August 2015
Following ITCommunications through a Re-Org
Notes from chat and presenters. SCROLL to find Resources for Surviving and Thriving through a Re-Org at the bottom of this page.
Re-Org 1: About a year and a half ago
It started off as surprisingly a very positive change
The senior director talked to each group in advance of the change, making open and safe spaces for questions.
Leadership from each group involved in the reorg was invited to participate in several retreats to learn about the different groups, get to know each other, and shape the mission, vision and values for the “New Org” – Communications leadership was included in all of these retreats and had a voice in shaping the organization.
Our mission was truly going to be putting the customer first and re-defining customer service in IT at our university.
Values of transparency, excellence, trust, and involvement were preached and seemingly followed
We held breakfast events in which everyone in the organization could come to a series of small morning gatherings to meet people, ask questions about the changes, and find ways that they were going to be accountable for helping move the organization forward.
Everyone was really excited, inspired, and invested.
Fast forward about 8 months….
Old behaviors were continuing despite proclamations of change and a new way of doing things
As part of the reorg, people had been moved into different seats because they wanted to do new things, but what happened ended up being that low performers essentially got to pick something new they wanted to try, while high performers were too vital to their role to be able to try something new even if they wanted to because of the gap that would be left behind, which was frustrating to many staff members
Communication from senior leadership dropped off and they became very hands off, allowing a board of directors to lead the day-to-day happenings of the group
With this set up more silos started emerging and there was no authority guiding them or standing up to those trends backward.
Everyone had talked about transparency (leadership led this) but then what started happening was exactly the opposite
It was heart-breaking and even more demoralizing than it would have been otherwise, because we all really believed that this was going to be different, we were inspired and hopeful and invested and excited… and then we were utterly let down. It we had had different expectations it would have been managed better, I think, but because we cared so much, it was even harder to see that nothing had changed.
It led to a huge break in trust of leadership, several people looking for new jobs and very high turnover, and a terrible climate.
I think one of the biggest lessons learned from this is that continued dedication to cultural change is needed, not just at the beginning of a re-org and that cultural change needs buy-in from top leadership. At the beginning we had that, and as an organization we handled it so, so well; it was really inspiring and exciting! But as we learned or felt that inspiration and involvement was not genuine from leadership or as it became lower and lower priority, the organization began to crash and burn.
Re-Org 2: 2 months ago
About three months ago we began hearing rumors of larger changes coming and another re-org at a larger scale.
We were told to halt projects and wait on decisions until the announcement was made on July 1.
July 1 came—no announcement
August 1 came—no announcement
There is still no idea if there will be an announcement
Instead of solid information communicated from the top (even just leadership saying, we’ve had to re-evaluate a few things, we will communicate as soon as we have a concrete plan) the rumor mill began.
August 18: This is still going on.
It led to a lot of frustration because projects and work had been halted and not redirected in other positive or productive directions.
It reinforced the importance of transparency and that no communication is the worst possibility.
Re-Org - Various notes from the coffee shop chat.
We do not have a designated communications function within Information Technology Services. There has been recurring conversation about creating a more formal communications function through the latest formal reorganization a few years ago. and on an ongoing basis since. In the meantime I have provided some communications services in addition to project management responsibilities.
At my shop, people seem to like the results of good communications -- sometimes they seem surprised, to learn how effective it can be. But the organization still doesn't value it much, measured by resources or status. Our group is tiny, low on the org chart, offers no upward mobility, and relies on our people skills to have any influence.
It seems like many of the situations you're all describing devalues the position of the IT communicator, sometimes undoing all the progress we've made.
^ ^ deal with that a lot. "Leadership" doesn't value communications, even when everyone else in the org is demanding more of it.
If no one is going to give the IT communicators info to communicate, what is the point of our role?
I've been told I can do things, but getting information from other managers will be like pulling teeth and is a waste of time.
