Politics, Pragmatism and Change

1. Politics, Pragmatism and Change Case studies Rosemary Seneviratne 2012 Principal Advisor Knowledge and Information Management

2. Politics Reality of Organisational Politics Need to understand the drivers and the interests within Council • Internal politics • External Politics Impact of external influences • Industry politics, professional associations, academic institutions, consultants • Use soft skills

3. Pragmatism Know your business with a whole of organisation perspective • Think globally work locally do not get drowned by process • Clarity of purpose what is achievable • Use language that resonates with users • If possible adjust your HR profile • Develop process analyses in the business context • Learn to negotiate ,with limited resources let go of some work • Make time, get out there and build strategic alliances, partnerships, talk their language

4. Change management Difficult challenge in IM environment • Four facets to manage people, technology, process, structure (add culture and politics) • Any proposed change will upset status quo and power balance will get resistance • Think context, continuity, contiguity and compliance • Managing expectations of staff and management • With resistance, be challenged, creative not threatened • Learn to handle setbacks and use it as learning • Use language that resonates with people

5. Skills • Get soft skills, presentation, Business/ user “Lingo”, do not just rely on methodology and process • Identify cross disciplinary alliances and gatekeepers, power brokers • Source knowledge in the organisation • Think strategically where you want to be, not just how to do • Shift focus from compliance/ process to QA/information governance • Learn the art of negotiation and compromise • Know your players get out and work the organisation • Present ideas, not process, to users, in their language

6. Case study 1 State Government Department large/complex, issues: • Amalgamation of several departments • Merger of services, geographically dispersed across then state • Reverberations of a Royal Commission and its impact • Records management very low profile, not resourced, poorly skilled, fragmented and dysfunctional • Except IS Director, management support non existent • Blame culture • HR and IT attitudes not helpful

7. Challenges Initially met with strong resistance • Hostile RM, 29 staff, poorly skilled, felt threatened • Dysfunctional RM team that went feral • No strategic alliances, viewed as bottom of the pond • Used by HR as dumping ground, no career possibilities • Poor image held by IT and Executive • Physical accommodation poor, indicative of the image held

8. Approach Looked for levers and alliances, used suite of skills • Alliance with IS Director and his strategic vision • Developed an IM strategic focus incorporating new e-government initiative and environment • Developed a conceptual model for an integrated information environment with RM and DM • Developed a business case, $2.5 million for EIMS Restructured the branch re-designed job profiles, developed competency profiles, changed focus from process to service • Worked the organisation and especially Executive • Used the Royal Commission findings as levers for change

9. Results • A supportive Executive • A productive and collaborative relationship with HR and IT • Business case for EIMS funding successful, from Treasury • IM Project Manager for multi million dollar project, a non IT appointment • Three and half years to develop and implement • Restructured the Branch provided career pathways • Risk management focus to deal with changing legislation • Moved RM into Information Management

10. Case Study 2 Local government , geographically dispersed Shire Council Medium organisation, diversity of functions • To evaluate RM and develop EIMS plan • To develop a Strategy to transition to a Business focussed e-environment • To implement change

11. Issues One big difference, CEO and Director buy- in Wanted change to a contemporary environment • Had to manage user expectations • Resources assigned not adequate • Difficult buy in from operational managers • Staffing profile needed changing • R&D, Archives, storage issues left over from amalgamation • Limited time on a secondment • Not ready for an EDMS, needed business/ user analysis

12. Approach • Leverage off the support from CEO and Director • Changed focus to Business Information drivers (changed the language) • Used suite of skills to mainstream information management • Established alliances with key staff • Business case archiving and storage, cost benefit analysis • Use of soft skills and worked the organisation, the politics and culture

13. Results • Provided strategy, framework and direction • Changed focus of RM to Business Information • Mentored staff for succession • Scoped and prepared E-environment • Developed Archives Strategy and Concept model • Successful Business Case for Archives storage • Engagement with users

14. Case Study 3 Local Council Context (Urban) Large complex organisation • Move from paper based to e-environment • Configure and implement EDMS • No change in RM practice in two decades • Low profile, lacking skilled staff • Establish IM focus and contemporary RM

15. Issues • Politics, culture resistant to change • Silos, inconsistent business practices • Antiquated RM function, ad hoc practices • Perceptions held of RM erroneous • Competencies staff low, poorly unskilled • No profile, over servicing, under delivering • EDMS the silver bullet, turn on the switch • High expectations, little understanding of impact of change • Backlog of work going back number of years • Consultation process convoluted

16. Approach • Learnt the politics and culture • RM practices evaluated • Focus on information governance • Raised profile through Risk Management Strategy • Developed strategic focus based on Corporate IS strategy • Developed partnership with IT for EIMS • Focussed on reducing data silos with IM footprint • Reduced consultation, focussed on validation • Worked on HR profile and competencies

17. Results In progress less than a year • EIMS software configured and installed • EMIS implementation slow, resistance to change • Business processes not consistent, process alignment difficult • Raised profile, recognition but also target for criticism • Developed comprehensive Risk Management Register • Developed Information footprint for whole of organisation • Demonstrated the silos, need for better information management • Developed digitisation program to be implemented • Better skilled staff but still short of required skills

18. Case Study 4 Financial Services Context Small single function organisation Transitioning to a competitive business environment • Define establish an IM function (RM, DM,CM) • Develop IM/KM model • Information governance and compliance for legislation • Configure and implement EIMS • Integrate IM with IT into Information Services • Transition to a IM/KM environment

19. Issues • No profile, non existent RM, DM, IM • No staff, no funds allocated • Organisation siloed • Business practices changing • Users experiencing significant change management • Non -Compliance for Accreditation issues • Limited tenure

20. Approach • Levers used accreditation, legislation and risk • Soft skills to deal with politics and raise profile • Strategic alliances with IT,HR and critical users • Technical skills, business case strategic plan • Worked globally with accreditation as the driver • Locally with business target architecture

21. Results • Established IM function • Configured and implemented EIMS • Integrated IM with IT into IS transitioning to KM • Developed model and structure for transition • Integrated Share Point with EIMS creating KM space for users • Developed policy, operational process, service catalogue

22. Change Model