Here's #3:
At the recent Middle Atlantic Region Conference, our junior Institute Director, recommended a book for us to read. It helped him to understand governance issues associated with a non-profit such as CSI. The book was written by Jim Collins, a former professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Collins currently operates his own management research laboratory in Boulder, CO. He wrote Good To Great about what makes a good business become great. He adapted that business model into a smaller pamphlet called "Good To Great and the Social Sectors." I've been reading it & find it fascinating.
Social sectors are defined as entities that serve a purpose other than making money. Police departments, hospitals, museums, orchestras, non-profits all fit this definition. Mr. Collins chose to look into social sectors out of his observations that success in business is not automatically translated into success in the social sectors. Many corporate CEO's leave their positions to pursue work in the social sectors & many do not succeed. There are a number of reasons for this that the pamphlet touches on.
One of the first lessons involves the idea of inputs versus outputs. In business, capital goes into the business as an input and the outputs can be easily measured as revenue generated per dollar invested. In the social sectors, the inputs are usually easily identified but the outputs are not as easily quantified. An example is the NYC Police Department. In 1995, William J. Bratton took over as commissioner & wanted the department returned to police work, not just report taking. Under the old model, the department assessed itself based on input variables such as arrests made, cases closed, reports taken, budgets met rather than the output variable of reducing crime. Bratton set huge goals to reduce crime by double digits & replaced division commanders until he found a group who could meet the goal, not just provide the input variables.
This caused me to begin to think about my first 5 months as President of Baltimore CSI. I have been more focused on the inputs of what it takes to make the measured outputs be more members, more members in attendance at our meetings, etc. Mr. Collins is causing me to re-think this stance. What are our output variables? I think if we re-think what we want our outputs to be, the result will be more members and more active members.
In other words, what does Baltimore Chapter CSI do best? Back in the summer, I put a similar question to our Board. Many came back with education. Looking back on my years in this chapter, education is clearly something that we do well. How can we do this better? Scott Sider & our Education Committee do a fantastic job with the Winter Seminars to prepare candidates for the Certification Exams in the spring. Our Programs Committee is working hard to bring good educational opportunities to our monthly meetings. What can we do better? Your ideas are always appreciated.
As a Chapter, what should we be doing better? Are there things that our members need from the Chapter that we aren't providing? Your ideas here are also appreciated.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Inputs & Outputs No. 2
Here's part 2:
At the recent Middle Atlantic Region Conference, our junior Institute Director, recommended a book for us to read. It helped him to understand governance issues associated with a non-profit such as CSI. The book was written by Jim Collins, a former professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Collins currently operates his own management research laboratory in Boulder, CO. He wrote Good To Great about what makes a good business become great. He adapted that thinking into a smaller pamphlet called "Good To Great and the Social Sectors." I've been reading it & find it fascinating.
Social sectors are defined as entities that serve a purpose other than making money. Police departments, hospitals, museums, orchestras, non-profits all fit this definition. Mr. Collins chose to look into social sectors out of his observations that success in business is not automatically translated into success in the social sectors. Many corporate CEO's leave their positions to pursue work in the social sectors & many do not succeed. There are a number of reasons for this that the pamphlet touches on.
One of the first lessons involves the idea of inputs versus outputs. In business, capital goes into the business as an input and the outputs can be easily measured as revenue generated per dollar invested. In the social sectors, the inputs are usually easily identified but the outputs are not usually as easily quantified. An example is the NYC Police Department. A new commissioner took over & wanted the department returned to police work, not just report taking. Under the old model, the inputs were arrests made, cases closed, reports taken, etc. These lead the measured outputs to be other than the stated goal of reduction in crime. (EXPAND THIS PP)
This caused me to begin to think about my first 5 months as President of Baltimore CSI. I have been more focused on the inputs of what it takes to make the measured outputs be more members, more members in attendance at our meetings, etc. Mr. Collins is causing me to re-think this stance. What should our outputs be? I think if we re-think what we want our outputs to be, the result will be more members and more active members.
Something like that - I still need to expand the one paragraph, but that means more reading!
At the recent Middle Atlantic Region Conference, our junior Institute Director, recommended a book for us to read. It helped him to understand governance issues associated with a non-profit such as CSI. The book was written by Jim Collins, a former professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Collins currently operates his own management research laboratory in Boulder, CO. He wrote Good To Great about what makes a good business become great. He adapted that thinking into a smaller pamphlet called "Good To Great and the Social Sectors." I've been reading it & find it fascinating.
Social sectors are defined as entities that serve a purpose other than making money. Police departments, hospitals, museums, orchestras, non-profits all fit this definition. Mr. Collins chose to look into social sectors out of his observations that success in business is not automatically translated into success in the social sectors. Many corporate CEO's leave their positions to pursue work in the social sectors & many do not succeed. There are a number of reasons for this that the pamphlet touches on.
