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Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Just about the only reason you “fire back”

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Presentation on theme: "Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Just about the only reason you “fire back”"— Presentation transcript:

1 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Just about the only reason you “fire back” at the other person is to make yourself feel better. That’s it. Once you’ve done it, though, nothing is better. It’s even worse! You’ve got the original problem PLUS your anger now has to be dealt with.

2 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Campus Police called Work control, who called our night guy. He (the night guy) went to the location and talked to the man who was installing the light. The information that the night guy got was the first and only information that Utilities has gotten on this as a project. We got back 1 fixture of the 4 or 5 that were taken. (a couple thousand dollars in materials have disappeared) Is this an approved project that the office of the president is aware of? Why is this not being done by the light crew? Who is responsible for these “test sites” and when there is a problem who are we to inform? Is the utilities Department to have any part in their evaluation?

3 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs I was informed that, last evening, Campus Police reported something unusual with regard to our outside lights. A person who is not a University employee was doing some work on one of them. In response our night person looked into it and learned that the work had to do with testing a new kind of bulb. The testing apparently was approved by someone in Physical Plant other than the Utilities crew. If it was any of your people who authorized this testing, please let’s discuss. I’ll call you in a few minutes. With notification our Utilities Crew will be happy to assist in the testing process. Additionally, for safety’s sake, it would probably be better for the Utilities Crew to be closely involved. In this connection, I was informed that 4 or 5 of our existing light fixtures (approximately $2,000 in value) were unaccounted for. The testing people probably have them staged somewhere temporarily. Would you mind confirming and letting me know? We just need to know that they’re not stolen or missing. Thank you!

4 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs From Kurt to Jim - Just to clarify, the electric power to any appliance under the hood should de- energize (shut down) upon hood system activation. The system was not green tagged due to the deficiency. Will you let us know the status and/or let us know if we need to help coordinate with Simplex. Let me know if you have any questions. From Jim to Kurt – We are on the same page. We are working on changing all the hooded systems to include the shunt trip breakers. As we discussed earlier that is a longer process and is requiring a certain amount of effort from Frank Reid to reconfigure the electrical. The issue though is we still have no notice to the alarm system. I understood that the alarm could be activated and we had agreed to get all hood systems connected to the alarm for reporting purposes. Now I am understanding that Simplex is saying that cannot happen? If that is the case I suppose we will need to reconsider our priorities.

5 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs From Kurt to Jim - Jim, just to clarify, the electric power to any appliance under the hood should de- energize (shut down) upon hood system activation. The system was not green tagged due to the deficiency. Will you let us know the status and/or let us know if we need to help coordinate with Simplex. Let me know if you have any questions. From Jim to Kurt – Kurt, thank you. We are working on changing all the hooded systems to include the shunt trip breakers, which is taking a little longer than expected because of a certain amount of reconfiguration that is needed. However – and I may not have understood this correctly from Simplex – we are unable to get all hood systems connected to the alarm for reporting purposes. If that is the case, I will get back with you to discuss our options.

6 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is what triggered the response: 1. The duct work that was re-routed is un-insulated. The readings taken indicate a 2 degree temperature drop over the length of the room. This probably will not translate into 2 degrees of room temp, but it will help. 2. The return air volume is set below what the SEMKO unit requires by its design by an arbitrary number from ABS. This is making the SEMKO unit take more outside air for make up instead of conditioned return affecting overall performance. 3. The sensor inside the vault is placed right next to the door, which is different than normal. Usually it is placed closer to the return air. This is showing a 1 degree warmer reading at the door than the middle of the room. It also sets off a local humidity alarm when the door is opened. 4. There is also question as to why ABS is determining the humidification off an arbitrary set point instead of the demand of the lowest room. It is my understanding that this is causing the system to heat air to re-cool it more than is necessary.

7 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is the response: I have to disagree with points number 2 and 4. The problem with the return air versus outside air has been resolved for weeks. We have said that repeatedly including in the meeting with you guys. Point number 4 is not an arbitrary point. It is also not a point that ABS or we have control over. This is a Semco factory setting that needs to be adjusted. Joe Sanders from RB Akins needs to be the one to have the Semco Representative come out and make this adjustment. I admit that the Semco unit is more than a mystery for all of us, but this is our understanding.

8 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is a better response: To continue the discussion, it is my understanding, from several meetings, that the problem with the return air versus outside air had been resolved several weeks ago. Perhaps we should get back together to examine why that may not still be the case. I’ll ask Gene to set up a meeting. With regard to point #4, it is my understanding that the setting is a Semco factory setting. The word “specified” rather than “arbitrary” is probably more applicable in this discussion. I recommend we request Joe Sanders from RB Akins to ask the Semco Representative for a site visit to help us determine the adjustment that will produce the results we’re needing.

