Lights! Camera! Axiom!

If they ever did a movie about my life (not that my life is that exciting, but bear with me here), I would look at formative moments that had a profound influence on how I've turned out.

Just in case they ever run out of an audience for teenage vampires, unrequited love stories, car chases, terrorist plots, superheroes, talking animals (am I missing any here?) and are desperate enough to ever want to make a movie about leading a high performing IT organization... I'll keep all of the plot spoilers under wraps for now.

But there is one moment that I would really want to be in the movie that I will share.

It has influenced my approach to life in so many ways.

I don't even remember where or when I heard it, or who said it... but it has become part of me.

It was a simple sentence, originally meant to be funny, but incredibly profound thing, almost proverbial in nature.

It really is an axiom - a self-evident truth that requires no proof.

"It" is this saying:.

"Why is it we always have time and money to do it over, but never seem to have the time or money to do it right in the first place?"

This is not about perfection.

This is about doing things right.

Doing things right when it comes to:

• Developing solutions and services for our customers.
• Designing our infrastructure solution. (Cheapest is not always the most cost effective).
• Not compromising the health safety of our employees.
• Managing projects and budgets. (My experience is that more projects fail due to inappropriate project management and cost controls than all other reasons combined.)
• Hiring the best people. (Hire slowly, fire quickly)
• Providing opportunities for our team to develop and grow. 
• Owning up to our mistakes. (See the post Your team messed up. Now What?)
• Taking responsibility.  If you are a leader, lead.
• Not taking shortcuts to maximize profits (note: "shortcuts" are bad, being more "efficient" is good. there is a difference).

In short, doing things right in the first place is really about running a professional organization.

Sometimes, doing it right seems to cost more, but in the end is a much more effective use of time and resources.

Don't let shortsightedness get in the way of doing things with excellence.

What would you add to the list above?  What does doing things right look like to you?

... if they ever do make the movie... do you think Brad Pitt might be interested in the lead?  I've been told we are dead ringers for each other.

If you don't like the F-Bomb...

Every summer, it seems like half our campus is under construction.

There is a flurry of activity during the months the students are away and by this time of year with just over a week left before classes, emotions are well... a little on the anxious side.

In the genteel, professional world of the IT department... there are certain words that are not heard very often.

Words that rhyme with "truck" and "shoe".

But you sure hear them at the construction site.

Image: MS Office Imagebank

And since IT is usually the last department in the site before occupancy, it is easy to suggest that we are the hold up.  After all, who can't do three weeks worth of equipment installation work in one week?

And since we are perceived to be holding things up, sometimes the F-bomb gets launched in our direction.

If you take it personally, you are sunk.


If your team is REALLY holding things up because of lack of preparation or poor coordination, you are sunk.

But if not...

You need to be there for your team, and learn to speak to the issues. You don't have to use the F-bomb, but you need to stand your ground and find innovative ways to get the job done on time.

The construction manager wants results.

Your team's job is to deliver those results.

Of course the real solution is to have been part of the project planning process from the early stages so the right amount of time is allocated to do the work. The reality is that even with the best planning there are things that can throw a construction schedule off leaving the IT department pressed for time at the end of the project.

As an IT leader, you can't sit on the sidelines with construction projects.  Either you, or someone from your team needs to be responsible for interaction with the construction manager.  You need someone who knows IT needs (Architects are notorious for not allowing for things like enough conduits for cabling, or power for a room full of computers, or my favorite omission - wiring closets that are actually suitable for switches).

This person also needs to be versed in construction practices and project management.  He or she will need incredibly thick skin, and the ability to converse in the language of construction.

At my last position, we averaged a new major campus building every year.  By embedding an IT person in the property development team, we eliminated many of the headaches of the last minute IT rush, and saved the school literally tens of thousands of dollars in costs.

In my current position, this is a part time responsibility (different scope) but just as necessary.

As you plan out the mix of skills for your IT department, have you included a construction project manager? One who knows which words rhyme with "truck shoe" and are not offended?