One of the first lessons involves the idea of inputs versus outputs. In business, capital goes into the business as an input and the outputs can be easily measured as revenue generated per dollar invested. In the social sectors, the inputs are usually easily identified but the outputs are not usually as easily quantified. An example is the NYC Police Department. A new commissioner took over & wanted the department returned to police work, not just report taking. Under the old model, the inputs were arrests made, cases closed, reports taken, etc. These lead the measured outputs to be other than the stated goal of reduction in crime. (EXPAND THIS PP)
This caused me to begin to think about my first 5 months as President of Baltimore CSI. I have been more focused on the inputs of what it takes to make the measured outputs be more members, more members in attendance at our meetings, etc. Mr. Collins is causing me to re-think this stance. What should our outputs be? I think if we re-think what we want our outputs to be, the result will be more members and more active members.
Something like that - I still need to expand the one paragraph, but that means more reading!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Inputs & Outputs
I'm working up a President's Message for the month. Its past due, so I've got to get on it. My canned one had to be used last month. I need to stay ahead of the curve, but its hard to come up with something good to say, that's worth reading. Maybe I need to read more....
Jim Collins is a former professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business & currently owns his own management research laboratory in Boulder, CO. He wrote Good To Great about what makes a good business become great. He adapted that thinking into a smaller pamphlet called "Good To Great and the Social Sectors." This was recommended to us at Region Conference by our esteemed junior Region Director. I've been reading it & find it fascinating.
Social sectors are defined as entities that serve a purpose other than making money. Police departments, hospitals, museums, orchestras, non-profits all fit this definition. Mr. Collins chose to look into social sectors out of his observations that success in business is not automatically translated into the social sectors. Many CEO's leave their corporations to pursue work in the social sectors & many do not succeed. There are a number of reasons for this that the pamphlet touches on.
One of the first lessons involves the idea of inputs versus outputs. In business, capital goes into the business as an input and the outputs can be easily measured as revenue generated per dollar invested. In the social sectors, the inputs are usually easily identified but the outputs are not usually as easily quantified. An example is the NYC Police Department. A new commissioner took over & wanted the department returned to police work, not just report taking. Under the old model, the inputs were arrests made, cases closed, reports taken, etc. These lead the measured outputs to be other than the stated goal of reduction in crime. (EXPAND THIS PP)
This caused me to begin to think about my first 5 months as President of Baltimore CSI. I have been more focused on the inputs of what it takes to make the measured outputs be more members, more members in attendance at our meetings, etc. Mr. Collins is causing me to re-think this stance. What should our outputs be? I think if we re-think what we want our outputs to be, the result will be more members and more active members.
This is a rough start for now.
Jim Collins is a former professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business & currently owns his own management research laboratory in Boulder, CO. He wrote Good To Great about what makes a good business become great. He adapted that thinking into a smaller pamphlet called "Good To Great and the Social Sectors." This was recommended to us at Region Conference by our esteemed junior Region Director. I've been reading it & find it fascinating.
Social sectors are defined as entities that serve a purpose other than making money. Police departments, hospitals, museums, orchestras, non-profits all fit this definition. Mr. Collins chose to look into social sectors out of his observations that success in business is not automatically translated into the social sectors. Many CEO's leave their corporations to pursue work in the social sectors & many do not succeed. There are a number of reasons for this that the pamphlet touches on.
One of the first lessons involves the idea of inputs versus outputs. In business, capital goes into the business as an input and the outputs can be easily measured as revenue generated per dollar invested. In the social sectors, the inputs are usually easily identified but the outputs are not usually as easily quantified. An example is the NYC Police Department. A new commissioner took over & wanted the department returned to police work, not just report taking. Under the old model, the inputs were arrests made, cases closed, reports taken, etc. These lead the measured outputs to be other than the stated goal of reduction in crime. (EXPAND THIS PP)
This caused me to begin to think about my first 5 months as President of Baltimore CSI. I have been more focused on the inputs of what it takes to make the measured outputs be more members, more members in attendance at our meetings, etc. Mr. Collins is causing me to re-think this stance. What should our outputs be? I think if we re-think what we want our outputs to be, the result will be more members and more active members.
This is a rough start for now.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Back from Region Conference
This fical year's Middle Atlantic Region Conference was a bi-region conference with South East Region & was Building Diplomacy 2006 in Washington DC. Arlington, VA actually, but who's counting. Had a great time & brought back much for the chapter & our Board.
1. Institute has commissioned a study to look at the hiring of the new executive director, branding & governance. The Institute Board is looking at how to make governance more efficient. According to our esteemed junior Region Director, our Institute Board is 20 with an ex-comm of 9. Most similar organizations govern with a 6-8 member board.
2. There is a search firm & nominations committee attempting to bring 2 candidates for executive director to the November Institute Board Meeting.
3. The Board signed an agreement with Arcom over royalties on Masterspec. For new licensees, mention you are a member & the Institute will get the royalties.
4. The Chapter Leaders form is due to the Institute on 4/30/2007. This means we need to do nominations in February & hold elections in March so that we can announce the new Board & officers at the April meeting.
