The Importance of Transparency
27 Nov 07
Hi folks. Well, I think you should be forewarned….. I am a Noob.
Short for “newbie.” Or, in my day, a “rookie.”
Yep – this is my first week blogging! Yeah, Baby!
I want to say up front that I am intrigued by all of this. Most of all, I am surprised that I wish to expose my thoughts and ideas to the outside world so willingly. Despite an exciting and eventful career in the Army (I promise not to tell too many war stories!), I have never kept a journal. To be honest, I never thought anyone would care. But suddenly, being “50-something,” I approach this with a curious willingness to share my experiences, thoughts, and (often weird) ideas with you. And, you know, I think I should willingly share my thoughts and views in an open forum. As Ohio Dominican University’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), I think I have a duty to do so.
It seems to me that blogging is a great way to achieve transparency. I get it. It’s a unique communication tool (made possible only through recent technologies) that help people connect and share knowledge and feelings about issues in life. It is a whole new way to socialize and network with others. The older I get, the more I appreciate such innovative opportunities to learn and absorb new ideas. My only regret? That I was born 30 years too early.
Technology is exciting and it is never too late to learn. And I am certainly on top of the whole “social networking” movement. Indeed, I have my own FaceBook account and use it to play Scrabble with my kids on occasion. I have devoted an enormous amount of time to learn all that I can about web 2.0 and to help ODU realize the enormous potential of the web. I am painfully aware of the rate of change that is occurring all around us now. Especially in the world of Higher Education! Whereas technology once enabled Change and Learning – it is now a true driver.
As the leader of the Information Services Department, I think it is critical and imperative that we technology service providers embrace “Transparency” to the maximum extent possible. That is, we must fully account for the quality and timeliness of our service delivery. We have an obligation, I believe, to also involve our customers in the planning process for technology projects and improvements. Our customers should have a vote in the prioritization of our work. Why? Because the students, faculty and staff depend enormously on our professional expertise. AND…. because our business is expensive.
The formal process for delivering this transparency to the University at large is embedded in what is called “Information Technology (IT) Governance.” I will have a lot to say on this topic in the weeks ahead – so stay tuned.
My final thought on Transparency is this. Being “transparent” implies a willingness to be totally open. It implies a willingness to expose yourself – strengths and vulnerabilities – to others. (Observation: from a life time in the Army, I can honestly say that the most effective leaders I knew were those who were most comfortable with their vulnerabilities). I want our customers to see through us. I want parents to clearly understand that we technologists are doing everything possible to support their sons and daughters with superior technology services so that learning outcomes are as rich as possible. By exposing ourselves, so to speak, I hope we win the implicit TRUST of the students, staff and faculty.
So, to wrap up for this week, I suggest to you that Transparency is much more than visibility on service delivery and collaboration on IT project planning. Above all, I believe that Transparency is all about engaging others and building close relationships. That is why I love this University. The potential for all of us to make a real difference in each others’ lives is unlimited.
So, going forward, I promise to be transparent. I hope you like what you see.