I face similar struggles - I'm not fed the information to be communicated, so I either have to chase people down or feel irrelevant
Can you say more about your role becoming a more supportive one? What does that mean, exactly? What/how/who are you supporting?
When communication is decentralized and becomes everyone’s responsibility, we support all the “new” communicators with proofwriting, proofreading, fliers, etc.
Same. I do a lot of proofwriting but very little feedback is usually... how best to put this... expected... appreciated...
Do you provide training on how to be better communicators to everyone?
We provide templates and do one-on-one training, as needed.
So if communication is everyone's responsibility, what do those of you who have been re-orged imagine what the ITcommunicator's future looks like?
this sort of change demonstrates the need we have as IT Communicators to develop additional skills. Often we are the least
Take advantage of scope creep. Find the low hanging fruit no one else wants because it is smelly and just do the job. Become know as someone who isn't tied to ego, just gets the job done.
Take advantage of cross-functional teams to shine and to find other people who also shine.
Know your strengths and continue building your own tool set. What can you offer your leadership or your team? How can you help lift them up and lift up others around you?
Yes, hierarchical leadership styles happen. So just make your boss look as good as you can and let him/her know that is what you are all about.
Demoted? Turn more inward, do really excellent work in your new area of responsibility, take the time to do the things you could not do before with all the extra responsibilities of higher management.
Who are your bosses now that they aren't the CIO?
I report to the AVP for End User Services
I report to a director who reports to the VP for IT.
I was moved out of our client-facing unit into our operations unit. I went from reporting to a director to reporting to the CIO's right-hand (who splits time between IT and another department). I don't necessarily get any more information in my current structure than before.
With re-orgs, what tips do you have for staying "in the know" as is expected for communications?
The communications role has kept me in closer touch with what is going on in the IT management group than I would have been following the reorganization, as I am no longer formally a part of the IT management group and am included due to my communication related responsibilities.
I think you need to become more proactive and go searching for the information.
One thing I've found very helpful is to hold monthly meetings with a specific group of managers that cover our range of services. We often get requests to work on projects via other avenues, and we also meet with our CIO and directors regularly, but often just having this face to face time with select managers is the first I will hear of projects, especially in the early planning stages. We invite specific managers, asking the directors their preferred contact.
Were any of you given a rationale for why your role was moving to a new place in the organization?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depended on the vision and communications plans of the leadership or our new boss.
Yes, but it took a while for me to get past “hearing” it and begin to “own” it. Like about three months of denial.
Thanks for the rationale. I get it; it's just hard to think about how that would play out in practice. I get why it took you a while to own it.
I love the enthusiasm -- it's been a lot harder to stay positive for me.
Communications has been increasingly valued over the years in my department. Despite that hard fought progress, I think IT leaders struggle with where we "fit" in the org. We've been shuffled around quite a bit recently and are beginning to feel like the Island of Misfit Toys. We used to report to a director who reports to the VP for IT, but we were further removed to a manager > director > VP for IT. We’re on our 3rd supervisor in 7 months, and the last 2 supervisors self-proclaim they don’t know anything about communications. So we’re starting to feel isolated from the rest of the department.
My role has expanded from just IT to the entire division. IT is my biggest customer, but now I help a lot more departments with their communications and web pages. We have a new CIO and the entire IT org is adjusting. I report to an AVP (no longer the CIO). The challenge is keeping my relationship with IT, while building new relationships other departments.
Are your new structures actually making a difference in the services you provide? Or were mostly ... cosmetic?
In our org, there's a lack of communications from the top that has promised complete transparency. Instead, there's been very little transparency.
Well our leaders never gave any hint of this being a transparent process so at least we aren't unknowingly being left in the dark.
With our recent reorgs, there's been a mass exodus of staff leaving for other jobs. How do you continue to be effective with fewer people doing the same amount of work, losing working relationships with staff who've left, etc?
We have also experienced a significant amount of staff transition.
Losing staff has happened in our org as well, and there has been very little notice about who is taking over those roles or what is happening to the work that was done by those who left.
