal
• 4.4 Be Involved
• Indeed, the body does not consist of one member,
  but of many. - New Testament, 1 Corinthians 1214

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4.1 Cultivate Contacts

• Who are the ten most important people to your
  job?
• Do they know you?
• What are the most influential committees?
• Are you on them?
• What constituencies have interests in IT?
• How are their voices heard?

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4.2 Use Your Contacts

• Want a friend? Ask for help
• Team up to solve problems
• Give credit where due
• Let others originate the ideas (even when theyre
  yours)

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4.3 Be Loyal

• Your staff
• Absorb blame spread credit
• Be their advocate
• Let them make their own apologies
• Your superiors
• Keep them informed (good and bad)
• Communicate respect for them
• Your institution

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4.4 Be Involved

• Can you name your Provost? Department Chairs?
  Directors?
• What campus organizations or groups do you belong
  to?
• When was the last time you attended a concert or
  ball game?

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5. Improve Communication

• 5.1 Listen
• 5.2 Let People Know -- Often -- What Is Going On
• 5.3 Acknowledge Problems
• 5.4 Tell People Where You Stand
• But how can I communicate with the gods, who am
  a pencil-maker on the earth, and not be insane?
  - Henry David Thoreau

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5.1 Listen

• Give others a chance to have their say
• Make sure you hear what others say
• Make sure you understand what others say
• Accept criticism gracefully
• Assume the criticism is legitimate
• Avoid being or seeming defensive
• Find out what solutions the critic has in mind

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5.2 Let people know -- often -- what is going on

• How do you get someones attention?
• Face to face (best)
• Meetings
• Personal contacts
• Newsletter
• E-mail
• Personal vs. Personalized?

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5.3 Acknowledge problems

• Understand problems from others' point of view
  and let them know you do
• When you're wrong, admit it
• Don't make excuses (or give "reasons")
• Be willing to take appropriate corrective action
• If you must disagree, do it so they will thank
  you for it.

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5.4 Where do you stand?

• State positions and expectations clearly
• Put policies and procedures in writing
• Make information accessible
• Let others know your reasons
• Work out problems directly
• Look for win-win
• Give the other person an out

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6. Take Action

• 6.1 Strive For Excellence (Personal and
  Organizational)
• 6.2 Plan Strategically
• 6.3 Translate Planning into Accomplishment
• 6.4 Review/Evaluate Progress
• What you are stands over you the while, and
  thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to
  the contrary. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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6.1 Strive for excellence

• (Personal and Organizational)
• Is good enough good enough?
• Is perfect too good?
• How do your customers define excellence?
• Are polish and excellence synonymous?

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6.2 Plan strategically

• Ask the questions
• What are the institutional objectives?
• What resources are at hand?
• What are the priorities?
• Set goals that are
• Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant.
  Trackable.
• Look ahead
• Most plans materialize in 3-5 years

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6.3 Translate planning into accomplishment

• What are you going to do? (Tactical plan)
• Pursue strategic objectives
• Solve problems
• Show steady progress on shortcomings
• Allocate scarce resources
• Which crisis first?
• How will you do it? (Procedures)
• How do you ensure its done? (Tracking)

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6.4 Review/Evaluate progress

• What do your constituents think?
• What do the measurements say?
• What are other institutions doing?
• Did you meet your goals?
• How do you compare?

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7. Conclusion

• Relationships are as important as works
• Teamwork can accomplish what individuals cannot
• Your future depends on others
• Theres no stopping the future. Yogi Berra

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May your future be bright!
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Questions?

• End noteI don't claim originality just don't
  remember where all of these came fromI do claim
  this combination has worked in real situations.