Howard Pincham uncovered a leadership lesson decades back when he labored at Hyland Software. In the open office environment surroundings, Pincham watched as then-CEO A.J. Hyland took the last glass of drinking water from a cooler, then changed the empty jug with a comprehensive a single. “I was struck by this man, the CEO of a substantial organization, shifting the drinking water for absolutely everyone else,” Pincham claimed. Pincham tries to carry that method to his perform as chief info officer at Koinonia Properties, a nonprofit that supplies dwelling areas and encounters for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
What IT difficulties have you experienced to handle at Koinonia?
I begun in the drop of 2019, and when COVID hit, we had two months to transform from a location the place all the function happened to 1 where by some operate could effortlessly take place somewhere else. A great deal of us have the identical tales, but it took us a little much more do the job, mainly because we had been driving in terms of technologies. We’ve also attempted to assistance the men and women in the front line report data back again about customers with some very challenging disabilities. How properly another person experienced lunch that working day or how a person else is producing self-care behaviors. Our business enterprise is about treatment, and we require to document that treatment. A lot of what we’ve done is par for the training course, but this is a route to maturity for us.
Your attitude would seem “other”-pushed. Is that reasonable?
I assume of myself as aspect of the group, and I want to maintain up my end. If I’m the govt and individuals have to dazzle me, specifically prior to they dazzle finish customers, their efficiency goes out the window. If I can make this workplace drama-absolutely free, I come to feel like I am serving them because the group — and it is an great group — is contributing for conclusion consumers.
How do you mesh servant management with IT?
I am a common person, but I am also possibly the most important nerd you know. One of the problems that nerds like us have is we feel tech is the be-all and finish-all. I see a few legs that are crucial: men and women, system and tech. For another person in my room to say tech solves all the difficulties, definitely not. Tech permits a business, supports persons, supports course of action.
Are you ready to interact with shoppers?
We have additional than 60 spots spreading via Cuyahoga County and Summit and a bit of Lorain, so there are a lot of alternatives for all of us to engage. It can be remarkable that we are called just to supply a property for our shoppers. When I exhibit up, I will not have the talent established to offer the treatment that some of them require, but I can speak and expend time and be current — and with any luck , that will help somebody. Observing the get the job done that the total staff does to deliver the tiniest issue for someone on the autism spectrum or somebody who is nonverbal but so much wishes to be aspect of the group, looking at the mission and viewing what entrance line men and women do, it is been a blessing and a privilege.