Developing and Using Leadership Skills in Higher Education IT “Leadership is the art of...

Developing and Using Leadership Skills in Higher Education IT

“Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says

is possible” Colin Powell

Janda HankinsonTerry O’Heron

Beth Hayes

Information Technology Services

Leadership and the Strategic Plan

It's not the plan that is important, it's the planning.

Graeme Edwards


Strategic Planning/SWOT Analysis

• Discussed Group Vision Statement and long term Goals– Staff added suggestions

• Discussion of our Environment– Customer Needs– Competition


Strategic Planning/SWOT Analysis

• Future of the Group– What new directions do you see

– What could we cut/begin as a service

• “Customer” discussion– Who are they & what do they expect– What are customers really asking for?


SWOTStrengths•Given tools for the job•Willing to try new things•Staff w/ Wide range of Experiences

Opportunities•Currently only selling to 10% of audience•Demo our Value vs Costs•Cross Training

Weaknesses•Limited Space•Limited Staff•Basement Location

Threats•Pirated Software•Big Box Stores•Loss of Funding


SWOT - Continued

• Ranked SWOT Issues and Opportunities– Opportunities were ranked “easy”’ to “hard”– Worked on Opportunities very openly with

the group to show process– Involved as many people as possible to

show that we need staff to be responsible for leading change


Staff Growth

• Discussed Personal Growth– Scheduled several group training events

• FISH! Philosophy• MBTI training• Customer Service training• Anniversary Breakfasts

• Wanted to show that staff are valued


A Metaphor for Influencing Change

Poker is a game of people...It’s not the hand I hold, it’s the people that I play with.

“Amarillo Slim” Preston


Leading Change – Looking Through Three Lenses

Strategic Design

CulturalPolitical

John Van Maanen, MIT Sloan School



Strategic Design

CulturalPolitical

Organizations are

machinesAction comes

through planning



Strategic Design

CulturalPolitical

Organizations are

contestsAction comes

through power



Strategic Design

CulturalPolitical

Organizations or

institutionsAction comes

through habit



Strategic Design

CulturalPolitical

Organizations are

contestsAction comes

through power

Organizations are

machinesAction comes

through planning

Organizations or

institutionsAction comes

through habit


Teaching w/Technology: A Faculty Example

• Faculty Goals– IT that is affordable and accessible– IT that is easy to use– High-quality


• Faculty Risks“From the viewpoint of the professor,

however, I understand some of the more obvious reasons for this resistance: shortages of time, money and energy.”

-Edward L. Ayers




• Faculty Lenses– Strategic: Act assertively, do not passively

respond to change– Political: Tradition of faculty self-

governance and academic freedom– Cultural: Academic culture and IT culture

do not mix together well


Leading Change – Action Plan• Know your IT audiences: the usual

suspects…faculty…staff…students• Know your IT audiences: the not-so-usual

suspects…potential faculty, staff, and students, your own IT staff, alumni, etc

• Understand the bottom line…increase use, value, satisfaction

• ASSESSMENT: how you understand the bottom line…increase use, value, satisfaction


Leadership: Finding Balance

Leadership is an action, not a position.

Donald H. McGannon


Penn State Workflow Project• Replacing 20 year old mainframe, user-based

approval system with a Web, role-based approval system

• Streamlining and re-engineering existing processes

• Stakeholder and business partner buy-in obtained

• High expectations established• The train was in motion when I hopped

aboard…


As a Project Manager I must:

• Delegate• Coach• Encourage• Communicate• Plan• Strategize• Manage

• Build Relationships• Be a Politician• Listen• Plan • Motivate• Coordinate• Beg


My Challenge is to balance the Immediate vs. Important

Immediate and Less/Not Important

Immediate and Very Important

Not Immediate and Not Important

Not Immediate and Very Important


Strategies for Being More Efficient and Productive

• Schedule time for THINKING (strategically and otherwise!)

• Organize your activities based on the Immediate/Important grid (I use a spreadsheet)

• Block time on your calendar to work on the Important• Turn off email, cell phone, IM, etc., when working on

the Important – and inform others of this practice• Look for opportunities to delegate, coach and grow

staff to lead sub-projects and initiatives. Offering and taking ownership is a win-win scenario.


Contact Information

• Janda Hankinson - [email protected]

• Terry O’Heron - [email protected]

• Beth Hayes - [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Developing and Using Leadership Skills in Higher Education IT “Leadership is the art of...

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