Mission too important for effeciency

"Many organizations define the needs of their current mission as so compelling that it overrides a more efficient approach."

I have been looking for a simple way to make that statement for years and WHAM! I am reading the book The Dynamics of Technology for Social Change by Jonathan Peizer. The book was good until I got to chapter 6 and then it started to read just like Jonathan was talking about my org and the book just got better.

It just struck me as so common that we get so busy with what needs to be done today to meet what we think is most important, that we dont have time to do what is best in the long run. And to make that more complicated, most of us dont have the resources, understanding or support to even be able to know or do what is best.

Here is what I mean...

At home, I understand that an on-demand water heater is more efficient and works better in the long run. But I dont really have the funds to get it now and hey the old one is still working.

With my family, I know that spending "quality time" with each kid individually would radically change their future, but our hectic schedule always seems to make today too busy.

With my money, I know a little saved over time would make college for my kids easier, but oops never got to it and now I only have two years.

With my car, I know about fuel efficiency and emissions, but with a family of six and working at a nonprofit, my choices were slim.

How often are all of us sacrificing a better future to meet the impending needs of today?

Learning as tech staff?

I was reading a recent post from Jeff Cobb about learning at work.

"He presents this challenge:
Here’s a challenge: Go into work one day soon with a personal commitment to be “hyper” conscious about everything you learn that day....

And he’d go so far as to suggest that:

1. Individuals who become conscious of their learning at work and take charge of their learning at work will be by far the most successful in today’s economy.
2. The primary focus of learning professionals should be helping individuals become conscious of their learning and take charge of it."

I dont think I am alone when I say that most of us tech and business staff may not be getting much learning on the job, except from our mistakes and just doing it. I was at a recent small conference about mentoring and coaching and it started to strike me how few mentors the tech staff that I know have at their own job. They may have mentors in groups like NTEN or through other networks.

But often I feel like I am not included in some of the infromal learning that happens at my org because I am tech staff. They disclude me because they think I dont want to learn that, doesnt deal directly with my job. I have to look outside my org for information, support, learning and mentors.

I would really appreciate it if one of our leadership team was willing to actually spend time with me in conversation not related to technology. I do have a desire to learn from them. But they seem to be cautious to talk to me and tend to think they would have nothing to gain from spending time with me. They have more important things to do.

Not sure how to finish this thought or what to say next. Just wondering if others have similar feelings, questions or thoughts.

Damn you Stewart! TechSoup Second Life video response!

Nicely done Tenby!

Tech and business staff tied to mission too!

Program and leadership staff are quick to talk about how devoted they are to the mission. They live and breathe for the organization, they are fighting for the cause. They dont know what they would do without it. Why would they work anywhere else, this is who they are!

But do those same program and leadership staff see that many (if not all) of the business and technology staff are just as devoted to the mission? Do you think that we just took the job because of the pay or to play with toys? Do they think we are more devoted to the tech than the mission?

When it comes right down to it, if I had to choose to fight for the mission of my organization or to fight for the importance of technology, I would choose the mission. The reason I work here is that I believe in what my organization stands for. And I would venture to guess that is true of tech and business staff at nonprofits across the world!

So if that is true, why do we seem to be treated like tools more often than we are treated like people? Who is the first cut at budget? Who is the last person included in mission talk? Who is the odd ball out at any event? Hmm.

There are enough people within my org fighting for the mission, there are not enough fighting to make sure the tech, people and process are aligned to make it actually happen. If we all were the fluffy mission dreamers nothing would get done.

OK, so maybe I am being a bit dramatic and over the top. But what do you think?

CEO as barrier session at 08NTC

OK, so Marnie Webb from TechSoup hosted the session on changing CEO from Barrier to Partner at the recent NTC hosted by NTEN. WOW what is it an awesome session or what!?!?

Here are some deep thoughts and ideas from it:

• Get leadership to make the management decision you want them to, not the tech decision you will make. For example ask them to approve a tech security strategy, not which firewall to buy. Or ask them to approve a desktop refresh strategy, not which desktop to buy. Etc.
• Look for ways to have a personal relationship with CEO, non work topic, talk about kids, interests outside of work. Make leadership see you as a person, not just a freaky techie!
• Understand the pressures being put on a CEO by the board
• CEO's dont see themselves as barriers and that is not their goal. They just may not understand tech and need to be diligent.
• Always start a conversation with the problem you are trying to fix, not the solution you are trying to get.
• Ask for a specific budget that includes a variance, show that you have researched options, risks, etc.

There was a lot more and I know that Marnie is working on sharing more notes from her session, but these were some biggies that jumped out at me.