When Real Life Ruins a Good Story

What happens when someone celebrated in your magazine is shortly thereafter outed as a person of (allegedly) less than stellar character? It's every editor's nightmare... having the bright shining face of someone who's been celebrated in the pages of your magazine splashed across the front page of the paper in the scandal of the day. You get bonus points (and extra wind knocked out of you) if the picture used in the paper is the same one you used in your publication.

Well, that's exactly what happened when we at IA.biz innocently reached out the door to the front stoop last week to fetch the Des Moines Register. We unfurled the paper, expecting a pleasant, leisurely read about biofuels and Britney Spears over our morning toast and chai. (And yes, we do enjoy speaking in the royal "we" on occasion. Typically while drinking chai.) But alas, it was not to be. Instead, glaring from above the fold was a picture of Debra Christopher, Des Moines' technology director, and a story on her abrupt "mutual resignation," and the ways in which she left the city's IT systems in disarray.  Business as usual in the Big City, except for the unfortunate fact that in our July issue of IA.biz magazine we held Christopher up as a model of successful Iowa businesswoman-hood. Oy.

Did Ms. Christopher singlehandedly compromise the city's IT infrastructure due to overspending, incompetence, and the like? I'm not in a position to know or to judge. Heck, my most recent technological coup was scoring a solid Wi-Fi connection from the Panera parking lot.

Most disturbing to me, though, was the fact that five people left the 21-person department during Christopher's brief, 18-month tenure. One gentleman who left was quoted as saying, "I've never in my career been treated that way." When people -- some of them with 20-plus years on the job -- flee the company to escape your leadership, you have a serious problem.

I, like most of us who've been in the workforce any length of time, have experienced that flush-faced, heart-racing-in-your-throat feeling of being intimidated, disrespected, or otherwise abused in the workplace.  There was even an early job I had where I worked with a sadistic person in a powerful position who left hives and anxiety attacks in his wake (he was later, mercifully, fired).  No, a good leader shouldn't drive you to reach for your Valium. 

I don't argue that job performance is important. But even more critical, in my book, is doing your job with some intrinsic core values; values that lead you to treat peers and first reports alike with respect and dignity; to engage them, empower them, help them fully use their talents, and appropriately value their contributions. If Christopher did not do this, then she is definitely not a beacon to be emulated, even outside of any job performance issues.

Now, here comes the "I told you so" part. One individual cautioned us on our choice of Christopher, mentioning that she had a reputation for being tough and sometimes abrasive. But it was hearsay, and we gave her the benefit of the doubt. After all, many excellent businesswomen have run up against the notion, whenever they display assertiveness or tough negotiation acumen, that they are too strident and aggressive. It becomes hard to sort out reality from perceptions colored by old social mores. 

So... count me among the disappointed.

I'm not saying that women need to be shrinking violets in the workplace. Quite the contrary.  But, truly, regardless of whether you're sporting an X or Y chromosome, you can be both strongly goal-oriented and kind. And if you can't pull that off that second part, getting to the first isn't going to be half as meaningful.

Readers have left 3 comments

Untitled Guest User, Unregistered
In my opinion, you don't have a black eye at all; however, others may be looking for sunglasses. A stern eye should be cast on the headhunters that vouched for Ms. Christopher. The city should move to recoup any fees paid to the recruiting firm and may have a case for sharing the cost of the "mutual" parting of the ways. Even a casual examination of Ms. Christopher's professional qualifications would have revealed the pattern that manifested itself in Des Moines. BUT, where was the oversight as she squandered monies, goodwill, and trained staff over the 18 months she lasted. Are the folks who failed to exercise adequate control and review the same people who structured the settlement to minimize the liabilities and sweep it under the rug?
Posted 2007-09-12 14:29:12

Guest User, Unregistered
The problems only existed as "hearsay" if one didn't do their job and take the time to investigate the problems. There were a number of well documented problems when Debra worked for the state of Texas. Just a little looking would have saved ya'll a lot of money. Demand your money back. Better yet, demand some of what you paid Debra back to cover the poor and reckless performance.
Posted 2007-09-12 15:34:20

Guest User, Unregistered
Once again, people have no concept of what makes a good leader. Many assume that problems encountered by women leaders in a 'Man’s World' are caused by the resistance to change. I say hogwash. You don’t get more ‘Man’s World’ than the US Army (unless it’s the US Marine Corps), yet I had an outstanding female commander by the name of LTC Jodie Tymeson. She was a school teacher by trade. She didn’t know much about computers, but yet she was able to lead the Signal Battalion very well and continued to rise through the ranks to retire as a general a couple of weeks ago. I would follow her into battle anywhere, any time. She knew how to lead, manage, trust, inspire and discipline. If you know that much, you don’t have to be the brightest bulb in the box to succeed. DC had none of those qualities…and never will. When those of us in the position to see the problem raised the issue, management buried their heads, wanting to believe it was either our reluctance to change, or our inability to relinquish our chauvinistic behaviors long enough to be professional and work for a woman. B…S… Afterwards management wants to say, “How were we supposed to know? She was recommended by our recruiter. We even Googled her.” That story stinks as much as she did. It was the City Manager's first hire and he defended her till the end. The other directors circled the wagons and defended her until one by one, she alienated each of them. She was the number one recruiting tool for the Labor Union. Almost nobody in IT belonged before she got there. Afterwards, almost everyone was a dues-paying member. She avoided issuing written statements, policies, guidance and instructions so she could not be pinned down. People had to start carrying personal recorders and creating logs or journals in order to create a document trail. She refused to hold departmental meetings unless it was to chastise us for our coworkers leaving. It was a dark time for IT. We had worked as a team, grew the network, cared for, nurtured, and took ownership in the system. We knew there were shortcomings, which we regularly asked for additional funds or bodies to take care of the increasing workload. Even so, we were proud of how much we were able to accomplish with so few bodies or dollars. She systematically destroyed all that. When you're understaffed, its hard to recover from a set-back like that. Technology never stops evolving and it doesn't wait for anybody. Even with an enormous workload, at least we can come to work with smiles again.
Posted 2007-11-07 21:35:00