How many times have you heard that someone has commented, behind your back, of course, "That's IT. They never listen to what you need, they just come in and do their own thing and mess things up for you." Maybe "mess" wasn't what they really said, but something like that. Reputation-damaging attitude problems generally include perceived arrogance, lack of respect for others, judgmentalism, and dictatorialism.

Here's a test for you: what happens if a user calls your help desk and complains, "the cup holder on my computer is broken" --referring, of course, to the CD drive.

The comment might be, "They're off in their own world and have no concept of reality." Reality, of course, means the culture of the institutional community; the comment reflects the perception that IT is not visible, doesn't participate in the activities of the institution, and probably doesn't understand,know, or even care about, the institutional culture.

How many of your staff know who the Provost is or what she does?How many are on an institutional committee or are active in an organization? Do you know any of your constituents as people,or are they all just "users?"

"We never know what they are doing; if you call the help desk nobody ever gets back to you." "If you ask them a question, all you get is gobbledygook." "I leave voice mail messages but they never return my call." The list goes on.Communication is one of the most difficult of human activities,and technical people are generally among the least proficient at it, so it's no wonder. It takes time to communicate; it takes work to develop the skills; it takes empathy to translate "techese" (jargon) to a language people understand; and there is the perennial problem of how to reach people where they will read what you write or listen to what you say.

How did you notify the campus about your last Internet outage?(You _did_, didn't you?) How do you tell the campus about your accomplishments and plans? If you don't reach them by the method you choose, how can they find these things out? (They _can_,can't they?)

"They were here five times and I _still_ can't run my favorite program." "I called this problem in months ago, and nobody has been here to fix it." or " . . . they fixed it a long time ago, but nobody told me until yesterday, when I finally called to find out the status." These may be real problems or they may be problems of perception, but complaints generally revolve around slow response, failure to understand the issue, failure to communicate, or ineffective action.

What happens if someone calls with a complaint of a stale request? What do you do if someone makes a request for a service that you cannot or will not provide? How do you make sure a request gets routed to a person who is qualified to respond?

You've heard this before, but it's primary. You need to walk in others' shoes; to see the world from their perspective as nearly as you can; then serve them at least as well as you would expect to be served. At the same time, this does not mean catering to their every whim; you need to act in the best interests of the institution as a whole. It does no good to promise a student unlimited Internet access from his residence hall room if that hobbles internet traffic for everyone.

A professor will be giving a web-based presentation for the Board of Directors on a Saturday morning, and she is nervous about the reliability of the network connection, even though you know it to be rock-solid. Suggested response: have a qualified person present, even if it involves paying overtime.

(One of our Directors, after reading this paper, said he resisted this idea at first, but now thinks it's great--he's confident that our people and our resources will stand the test, and believes in the value of showing the campus community that we are willing to stand by them.)

You need to be willing to compromise where that makes sense, but firm in adherence to overarching principles. Treat your constituents fairly and consistently, applying the same standards to all. Playing favorites may win you temporary approval from the beneficiary, but is pretty sure to gain you the disrespect of many and may cause operational problems as well.

Respect others' background and experience, even though it may not be directly related to your own. Respect their opinions by listening and not disparaging. Respect their time by being on time to meetings and appointments, and by being concise and to the point in conversations and written communications. Respect their intelligence by admitting when you're wrong, by not making excuses (or giving "reasons," or casting blame), and by being willing to take corrective action. Respect their feelings by praising in public and criticizing in private. If you need to disagree with someone, do it in a manner that moves them to thank you for it.

A professor approaches you, demanding super user privileges for a graduate student on a central server. Suggested response: "I really understand your reasons for making this request, and I might feel the same if I were in your position. It would solve your immediate problem. But it could work against you in the long run by . . . Now I suggest we could accomplish the same thing if we . . . "

Look for the good in any situation (something can be gained out of even the worst events). Compliment others often. Regard mistakes as inevitable consequences of taking action, and use them as learning experiences. Focus on solving problems, not assigning blame; after all, as Leo Buscaglia said, "You can't shoulda."

