At our first University Council meeting in November, I introduced the book “Broken Windows, Broken Business” by Michael Levine as a book the council would read and discuss together.

The book explains how small problems in a business can lead to bigger issues, such as how a broken window in an abandoned building can make it feel unsafe and also lead to more damage. The main idea of the book is that businesses should focus on little things like good customer service, product quality, internal operations, attention to detail and treating people with respect.

If businesses ignore these small issues, it can cause bigger problems, such as losing customers or damaging their reputation. The book demonstrates that paying attention to the “small stuff” is important for a business to grow and succeed as illustrated through real-life business examples featured in each chapter.

During our February meeting, we broke up into groups and walked through discussion questions and determined how we might apply these business concepts to Missouri State University. We also discussed the book in Administrative Council (AC) last October. Moving forward, we’ll use this “broken windows” concept to drive a continuous improvement process at Missouri State.

The goal is for each division and college to read the book and begin to inventory broken windows within their areas and prioritize how they’ll address them in the coming year. This means making a list and providing outcomes.

This sounds like a lot, and it is. But there isn’t the expectation we tackle everything at once, which is why prioritization is important. The goal is to instill a sense of proactive engagement.  Rather than waiting for the budget or the headcount, let’s take care of the things we’re able to address now.

Of course, we touched on broken windows we might observe in other divisions or colleges and how to share that information. That’s a little trickier and often involves multiple groups. These will be discussed in AC as we move forward.

I’m excited as we begin this process. I hope you are too. I look forward to reviewing our “fixed” windows.

Bears at the airport

On a fun note, if you’re traveling through the Springfield-Branson National Airport, be on the lookout for Missouri State branding. From the minute you walk through the entrance to boarding your plane, Missouri State is now widely present. Coming soon, Bear statues.

Thanks for checking in. It’s a great day to be a Bear!

Biff