Jan. 1, 2025

#186: From SCARE to CARES: Transforming IT Culture

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The Public Sector Show by TechTables

FEATURING:

* Saby Waraich, CIO/CISO, Clackamas Community College

* Ed Odom, Race and Social Justice Lead, City of Seattle IT

* Melanie Vogt, Human Resources, City of Seattle IT

* Curtis Nimmons, HR Director, City of Seattle IT

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

* How the SCARE to CARES framework addresses digital transformations, noting that 84% fail, with 52% due to communication issues

* Practical strategies for managing Seattle IT's transition to 3-day office mandates, including listening sessions, drop-in hours, and employee assistance programs

* How military-style "mission over self" leadership principles can foster employee buy-in while maintaining empathy

* Why shifting from negative mindsets (with 80-85% of daily 70,000 thoughts being negative) is crucial for effective leadership

* The importance of developing "power skills" (formerly called "soft skills") in the workplace

TIMESTAMPS:

* (00:00) Intro

* (02:00) Guest Introductions

* (02:58) SCARE to CARES Framework

* (05:48) Protected Classes in Tech Policy

* (06:57) Managing Return-to-Office Transition

* (09:00) Military Leadership Principles

* (20:44) Purple Cow Leadership Concept

* (24:58) Balancing Unity with Equity

* (31:22) IQ, EQ, and PQ in Leadership

* (33:45) Closing Thoughts

LINKS MENTIONED:

* "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin

* "Positive Intelligence" by Shirzad

* City of Seattle IT Employee Assistance Program

* Clackamas Community College

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PARTNERS

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CXOs Only: Exclusive Collaboratory CXO Resource

Leader Guide for Episode #186

Gain actionable insights, strategic frameworks, and engaging discussion points on critical topics like AI implementation, privacy, and cybersecurity—crafted specifically for public sector CXOs.

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