Who’s Got the Power: People vs Policies

Posted by David Drinnon on Nov 24, 2007 | 940 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.equipthem.info%2F2007%2F11%2F24%2Fwho%25e2%2580%2599s-got-the-power-people-vs-policies%2FWho%E2%80%99s+Got+the+Power%3A+People+vs+Policies2007-11-25+04%3A30%3A25David+Drinnonhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.equipthem.info%2Fwho%25e2%2580%2599s-got-the-power-people-vs-policies%2F

Earlier this month, Information Week published an article continuing the age old conversation of rights and privileges of the desktop computer in a networked environment. This is a very real issue and I revisit it monthly, if not weekly. It was just this past month that I raised the white flag and announced staff wide support for iTunes. As you can imagine, my Help Desk manager wasn’t all that thrilled. Of course this move along with the announcement of an Apple Employee Purchase Plan made me Employee of the Month.

Nevertheless, the requests that raise this issue time and time again in our environment are requests (from those outside our creative teams in Communications and Media) for multimedia applications such as MS Publisher, Photoshop or other photo editing suites, and video editing software. We also have issues with people using Excel or Outlook instead of our church membership system. These are thorns for us in IT because they challenge the software and hardware standards that we have set for the staff at large. When we get requests for items or solutions outside of our standards, we have problems.

As for the multimedia applications, let me give you the issues they raise:

1. Most of these have a direct impact on hardware…which challenge our hardware standards and result in increase costs for memory, storage devices, or new computers.
2. Since many of these applications are resource heavy, then we are faced with network bottlenecks and network storage solutions.
3. Most of these applications are used by our Communications and Media team. By issuing this same software to staff who do not work in these departments, we then empower them to create communication and video content that is not approved for use by our church. In other words, quality and logo standards become very difficult to manage. Consistency in our communications becomes challenged as well.
4. When these solutions are used create content with images of non-staff, particularly minors, then we may have liability issues requiring release forms. Then we have to provide processes and people to maintain and centralize the release forms.
5. If any content uses copyrighted music, then we have licensing and copyright laws to consider. If any copyrighted music is stored on the church network, then we are for sure violating copyright law.
6. "If Joe has it, then why can I have it?" In reality, there are always legitimate exceptions. However, how do you explain to the staff at large the distinctive reasons why Joe has it and they don’t? Exceptions make for great slippery slopes and it is rarely possible to reverse a precedent.

As you can see, when one domino falls, many others follow. So hence the need for policies and procedures (or more positively put, ‘best practices’) to ensure manageability and costs. So the bottom line issue is….

EMPOWERMENT vs LIABILITY

Some IT professionals I know are bent towards liability and as a result they rule with a heavy hand. They are rules driven, black and white, and often misunderstand the consequences of their own rules on the mission of the organization. There is often a disconnect between senior leadership and IT staff. However, as IT professionals, we want to empower our pastors and staff. We exist to support them in being efficient and effective in the ministry of the church. So how do we maintain the balance??? Here are a few principles to keep in mind:

1. Rules without a Relationship Leads to Rebellion- If you have rules or policies, but little relational investment in the people you support, you are headed for trouble. Develop relationships with the people you serve. Befriend them. In those relationships, you will have a better understanding of their needs and goals. This helps you be proactive and find solutions for problems before they are even communicated to you or your team. Once you have built up a few ‘wins’, you can then afford to take a relational hit when you have to stand by your rules.
2. No is Never the First Response- Buy time and find alternative solutions if you are unable to accommodate one’s request or need.
3. Error on the Side of Empowerment- Wow! The corporate world would say just the opposite. But this is the difference between a corporation and a church. When you are confronted with an issue that poses equal amount of liabilities with the benefits of empowerment. Go with empowerment. God will bless it. If you discover later that you made a bad decision, then look at it as an opportunity to establish and educate the need for boundaries and policies.
4. Accept Exceptions – It in inevitable, but make sure you can explain why. Here are some of the reasons for exceptions that I have used: staff position (executive staff, etc.), training (has a person been trained), job descriptions, employment status (full time, part time, contract, etc).
5. In Person not InBox – If policies and people are at odds, deal with it in person. Don’t use email! Remember, you’re about relationships not rules.