Career Survival Guide: Tip #3

1. Career Survival Guide: Tip #3  Dennis Cromwell Helen Norris Jeff von Munkwitz-Smith

3. Deep Collaboration • The relationship is established to share resources to accomplish the task, project or activity. • Organizational capacity is enhanced in all members by sharing of human and financial resources.   • Personal and organizational development occurs. • Organizations establish a community that provides benefit beyond the tasks and organizational boundaries. • It is this “community building” we need to develop a true partnership, not the shallow meaning that is often bantered about. Source: Sowa, Jessica E.

4. What are the barriers of Deep Collaboration?

5. What are the benefits of deep collaboration?

6. Do you think the culture in higher education helps or hinders collaboration?

7. What are some of the techniques we can use?

8. Fee and Financial Aid refund process at Sac State • In Fall 2012, CSU implemented a fee increase • Because a ballot measure increasing funding for education passed, we needed to refund fees to all students • Complex business process, technical process and communications challenge, all with a state-imposed deadline • Three divisions worked together to ensure a good experience for all our students - and it worked!

9. Fee and Financial Aid refund process at Sac State - Reasons for success • Inclusive planning - all three divisions involved participated • Leadership buy-in & priority • Putting the student interest first • "All hands on deck" approach

10. IU Local (departmental) IT Professionals • Change the reference name – Used to be Local Support Providers (LSP) • Set up communication and collaboration tools • Run annual conference (Statewide IT) • Establish a governance group – IT Managers Council • Ask advice – Listen to advice • Establish leadership development program, 50% local and central and fund 50% of the cost for departmental attendance • Invite to staff appreciation event

11. Boston University Classroom Management Steering Committee • Brings together University Registrar, Provost's Office, Planning, Facilities, Information Systems & Technology (Classroom AV) • Initially focused on problem solving • Inserts the University Registrar into the planning process • Re-imagining the classroom upgrade process

12. How does Technology impact the need to collaborate? • Changing technology has resulted in organizational changes, often with a larger and more influential central IT organization • IT resources previously embedded in departments like the Registrar's Office now often report centrally to a CIO • We need to collaborate across organizations, rather than within organizational boundaries

13. Why was the CIO hired? • Administration and trustees want security and compliance --- do not give us problems. • Want maximum value for IT $ spent (across the University). • Want to make the front page for doing good things --- technology sells. • Need data to make decisions and want CIO to integrate across functional boundaries. • Fund raising - All senior administration is expected to lend their expertise to assist.

14. What does this mean for the CIO • Often senior administration does not think of involving IT in strategic issues, so the CIO must be assertive to be included, which can come across as pushy • They need to build success stories so they will create relationships with key leadership and promise things (often bypassing standard governance). • They work very hard, long and do not want to be bothered by details. • IT is most successful if the CIO can build strong relationships with President, Provost, Chancellor, CFO, and Deans.   

15. What does that mean for us? • Build relations at next level down, all through the organization • Smooth over hard charging CIO • Fill in the details - provide guidance as to how to implement the CIO's vision • Provide a "reality check" to the CIO when necessary

16. Reading List Sowa, Jessica E. “Implementing Interagency Collaborations.” Administration & Society 2008.  http://intl-aas.sagepub.com/content/40/3/298.full.pdf+html Weick, Karl E. “Small wins: Redefining the scale of social problems.” American Psychologist, Vol 39(1), Jan 1984, 40-49. Weick, Karl E. “Small wins: Redefining the scale of social problems.” American Psychologist, Vol 39(1), Jan 1984, 40-49.