“Every day is an opportunity. And I’m prepared to pivot whatever it is I’m doing to fit whatever seems the most interesting or that I’m most passionate about,” says Chris Campbell, CIO at DeVry University. In this episode of Net Effects Podcast, Chris shares his expertise on building effective teams, transformation initiatives, and tiny homes.
Episode highlights:
Rapid change as a result of creative energy. “It is always a case of the supporting cast. It’s almost never the case of the individual in front.” Leverage technology to pursue specific opportunities and bring the right team on the journey — they help vet ideas and deliver results.
There’s no such thing as a technology project anymore. “Value in service management but less value in doing everything the exact same way, every single time.” Ask about key outcomes and what challenges need to be solved. If there is a process in place, but the outcome isn’t achieved, you’re wasting your time. Pursue value and improve metrics.
“Skate towards where the puck is going.” The future of the business is supported by changes to the back-end and other IT-specific tasks. For example, to plug things in and out of the ecosystem rapidly, the point-to-point service bus architecture must transition to a more API-based architecture. Tie today’s changes to next year’s and future years’ outcomes.
Other episode topics include social awareness and transformation, company culture, the digital revolution, and partnerships between higher education and corporate America. Listen to the full episode now.
About Chris Campbell: IT is about more than technology. As someone who has built a career as an IT professional, I’ve learned that business strategy and technology go hand-in-hand, something I focus on daily in my role as CIO / Vice President of Information Technology at DeVry University. I’ve long felt that, in some instances, technology leadership is missing a voice between the technologists and the outcomes, a void I’ve been working to fill.
As a transformation leader, I am fascinated by the intersection of technology and humanity, especially as it pertains to our everyday existence. I believe technology can be used to amplify, and even enhance the human experience and our resources, and this is a view I reinforce with my team daily as we look at how it affects our colleagues and our students.
While my work is focused on IT strategy, my personal time is spent being disconnected. I enjoy the outdoors (fishing, anyone?) and am a woodworker, having recently built a Tiny House. I’m also passionate about giving back and serve on local charitable & youth athletic boards, and often mentor and advise team members who raise their hand as they seek more leadership roles.