9 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is what triggered the response: I was just politely suggesting that your estimator may have busted so badly because he used the specified roof, and not the one OK Roofing wants to sell you. Costs have increase since May, but certainly not enough to double the roof cost. He probably was not aware of the large premium that comes from using the state contract as well. In any event, you were well aware that the golf course only intends to use the existing clubhouse for another seven years and are saving their funds for a new clubhouse. What would be the point of paying for a 20 year roof?

10 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is the response: I don't need your explanation. Put all your projects out to bid. I don't need the problems. You don't need to contact us further about doing any of your work. No I am not well aware of anything that is done anywhere at this institution. The golf course may never get a new clubhouse. If you don't want to pay the premium required to use the State Contract then again bid your work.

11 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs This is a better response: I concur in the conclusion that the roof we estimated may be more than what is needed if the golf course plans to abandon the current club house in seven years and build a new one. Some thing to think about, though, is that building plans change frequently, as you know, and there is a better chance than not that the new clubhouse will materialize much later than desired, if at all. Additionally, if the new building is not located on the site of the current one, the current building will be available for alternate uses, in which case, the longer-term roof is justified. This is certainly an issue that deserves full discussion. I’ll schedule a meeting.

12 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs The purpose of this email is to request and encourage your participation – if not already – in the University’s contract with SlooCorp when taking care of your department’s need for woo. That contract is available to us via E&I Cooperative, the group purchasing organization (GPO) that serves higher education institutions across the country. Because E&I’s processes satisfy the University’s requirements for open and fair competition (in fact, our Buyers help E&I conduct many of its bids), we can take advantage of the leverage that E&I contracts provide. As you probably also know, our previous contract with GooCorp expired over a year ago. Departments who continue to use GooCorp essentially overlook Purchasing’s work to deliver reliable strategic suppliers under agreements that are specifically structured – and thoroughly reviewed – to serve and protect the interests of the University. I am against mandating participation in contracts. I believe that the contracts established by Purchasing – and by E&I – should provide value that attracts voluntary participation. Competition being what it is, the supplier who is “outside the fence” will always be able to undercut pricing on specific products, and will often be aggressive in doing so. The fact is, though, that supplier had a fair shot at the overall contract during the competitive process…and did not prevail. Under the professional practice of strategic sourcing, constancy and cooperation between supplier and institution is essential while the agreement is in effect. There is no current agreement between the University and GooCorp. Please do not hesitate to call or email me for questions, comments, or suggestions.

13 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Here is one response I received: We continually have problems with SlooCorp, one thing is they often back order items that then ship from a different warehouse and it does not put our room # on the package, so the items are delivered to another area and then it takes days to track it down. They charge us for items when they ship it, and there have been several times that the item does not make it to us, and then we have to request a credit, and we have been told that it is our responsibility to track the order. How we are to do that I am not sure. There have been times that we ordered an item based on the internet description only to receive a different item. My last complaint about SlooCorp is the time they deliver. They do give next day delivery, but they usually arrive right at 5PM. The person in my office who does the ordering leaves at 4:30, and I like for her to receive the order since she knows what she ordered. I am copying Cheryl on this email because she is the person that deals directly with SlooCorp, in case she might have some additional input, or incase I am remembering something incorrectly she can correct me.

14 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Here is how I felt like answering: Dear Fang, We went to a lot of trouble to establish the contract with SlooCorp. Why in the world does OU have a Purchasing Department if no one uses the contracts we develop? No, we don’t mandate use of the contract, but if you had any sense of cooperation, you’d use it. Sure, I’ll talk to the folks at SlooCorp to see about the problems you’re having, but in the meantime you should just use it.

15 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Here is how I actually answered: Thank you, Snow White. It is our responsibility to work with SlooCorp to make sure the contract is working like it should. I very much appreciate knowing about the issues you’ve had / are having. We will address them immediately. Please feel free to give me feedback at any time.

16 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs TIPS for Effective Written Communications

17 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… (Mostly) Use active voice, not passive voice Subject / Action-Verb / Object “Procurement negotiated the contract.” not… “The contract was negotiated by Procurement.” Why? Too much passive voice puts your reader to sleep.

18 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… (Mostly) Active voice versus Passive voice Active voice demonstrates you’re not afraid to tell it like it is. It also assigns responsibility clearly. Instead of: “The purchase was not made in compliance with University policy.” Better: “Researcher Jones failed to comply with University policy when she made the purchase.” (This would be appropriate for, say, an audit report.)

19 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… (Mostly) Active voice versus Passive voice But…on occasion passive voice CAN BE better Instead of: “You violated University policy when you purchased the laptop on ebay.” Maybe Better: “Your purchase of the laptop on ebay was not in total compliance with University policy.” (When you need their ongoing cooperation, try to leave them with some dignity intact.)

20 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… Start with your bottom line. “The purpose of this memo is to inform you that your purchase of the laptop on ebay was not in total compliance with University policy.” Avoid “dragging” them through several paragraphs of background and rationale before you hit them with your real message. Let them know what it is right from the start.

