InformationWeek

December 20/27, 1999

Secret CIO:
Y2K Plans Can Go Astray
Always remember that even the best contingency plans can still have holes, especially when someone else wants a share of the credit

By Herbert W. Lovelace

Herbert W. Lovelace t was an innocent enough phone call; at least I thought so at the time. In retrospect, I should have known better, considering who was on the other end of the line. Stephanie Stone, our VP of human resources, rarely calls me without an ulterior motive--one that will invariably irritate me.

This time, she started off pleasantly enough, inquiring as to whether I planned to have any people working New Year's Eve to handle potential Y2K problems. I proudly recited a summary of our comprehensive preparedness procedures, ending with a flourish by stating that, indeed, key members of our staff would be spending the evening at work rather than with their families in the interest of ensuring continuity of the company's business.

Stephanie then mentioned that one of her HR associations had called and asked what plans our company had made to compensate the employees who would have to be at work when the big ball in Times Square began its descent at midnight. I explained what we intended to do and, conversationally, she inquired how I had decided on those particular items. I said that my management team and I wanted to be consistent with what we did when people had to convert systems over holidays such as July 4 or Thanksgiving, while recognizing that it was a special New Year's. I added that we had spoken with other IT shops in the area and that our plans were not out of line with theirs. Stephanie thanked me and wished me luck with the calendar change.

The next day, Phil Whitestone, our CEO (and my boss), called and informed me that Stephanie was concerned about uniform treatment of company employees who would have to work New Year's weekend. He suggested that I coordinate my actions with those for the salaried employees in our manufacturing facilities. As I did a slow burn--caused by Stephanie's neglecting to tell me that she intended to get involved--I explained to him that information technology professionals identify with other IT people rather than our plant engineers, but that I wanted fair treatment for everyone, so I would work with her.

Stephanie phoned a few hours later and, in a smug voice, suggested that we gather a small team of IT and plant managers to discuss the situation. She said a quick but formal survey of our competition, followed by the proper management reviews and communication meetings with those affected, would ensure that we were on the right track. She also wanted to make sure we had the proper documentation "in case of problems" and also pointed out it would be "useful for appropriate input" to her HR association's study.

The outcome of all this work will be that the manufacturing people will have no more interest in using our recognition criteria and actions than we have in using theirs. However, Stephanie will be able to report back to Phil that she "successfully facilitated a coherent approach that acknowledged the inherent differences in our organizational structure." He'll be happy, and the rest of us can get back to work.

I am tempted to suggest that Stephanie join us on New Year's Eve to get firsthand experience with the situation so she can produce a paper for her professional association on the positive impact of her contribution to the company's Y2K process, in a way that would be fun. I wonder if Stephanie's dedication to the company extends to working the hours that many of my staff do.

In the final analysis, Stephanie's latest ploy brings up a more important point: Even the best contingency plans can have holes. After all, it never occurred to me or to anyone on our Y2K management team that she would decide to get involved. It takes a special occasion or an opportunity for personal credit to get her attention, and until then she had totally ignored how, or even whether, we compensate people in our department for working all the weird hours necessary to keep the company's computers running reliably. But then again, a new millennium comes along only once a millennium.

Herbert W. Lovelace shares his experiences (changing most names, including his own, to protect the guilty) as CIO of a multibillion-dollar international company. Send him E-mail at lovelace@home.com, and read his online column, "Ask The Secret CIO", where he will provide real--and sometimes whimsical--answers to your questions.

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