This is Part Two in our series, "Technology Directors Leadership."

Leading a school district’s technology program is not for the faint of heart. There is never enough time in the day or money in the budget to solve all the problems. A key factor to helping manage the onslaught of issues is a strong and supportive team. With all the changes and demands of integrating technology across the range of district functions, support staff for technology are assuming a growing number of roles. Gone are the days when the technology team simply repaired equipment, provided training and managed network users. Those specialized activities have been replaced by a myriad of tasks more “mission critical” than ever to the success of a school district. Much emphasis is placed on developing and supporting our teachers and administrative leaders - and technology staff should not be overlooked. Spending time to reflect on the care and development of your technology staff should be a part of the planning process for every district technology leader. From improving departmental coverage to helping staff attain their professional goals, there is no shortage of areas on which to focus.

Professional Development

While technology staff are quick to provide support and training to users, they often take care of their own needs last. Ask most technology staff members about the last time they ate a lunch that did not involve scarfing down chips and a drink while working at a machine in a school, or that “this will only take a minute” issue which ended up involving phone conversations with technical support, in a server room, in a remote school, until the wee hours and you will see why their needs often come last. Technology leadership needs to make sure that we encourage staff to both make and take the time to attend professional development training sessions. Often, this process involves assuring the staff member that the schools will be covered in their absence and the department will try their best to ensure that they do not come back to an inbox full of work. Focusing the development on skills and knowledge that are of value to the organization or to the individual may also help allay technology staff fears of being away and leaving you shorthanded.

Communication

While technology departments are inundated with emails, voice mails and all manner of communication tools, taking time to talk face-to-face as a group or individually can go a long way to nurturing strong relationships and a supportive work environment. Most of the formal communication focuses on what the problems are, how they are being addressed and what the outcomes were. Informal communication can lead to a better understanding of whether departmental processes are meeting needs on all levels. As a former district technology leader, I know that the conversations that transpire as staff are working through an issue often point to needs for additional training, equipment or assignment of responsibilities. Information gleaned from these conversations can help your department align staff members with their particular areas of expertise and interest, which will help the leadership better understand issues that need to be addressed at higher level s in the organization. For example, after visiting with staff repairing the same PCs in the same computer lab at the same school with the same types of misuse, it is much easier to have a conversation with the principal about the need for better supervision and work efficiencies that would free staff to implement teacher training and perform other higher-level tasks on site.

Goal Setting

Part of the development process for technology staff should be to help them assess and achieve both their individual and professional goals. More than training or professional development, this goal setting focuses on the staff member’s personal goals. Planning for the succession of key staff members, or simply talking about what the staff’s long-term goals, are can allow departments to evaluate their needs as well as open doors to conversations that provide constructive feedback. While not formal mentoring, this type of interaction often can make the difference in retaining staff often recruited by other districts and local businesses if they feel they do not have a voice or are otherwise not valued. Support and development of staff are important factors that contribute to the overall effectiveness and longevity of a strong and well-received technology department. When the next big crisis occurs, as it inevitably does with technology, taking time to talk and plan with your staff will pay big dividends.

Lane B. Mills, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Educational Leadership program at East Carolina University. A former Assistant Superintendent for Accountability and Technology for a North Carolina school system, Dr. Mills was a 2004 Technology and Learning Ed Tech Leader of the Year finalist.

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