21 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… Start with your bottom line. “The purpose of this memo is to inform you that your purchase of the laptop on ebay was not in total compliance with University policy. “In the following paragraphs I explain why your purchase was problematic and what you can do in the future to ensure compliance.” (Start with your main message; then use the remaining paragraphs for background and rationale.)

22 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips… Maintain A Consistent Structure and Flow If you have several points to cover, list them up front in your bottom line and then discuss each one in detail in the same order in the paragraphs that follow. Readers like consistency and order. Readers don’t like to be put in the position of reading your mind. Give them consistency and order.

23 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs

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25 Tips… Maintain A Consistent Structure and Flow If you have several points to cover, list them up front in your bottom line and then discuss each one in detail in the same order in the paragraphs that follow. Readers like consistency and order. Readers don’t like to be put in the position of reading your mind. Give them what?  Consistency  Order

26 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tips…(checklist for clear writing) Is it to the point? Is your most important point obvious? Have you used simple language? Will your reader understand? Is it brief? Have you used the right tone? Have you eliminated unnecessary jargon? Do your sentences average 15 words? Are your paragraphs short? Are the spelling and punctuation correct? Will your reader know what to do next? (Source: Alexander Communications http://www.alexcommunications.com/style_guide.htm)

27 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Using “I” when you should use “me.”  Wrong: Shelly went with Tim and I.  Right: Shelly went with Tim and me. (Think: Shelly went with me.)  Wrong: Send the report to Linda and I.  Right: Send the report to Linda and me. (Think: Send the report to me.) (Somewhere along the way, many of us incorrectly learned always to use “I.” That’s OK when

28 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Using “I” when you should use “me.” Somewhere along the way, many of us incorrectly learned always to use “I.” That’s OK when “I” is part of a subject combination (not an object combination).  Wrong: It was Helen and me who laughed out loud.  Right: It was Helen and I who laughed out loud. (Think: I laughed out loud.)

29 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Misusing “its” and “it’s.” The confusion here is caused by the apostrophe, which we typically think of as indicating possession. Therefore, why wouldn’t “it’s” be correct to indicate possession? Well... it’s just not. This is an exception we must remember.  Its = Possessive of “It.”  It’s = Contraction of “It is.”

30 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Misusing “your” and “you’re.” The confusion here may also be caused by the apostrophe (incorrectly thinking it signifies possession). This is also an exception we must remember.  Your = Possessive of You.  You’re = Contraction of “You are.”

31 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Misusing “there,” “their,” and “they’re.” The problem here is probably just writing quickly without being discriminating in our thinking as we write. Slow down and make sure you use the right word.  There = Communicates location.  Their = Possessive of “them.”  They’re = Contraction of “They are.”

32 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Misusing “imminent” and “eminent.” My guess is that many people just think there is only one word: “imminent.” But there are two, and your correct use will impress others.  Imminent = Likely to happen soon, at any moment. “We await the President’s imminent arrival.”  Eminent = High in rank. Reputable. Celebrated. Illustrious. “Our president is eminent among his colleagues.”

33 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Misusing “accept” and “except.” The problem here is probably just writing quickly without being discriminating in our thinking as we write. Slow down and make sure you use the right word.  Accept = To agree to.  Except = To exclude or leave out.

34 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Errors that make you look uneducated... Disjointed use of a lead-in phrase Wrong: As a CPA, Jenny asked me to prepare her tax return. (Jenny’s not the CPA; I am) Right: As a CPA, I agreed to Jenny’s request to prepare her tax return. Wrong: As the women’s softball coach, the alumni thought she was doing a great job. Right: As the women’s softball coach, she received a lot of appreciation from the alumni.

35 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs A good tool to put your reader to sleep... Over-use of prepositional phrases (although your intentions may be good) Tiring: You should study for the final exam to make yourself smarter in order to be better educated with the result that you will be more noticeable so that you can successfully compete for the honor of valedictorian. Better: You should study for the final exam to maximize your opportunity to be the valedictorian.

36 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Just about the only reason you “fire back” at the other person is to make yourself feel better. That’s it. Once you’ve done it, though, nothing is better. It’s even worse! You’ve got the original problem PLUS your anger now has to be dealt with.

37 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Unless you’re absolutely positive it will help the discussion move forward, never let your temper or “you” become the issue of focus. The issue that needs solving is enough.

38 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Always allow the “other side” his/her self esteem. Let nothing in your communication be interpreted as “nicking” the other person. You don’t need to “take them down” in order to solve the problem. In fact, in just about every case, trying to do so will only make things worse!

39 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs There is an art to productive and friendly communications. Learn it.

40 Arse Pardon... Your Arse is Showing Burr Millsap, CPA MBA Associate Vice President for Administrative Affairs Whether you like it or not, labels will be put on you by other people. Labels are hard to shake. Honor your mother, father, ancestors, bosses, mentors, and colleagues by earning the label of having... “The nicest sense of personal honor.” (John Paul Jones)


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