5. The Insitute is starting a database of architecture, engineering & construction management programs around the country to assist in Chapters in contacting schools for possible student chapters.
6. The student events at the National Convention need sponsors, mentors & other help.
7. Apparently, there is new "technical stuff" coming down the pike & the Region is without Technical Chair or committee. We're without committee as well.
a. www.masterformat.com is up & running.
b. Omniclass v1.0 is about to be released.
c. National Building Information Model Standard (NBIMS)
d. Section & Page Formats are being updated
e. National CAD Standard v4 is in the works.
f. We have a grant from NCEMBT to write standard terminology for Construction Documents.
g. There is a Sustainable Facilities Task Team developing GreenFormat.
h. A former Institute President & member of our chapter is heading the Uniformat Update Task Team.
8. LOS will be 4/20 & 4/21/2007 at the brand new hotel in Gettysburg. Its only about 20 miles further north from Frederick & apparently a MUCH nicer venue. Hopefully, we can increase our attendance. I hope some folks like SC, TC & JH had fun this weekend & will go to LOS & get some others to go as well.
9. Our junior Institute Director made a big deal about the Institute's Education Foundation. The Institute is hoping to hire a grant writer, but the first thing potential grant funding organizations ask is the level of support this foundation gets from membership. Its low right now. Our chapter should probably step up & give some money to it.
10. Our convention seems to be titled Engineering the Future of Design & Construction. The dates are 6/20 thru 6/22/2007. Currently, the show is 85% sold. They'll be including a leadership track in the education programs as a way to fold CSIUniversity into the convention.
11. Webinars are being held every Tuesday from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Our chapter should probably look at hosting a couple of them.
12. Membership campaign has some cool prizes.
13. Pittsburgh budgets a pot of money for travel events & then divides the pot evenly amongst all the members who attend & ARE NOT reimbursed by their companies. However, they take roll at the Region Business Meeting to ensure that only those who attend that meeting get the money.
14. Our Institute Directors may be calling for help with inactive chapters. I saw our Region President after the banquet & offered some assistance with Delaware.
15. I offered manpower to the Chair of the FY2008 Bi-Region Conference.
That's pretty much it. I'll need to type something up for SS to put in our newsletter.
1. Institute has commissioned a study to look at the hiring of the new executive director, branding & governance. The Institute Board is looking at how to make governance more efficient. According to our esteemed junior Region Director, our Institute Board is 20 with an ex-comm of 9. Most similar organizations govern with a 6-8 member board.
2. There is a search firm & nominations committee attempting to bring 2 candidates for executive director to the November Institute Board Meeting.
3. The Board signed an agreement with Arcom over royalties on Masterspec. For new licensees, mention you are a member & the Institute will get the royalties.
4. The Chapter Leaders form is due to the Institute on 4/30/2007. This means we need to do nominations in February & hold elections in March so that we can announce the new Board & officers at the April meeting.
5. The Insitute is starting a database of architecture, engineering & construction management programs around the country to assist in Chapters in contacting schools for possible student chapters.
6. The student events at the National Convention need sponsors, mentors & other help.
7. Apparently, there is new "technical stuff" coming down the pike & the Region is without Technical Chair or committee. We're without committee as well.
a. www.masterformat.com is up & running.
b. Omniclass v1.0 is about to be released.
c. National Building Information Model Standard (NBIMS)
d. Section & Page Formats are being updated
e. National CAD Standard v4 is in the works.
f. We have a grant from NCEMBT to write standard terminology for Construction Documents.
g. There is a Sustainable Facilities Task Team developing GreenFormat.
h. A former Institute President & member of our chapter is heading the Uniformat Update Task Team.
8. LOS will be 4/20 & 4/21/2007 at the brand new hotel in Gettysburg. Its only about 20 miles further north from Frederick & apparently a MUCH nicer venue. Hopefully, we can increase our attendance. I hope some folks like SC, TC & JH had fun this weekend & will go to LOS & get some others to go as well.
9. Our junior Institute Director made a big deal about the Institute's Education Foundation. The Institute is hoping to hire a grant writer, but the first thing potential grant funding organizations ask is the level of support this foundation gets from membership. Its low right now. Our chapter should probably step up & give some money to it.
10. Our convention seems to be titled Engineering the Future of Design & Construction. The dates are 6/20 thru 6/22/2007. Currently, the show is 85% sold. They'll be including a leadership track in the education programs as a way to fold CSIUniversity into the convention.
11. Webinars are being held every Tuesday from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Our chapter should probably look at hosting a couple of them.
12. Membership campaign has some cool prizes.
13. Pittsburgh budgets a pot of money for travel events & then divides the pot evenly amongst all the members who attend & ARE NOT reimbursed by their companies. However, they take roll at the Region Business Meeting to ensure that only those who attend that meeting get the money.
14. Our Institute Directors may be calling for help with inactive chapters. I saw our Region President after the banquet & offered some assistance with Delaware.
15. I offered manpower to the Chair of the FY2008 Bi-Region Conference.
That's pretty much it. I'll need to type something up for SS to put in our newsletter.
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