Particularly if you're new to your institution, spend some time finding out who the influential people are. They aren't necessarily or exclusively those with titles, but they are the ones you want to recruit as allies. One good way to align with these people is to get them on advisory committees (if you don't have such committees, you'll make friends by forming them) -- faculty (such as a Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable), staff (administrative system constituents), and students.

Don't neglect community contacts, either. Get to know people in your church, your service club, local government, and charitable agencies. The synergies may surprise you.

Maintain and cultivate your professional contacts. That you are at this conference may mean this statement is unnecessary for you, but pass the word on to your colleagues -- and if you're a mananger, encourage your staff to be professionally active. Help on a variety of issues is as near as your telephone or computer keyboard, but it works best if you actually know those you are engaging.

Your campus contacts will do a great deal of your fence-mending for you if they are so inclined. Remember, their needs are the same as yours -- to feel needed and appreciated. Ask for their advice, and make use of it.And, of course, give them credit for it. Enlist their help in solving problems, and return the favor if asked.Your contacts can help you get a seat at an important table,recommend you for key committees, and help their colleagues see you as an ally rather than an enemy.

There are two secrets to using your contacts effectively.The first is to make reasonable requests for their assistance. If you want to turn an acquaintance into a friend, ask a favor.

The second is to let your contacts originate your ideas.You sow the seeds, fertilize them, water them, and pull the weeds. Let your contacts grow the plants. It simply works better that way.

In one of the stops on my peripatetic wanderings, I made a particular suggestion early on. It generated less than no interest. Several years later, a faculty member came up with the same suggestion, and it caught fire. Last I knew, it was still working splendidly.

Loyalty to your staff and co-workers means that you stand by them, even when they err. You don't have to defend the indefensible; you can be noncommital in public,but then take the issue to the person involved. Let them make their own amends and their own apologies.

Loyalty to your superiors means you do not criticize them to others even when you disagree, and that you keep them informed (of the good, the bad, and the ugly) before they hear it from somewhere else.

Loyalty to your institution means that you give your best to your work, you look for ways to help build the institutional reputation, and you represent your institution in a positive light to those outside it. It also means you don't disparage your predecessors or anyone else. Remember, the institution hired them, too.

Loyalty leads toward inclusion in any community; disloyalty breeds alienation. Make no mistake, acts of disloyalty are quite likely to boomerang.

Know who's who in the institution. Attend special functions such as festivals, athletic events, arts performances. Serve on committees. Act as an advisor to a student organization. Eat lunch in the cafeteria. You don't need to step far outside your comfort range, but stretch yourself a bit and feel a part of the culture of the place. In return, you'll be seen as a part of it. You'll receive far more than you give -- believe it!

For a number of years at my former institution, and since I've been in my present one, I've been an advisor to Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity based on the principles of the Boy Scouts of America. More recently, my wife has become an advisor. They tell us in many ways that they appreciate our involvement and our wisdom; but this contact helps keep us involved with students and feeling a part of the community. That it opens a channel of communication with the student body on professional matters is a bonus.

How often, in meetings and conversations, are we so preoccupied with what we're going to say next that we miss what someone else is saying? It's part of the human condition. But unless you hear what others are saying, you cannot know what to say to them. You need to give others a chance to have their say (difficult for some of us); you need to hear what they say; you need to understand what they say; and you need to let them know you understand.

One of the most difficult communication situations is when someone is criticizing you. You need to start out with the assumption the criticism is legitimate, and you need to avoid being, or even seeming, defensive. Find out what solutions the critic has in mind. You may or may not agree with your critic, but you need to hear what is being said."You may be right" is one of the most powerful antidotes for rage, by the way.

On one occasion, a faculty member called our office so angry about something (I no longer remember what) that he almost set our phone on fire. I was out of the office at the time, and when I returned, my assistant told me about the call. I immediately went to see the faculty member -- in person --and heard him out (he was still in a purple rage). He was right; I told him so, and said, "here's what I'm going to do about it . . ." His rage evaporated, and we became good friends.

