Information Services - Principles of Operation

1. Quality is everyone's job. Each employee has the obligation to perform the highest quality work. Furthermore, each employee has the additional right and responsibility to enhance quality throughout IS and the HSC by identifying areas for improvement and offering constructive suggestions.

 

2. Our goal is zero defects. We will continuously seek to improve ourselves, our products, our services and our methods until this goal is achieved.

 

3. Credit is given where credit is due. Credit will be given to employees and clients for their contributions to achieving the goals of IS and the HSC.

 

4. Conversely, we are willing to accept blame when we are at fault. We will not avoid fault through coverups or attempting to blame others for our own actions. We will take positive action to address the underlying cause to prevent recurrence.

 

5. We encourage diversity among our employees because we can develop a better understanding of our environment by seeking and evaluating perspectives different from our own.

 

6. Constant change is the nature of our profession. We must anticipate an atmosphere of constant change and be prepared to accommodate and promote it. We must remain flexible and open-minded.

 

7. We give our clients and employees the benefit of the doubt. We seek to understand others from their point of view before assessing their motives. We will assume that other's actions are based on good intentions.

 

8. We will not give up just because our task is time consuming or difficult.

 

9. We will trust others and we will demonstrate that we are trustworthy.

 

10. We seek to align our personal and organizational goals with the goals of the HSC so that all goals can be achieved through our actions. Where conflicts arise we will put HSC goals ahead of organizational goals.

 

11. We will be honest and straightforward in our interactions with ourselves and our customers. We will provide access to any and all information which is required for effective decision making. Little, if any, information regarding the operation of IS is confidential.

 

12. We will always respect the dignity of others and treat them with courtesy and respect without regard to personal characteristics.

 

13. We can not change history, but we can learn from it and change our actions in the future. Spending time and energy berating ourselves or our clients for the past is useless. We must make the necessary changes and move forward.

 

14. Information Services' role is not merely delivering technology but helping our clients improve their effectiveness through the application of our products and services.

 

15. Information Services is not a software vendor. Our services are dedicated to meeting the requirements of the HSC.

 

16. Information Services cannot be all things to all people. We must clearly define the scope of our services in terms of our customer's requirements and strive to be the best in those areas.

 

17. As senior members of the IS staff, managers must be worthy of being role models by exemplifying our principles through word and action.

 

18. Recognition will come to IS and its employees through making substantial contributions to the well being of the HSC rather than through politics and PR.

 

19. Rank does not confer any special privileges other than those formally endorsed by the HSC. Rank does not give anyone the right to violate policy, law or another person's dignity.

 

20. Retaliation is never an appropriate reaction. We will take responsibility to end the retaliatory downward spiral.

 

21. Our employees need to be trained and empowered to make as many decisions which affect the outcome of their work as possible. Managers should focus on leader-ship rather than monitoring and controlling.

 

22. We do not believe that our personal or organizational success is predicated on another's failure.

 

23. We prefer long term, permanent solutions whenever possible.

 

24. We like to make decisions and design solutions after gathering and analyzing all of the facts. However, where immediate action must be taken, we will not hesitate to apply our best professional judgement and move forward.

 

25. The capability to prevent problems is more valuable than the capability to identify and correct problems. We focus on doing the job right rather than doing it over.

 

26. IS is its people. IS employees will be dealt with fairly, respectfully, honestly and openly. In return, we expect our employees to subscribe to our principles and work ethic.

 

27. Everything that we do should add value to a product or service. Tasks which do not should be modified or eliminated.

 

28. We are willing to make and meet commitments to our clients.

 

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