In “Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World,” General Stanley McChrystal explores the challenges he experienced while commanding the Joint Special Operations Task Force in Iraq. I won’t provide too much detail, as I don’t want to call “spoiler alert” or prevent you from reading the book yourself, but Gen. McChrystal validates his conclusions with examples from within and outside this elite military organization. One of the most compelling is his observation that, as the Task Force added resources, improvements in efficiency were often offset by “blinks” between the different units. Geographic separation, technological limitations, and cultural/social differences were obstacles to effective communication and coordination that couldn’t be overcome without drastic changes in their traditional ways of doing business.
As I read the recent article by Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times about the City of McKinney’s response to an open records request, I couldn’t help but think about Gen. McChrystal’s findings. If arguably the most sophisticated military force in the world can learn from its vastly inferior opposition, surely there is a lesson to be found in McKinney’s “blink,” which unfortunately manifested itself in the media some 1,400 miles away.
I’ll start by saying that it was a mistake for an approximately $79,000 price tag to have been placed on the information. That much is clear, and has since been acknowledged by the City. However, the uninformed criticism, especially from outside IT professionals, is unwarranted. As a former local government Chief Information Officer (CIO), I can attest to the challenges confronting public sector technology. Recruitment and retention of staff, antiquated systems (many of which are mission-critical), volatile and insufficient funding, the nature and diversity of services, and the inherent transparency of operations are just a few of the difficulties government technology leaders encounter. I have to give much-deserved credit to a local group of private sector technology executives, who, without having been asked, rallied to offer their support to me as I dealt with these challenges. Unfortunately, not all CIOs have the positive backing I did, so I offer a few tips to those working through it alone.
#1 – Start with an inventory.
Before risk can be mitigated it must be identified. Creating a comprehensive inventory of hardware and software will provide visibility into the age, functionality, and potential risks of an agency’s technology assets. Moreover, armed with the information an inventory will provide, technology leaders can make their organizations more adaptable, which, according to Gen. McChrystal, is essential to being resilient in the face of diversity.
#2 – Formalize technology governance.
Let’s face it. When competing with police, fire, parks/recreation, courts, economic development, etc. for limited funds, technology won’t often win. Consequently, it is critical that the organization collectively make decisions regarding the investment and priority of technology resources. Creating ambassadors for the choices made, and a unified front to oppose criticism, places IT leaders in the best position to be successful.
#3 – Educate your stakeholders.
The evolution of technology has created some interesting beliefs from policy makers. IT professionals know that few systems are as seamless as downloading and using an app, but that doesn’t mean our elected and appointed officials have that awareness. Part of your role as a service provider is to educate end users and stakeholders so that you can establish and manage their expectations for the agency’s technology.
The principles from Gen. McChrystal’s latest book can be applied in practically every discipline and at every level in the public and private sectors. While no one message is any more or less important than the others, something he wrote in the Introduction seems to have the most impact here: “a problem has different solutions on different days.” This is perhaps most true in the complex field of technology, where one day leaders may be criticized because information is not accessible enough and the next facing a cybersecurity incident/data breach. Yes, Gen. McChrystal, I think you’re right. Resiliency is the key.
