AN OPEN LETTER TO UTMB DEAN OF SCHOOL OF NURSING DR. WATSON

Dear Dr. Watson:

It's not too late to win back your faculty, but you've got to change course. I know the university has given you a coach, and I've even seen a newsletter you recently put out. It looks downright snappy. But not your coach, not your newsletter, and not advice from fellow administrators, given their track record, is going to help you in this crisis.  What will?  Getting back to real leadership basics. 

First, you have got to stop destroying your own credibility.  A few months ago, you claimed that people had the "misconception" that they had to be at the campus pretty much from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday thru Friday.  Your faculty knew it wasn't a misconception.  You gave one of my grievants a letter pretty much chaining her to her office door.  After it became a public discussion, you came out with another memo that said it may have been that way before, but not now.  You should have begun with that last memo rather than being flushed out and losing credibility. 

You did it again when you claimed that you were never informed about faculty concerns that led to the current crisis.  Your faculty knew better, and every responsibility-dodging denial you issue only degrades trust and credibility.  Come clean with your faculty, Dean Watson, even when it hurts.  You'll win their respect. 

You've also got to learn to really share the governance of the School of Nursing with your faculty, even the ones--particularly the ones--who don't tell you that you're doing a great job.  Sycophants are poor mirrors, reflecting the image they think you want to see, distorting reality. Surround yourself with lots of different folks and get a real reflection of what you're doing.

You spoke about reconciliation the other day even as you sprang a reorganization plan on your faculty for which you gave them zero input.  I hear that at least one of the new associate deans you unilaterally appointed is nearly universally disliked.  Talking about reconciliation in the face of such one-sided authority is meaningless. Your actions speak much louder than words. 

Historically, UTMB administrators deny problems and bully those whom they perceive as failing to goose-step with them.  Deceit is viewed as a management tool.  (Case in point: Administrators were talking about cutting tenured faculty salaries to run them off back in 2006.

Download parisi_re_reduce_salaries_060622.pdf

Now, were they going to say to tenured faculty, "I'm cutting your salary to run you off"?  Of course not.) This is your chance to change that, Dean Watson. Opportunities spring from adversity, and this is your opportunity to really lead.   

It won't be easy.  You'll have to listen to--and really hear--some unpleasant things, and you'll be making yourself vulnerable to some extent. You'll have to act with your faculty to correct problems.   

Your faculty will love you for it. More importantly, they'll quit talking to me and start talking to you. Find a nice, big table, sit down with your faculty, and say, "Ok, we're in one helluva fix.  How do we get out?"   

You can do this, Pam.

Comments

[Lucy]

Well stated. Thanks.

Dear Blogmeister, Thank you for tracking the sad reality of our work environment. Dean Watson has changed her behavior in the past when she's been exposed, but the cost to the faculty has been high. I'm not sure how long we can wait. Let's hope this open letter gives Dean Watson some ideas to proceed with integrity and grace. If she can't see it quite yet, maybe her coach will.

Dr. Watson has a proven track record that is incompatible with deanship, and president Callender must act immediately, if he ever wants to gain any respect at UTMB.

Oh, if only Dr. Watson would do this! I believe even the injured faculty are the forgiving sort, and would like nothing better than to get back to work in a productive, peaceful environment where people trust and respect each other. PLEASE, Dr. Watson, pay attention! It will take time, but maybe it's not too late.

Unfortunately, Dr. Watson did not read (or respond to) this eloquent plea. Unlike the previous post, however, I think it way too late for the SON. Dr. Watson is fully sanctioned by Anderson and Callender to continue to abuse the faculty. She's starting with the Master's faculty, but no one (NO ONE!) is immune to her latest tactic to divide and conquer.