Nobody likes to feel left out. Yes, communication takes a lot of time.No, the time isn't wasted (in general). It just seems like it sometimes. One-on-one, face-to-face communication is best. Meetings can be productive means of communication, even if less satisfactory than individual (and in some cases, the side conversations are the most important part of the meeting -- as is often the case with these conferences).Personal contacts by phone or e-mail are still effective.Less effective, though still legitimate in some circumstances, are general methods such as broadcast e-mail or phone mail, or newsletters.

For the past several years, I have edited a weekly e-mail IT newsletter on our campus, circulated to an opt-in mailing list. Less than 10% of people on the campus subscribe, but those who do rarely unsubscribe, and an occasional subscriber expresses appreciation. But "subscribe to our newsletter" is a great response to "I didn't know anything about X"; and a real bonus is that I, personally, get to find out what's going on in the department.

If there are IT problems, the campus knows it. If you try to minimize the problems or, worse, ignore them, you'll alienate yourself from the campus community. Your constituents need to know that you're aware of the problems and that you understand how the problems affect their work and their life. They also need to know what you are doing and plan to do to correct the problems or work around them.

Don't underestimate the value of appropriate humor in this and other situations. In updating the campus on a recent telephone system problem, we observed that the phone system had "developed an almost-automotive sense of when it's being watched by a professional, and has steadfastly refused to misbehave at those times." I hope more than one person got a chuckle out of that, but at least one did -- she wrote to say so.

Your constituents (and your co-workers) need to have a clear understanding of your positions and expectations; otherwise, how can they know whether to agree or disagree? Even in cases where you have reason to believe your position may be unpopular, the community will respect the fact that you've made it clear and opened the door for discussion. Just stating your position isn't enough, though; particularly those who disagree deserve to know your reasoning. If you can't state that clearly, you need to rethink your position. Policies and procedures are best written down and placed in an appropriately accessible location (such as, perhaps, a campus intranet.

If you disagree with someone, try first to work it out directly with that person. Look for a solution that has clear benefits for all concerned. Make it clear that you want to work together to find a solution. And always give the other person a way to save face. Involve others only as a last resort -- but once they are involved, keep them informed.

What image does the word "excellent" conjure up for you? For your constituents? A few words and phrases that come to mind are responsive, effective (doing the right things), quality-conscious, proactive, and good stewardship. Regardless of what may be said anywhere else, your institutional culture is the final authority in your case.

However excellence may be defined in your context, it needs the yardstick against which you and your co-workers need to measure your efforts. If you clearly and consistently exceed institutional expectations, and if you are providing responsible technology leadership, you have achieved excellence --at least, in any institution worth working for.

Make sure you understand institutional objectives (ideally, as reflected in your institution's strategic plan), then craft an IT strategic plan that supports them. Know -- or learn -- what resources are at hand, and project what you need (in a generic sense). Plan for the ideal. Strangely, most well-conceived plans seem to become reality in 3-5 years, even if you have no idea where the funding can come from. Set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and trackable (SMART).

Of course, you'll involve your contacts in this planning process, and you'll communicate it to the campus community. Make sure you also communicate that planning is a process, not a product; a planning document, though necessary, is only a snapshot of a continuous process. Produce a new document annually, to keep the process moving ahead.

You'll lose credibility if all you ever do is plan, and nobody sees any results from the planning. You need to show progress. One method of focusing is to create a tactical plan each year, based on the strategic plan. The tactical plan will not only contain steps for achieving strategic objectives, but also provide for resolving problems that have cropped up.

You'll also need to establish priorities (again with the help of your contacts). Documenting procedures helps, too.And you need effective means of handling the endless stream of day-to-day requests that can easily choke progress if allowed to consume all the resources they could. We all operate in reactive mode much of the time, but we need to set aside time for proactive effort.

Finally, you need to take stock of your results. Feedback from constituents is critically important: are their needs being met? Are their expectations being met or, better, exceeded? Are they excited about your plans for the future?

Factual data is helpful, too. How many of what kind of computers are on the desktop? How many classrooms are properly equipped (whatever that means)? And so on. This kind of data allows you to draw comparisons with benchmark insititutions and gives you a basis for the next planning cycle.

The important thing is that your efforts have a purpose that is understood and supported by students, faculty, staff, and administration of the institution.