Thanks Mary.  We started about the same time in RM - gosh I'm getting old! 
- and I agree and am seeing the same things each and every day!

Michael Sharpe
Records Retention Manager / Legal & Compliance Department
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
1200 N. Seventh Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102
Direct: 717-720-2820
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From:   mwhaider <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]
Date:   03/15/2018 06:34 PM
Subject:        [external]MER slams RIM for "silo mentality"
Sent by:        Records Management Program <[log in to unmask]>



For years now I have watched the efforts to undermine ARMA and Records and
Information Managers.  I have attended MER conferences and always found 
the
presentations helpful.  However, I always found it interesting that the
surveys to assess RIM activities always included "Does your company have 
an
Electronic Records Management Policy?"  I always answered YES, because we
had a Records Management Policy that included all records and information
regardless of media - that is not "silo mentality" .  I probably skewed 
the
survey results:)

Today I received an email from MER with the subject line  "The records
management silo mentality ends here!"

Well, it finally got under my skin.  I am 'fed up' with technology vendors
peppering their presentation with slams and digs at Records and 
Information
Managers - I no longer waste my time with their free online webinars.

I am 'fed up' with IG gurus slinging arrows at Records and Information
Managers and insinuating that RIM is only useful for developing a Records
Retention Schedule.  And, now I am "fed up" with MER making the grand
announcement about 'the records management silo mentality'.

Do you honestly think that by criticizing Records and Information Managers
that they will Thank You?  Do you honestly think that by spewing "false
information" about Records and Information Management programs" that we
will come running to the IG and MER conferences just to listen to your
bashing, slams and digs?  Truth be told it is the technology side of the
equation that has refused to work with RIM.  I have had more doors closed
in my face than I choose to count.  And I know from all my years in this
profession that there are a lot of Records and Information Managers who
have succeeded to connect with the technology folks, but unfortunately
there are a many RIM professionals who have fought the good fight but now
all they are hearing is that RIM is the cause of "Silo Mentality".

If you have a good product or service then sell it on its benefits and
merits.  As soon as you start slinging arrows at your "competition" you
have proven that your product or service is weak.

I responded to the MER email that I received this morning with these
comments.

*SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!    The records management silo mentality ends here!*

*I find the title of this email extremely offensive.  It is not a RIM Silo
mentality that has been evident, but very much an IT silo mentality.  RIM
has never been the problem -  but rather IT departments who outright
refused to work with RIM.  IT has consistently insisted on changing the
rules to fit their very limited technology capabilities instead of
designing technology to meet the needs of the organization.  This is
nothing new, it has been in operation since I first became a Records and
Information Manager in 1980.  There is no credible excuse why technology
cannot be designed and configured to implement the full life cycle of
records in compliance with very standard rules of creation, maintenance
(retention and storage), and disposition. *



*Records and Information Managers have tried to work with the IT world for
decades and we have always been shut out by the IT management.  I have a
great anecdote about an SAP installation where I was not invited (in fact 
I
was deliberately avoided) to planning meetings; but after the GoLive I was
required to attend meetings to help them figure how to manage the records
in the new and legacy system.  I've been burned too many times to believe
that the IT world will ever work collaboratively with the Records and
Information Management team - which has always included Legal, Risk,
Security, Tax, Audit etc.  *



*I have attended several MER Conferences since the mid 1990's and have
learned alot from the presentations and networking.  However, I think the
MER Conference has pushed the concept that managing electronic records is
different from all other records - and that is simply not true.  The only
thing different is the tool used to create and store the records; and the
technology still cannot do this in compliance with laws and regulations.
The principles of managing the full life cycle of records is the same
regardless of media or tool used. *



*I recommend that MER and ARMA join forces to advance this concept of
managing all records under the same rules and regulations to ensure a
unified and defensible approach that will benefit all organizations to
minimize the storage requirements and facilitate "records discovery"
efforts.*



*If you continue to draw a line between Records and Information Managers
and Electronic Records Managers you continue to defeat the goals. *



*FYI, Records and Information Management programs have always included
"governance" which includes strategic planning, policies, procedures,
standards, guidelines, audits etc.  The fact that MER and IG continue to
try to pull everyone under their umbrella rather than working with ARMA
tells me this is all about power, not collaboration for the benefit of
organizations and businesses. *



*There is nothing new under the "Information" sun - only people wanting
control and finding a new way to slice the pie.  If you truly want to
eliminate silos then stop creating them and learn to work collaboratively
and improve the current programs and systems as needed.*



*Bashing a large percentage of the people that you are trying to attract 
is
not a good marketing tool.  If your product is good you don't need to bash
the competition.*

*Sincerely,*

Mary

Mary W. Haider, MBA, CRM
Records & Information Manager and Consultant
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