We've had campus-wide reorgs and there is zero planning about how to shift responsibilities. It's a mess.
The lack of people can provide opportunities for you to step in and grow skills you may not currently excel in. Not true for all positions, but there may be room for you.
Stepping up and taking more responsibility can be a good thing
I have had more opportunities, which has been a positive outcome. But other aspects of my responsibilities have become significantly more difficult.
To be transparent - much of our staff exodus is due to the upswing in the economy. Salaries outside of the university are growing in a way they are not here.
When moral becomes an issue, the communications team can help build it back up; we speak from the heart, we build teams by connecting people.
RESOURCES
COPING Strategies for Surviving and Thriving through a Re-Org -- What are the ideas of hiring some consultants or coaches for getting people through the reorg and dealing with the stress? Not answered with regard to consultants or coaches, discussion moved instead to personal coping strategies and resources.
//www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_why_it_s_time_to_forget_the_pecking_order_at_work?language=en
“Our Iceberg is Melting,” by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber
“The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace,” by Gary Chapman and Paul White.
RESET: How to Get Paid and Love What you Do," by Dustin Peterson.
“Keeping Mum,” movie rated R, this English comedy has characters that make my entire family laugh out loud.
Too often we tie who we are to what we do.... that is not the key to long term happiness.
Yoga can help you deal with the time/stress issues
http://www.amazon.com/Restorative-Yoga-Practice-Beginners-Sessions/dp/B001LJLCJC
http://www.amazon.com/YogaWorks-Everybody-Beginners-AM-PM/dp/B002P8LKBS
Circle of Trust - Vegas rules (what happens in the group stays in the group), can vent but also give perspective and pull each other up as needed.
FIND the people you can trust, but also people you can trust to push you out of your venting stage.
Love the idea of a circle of trust phone call every other week! (all confidential, trusted colleagues not necessarily only in team, phone calls, no face-to-face meetings.
having other connections across campus is great!
Reflexology and hypnotherapy http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/reflexology
Of course a membership to the gym isn't an employee benefit, but I need the cardio anyway
Our campus stress room has helped.
What is a campus stress room?
Well mostly it's massage chairs; just automatic massage chairs. nicer than some but not the highest quality on the market
my campus also has a campus stress relief room at our student counseling center - it's open to everyone
A five minute destress break does everyone good.
I'm getting one of those kinetic sand boxes for my desk too.
I think there's a little sand zen garden that you can "play" with, as well as an opportunity for dimmer lights, mood music, and a relaxing chair to sit in
I totally go see the campus therapy dogs when they come around! ( Sorry students, employees need to de-stress too. )
Love the pet therapy and chair massages. Our Rec Center started offering 15 minute chair massages several times a week. Very reasonable.
I have a coloring book on my desk that does a lot to help too!
I have group at work and we get together and color on a Friday at lunch once or month or so. Very nice!
That sounds awesome! I've been thinking about starting a knitting group...
What helps me is that when I leave for the day, I remind myself no one died today. It puts things in perspective, sometimes.
I have to remind myself of that often.
It's just emails!!! Realize it is just a job and nothing lasts forever.
It's always just so nice to hear that you aren't alone in things like this.
I'm realizing that our reorg (just announced) seems to be much more positive and well thought-out than a lot of other organizations'. Thank you for that perspective! (And sorry so may of you are dealing with so many challenges!)
>Yes our reorg sounds a little more comforting after some of these stories!
so glad to hear positive news out there.
What is your go to laugh out loud resource?
A co-worker who does impressions
Videos or photos of cute baby animals is a good way to destress ;)
Bored Panda; the Onion, George Takai on Fb
dogshaming.com
Cute Overload, Daily Puppy, etc
HeartMath (I bring my emWave2 to work)
theoatmeal.com always makes me laugh
Any Hyperbole and a Half fans? LOVE that comic.
Funny or Die