Conversations With CIOs: Bruce Marcus, Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer, The McGraw-Hill Companies

NPower recently visited with Bruce Marcus, Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President at The McGraw-Hill Companies, to discuss technology management, employee engagement in volunteerism, and how it all benefits business. McGraw-Hill supports NPower's Technology Service Corps workforce development program through guest lectures, site visits and internships.

NPower: How did you learn about NPower?

Bruce Marcus: Actually, I was invited by Mark Polansky, of Korn Ferry, to attend NPower's event last October, and it seemed like a natural fit for McGraw-Hill. We have a strong history of community engagement; it's one of the reasons I came to work here 21 years ago. I wanted to work for a company that had a mission to improve the world - and we have that here. We help educate people; we get them the tools they need to better their lives and their societies. I didn't have to convince anyone; we were happy to engage with NPower.

NPower: Tell us your view of the importance of employee volunteer engagement.

It really serves our interest strongly to work with a group like NPower. I tell our folks that technology works best when it serves and supports the business. When technologists come to work in a data center, an infrastructure support team or a networking team - they are several steps removed from the customer. So our people sometimes feel disconnected from how the company helps students and businesses. Even though all of our technology objectives align to what our businesses and our customers need to accomplish.

However, let's say Joy Larkin's team talks to a group of students that NPower is supporting in their learning environment. Her team is applying their skills to make a tangible, direct, real world contribution.

In a volunteer teaching environment you make the connection, (clap), just like that! You're more inspired to do your job better; you begin to think about how your work affects people, and how to get closer to the people it serves -- now that you have that connection.

NPower: How do you get that message to your people?

It's actually very easy. We said "we want to do this" and people volunteered because our environment encourages people to share. It's a natural fit. We focus on the impact of the work we do; not for technology's sake but as our contribution to our businesses, our customers and our communities. Our people are proud to be part of this, and they see the value in educating others about it - so I didn't have to do a big sales campaign.

NPower: So it is really a corporate philosophy.

Yes exactly. People said, this is a terrific idea, where can I volunteer? We've had more volunteers than we can actually utilize.

NPower: There are more TSC classes to come!

And that's a great thing; we're considering extending to NPower Philadelphia because we have people in our Hightstown facility who live closer to that area.

NPower: With the upcoming launch of The Community Corps, NPower's skilled volunteer portal, this could be another opportunity for McGraw-Hill employees.

That's right -- and we love being part of this. Our people were like, "how can we make this happen?" There is a big opportunity to provide hands-on technology support to local nonprofits. We've got teams in lots of office locations working on community projects. Preparing meals is important work, but what makes this really perfect is being able to employ skills you've honed over a lifetime to help people in your community.

NPower: How do you quantify the value of engagement with NPower?

I'm convinced that when we provide hands-on support we learn things that will be helpful to us. We see problems that we might not have experienced and think of new ways to solve them. Maybe there is a technology we ought to use -- that had been overlooked. Maybe a fifteen-step process can be cut in half. I can't put a dollar value on that but I know that it changes people.

In my own personal experience, I learn the most when I have to explain something to somebody else. Answering questions and engaging in dialogue deeply integrates knowledge. The more experts we have who can teach others, the more rapidly we can develop our own internal capabilities.

NP: In a teaching environment, the language is simplified by virtue of the fact you are hearing questions from someone with a simpler view

Technologists like to deploy the maximum number of acronyms to make it sound like we really understand complicated things. It's often a cover for not comprehending the core concept. The simple questions push you to figure out what you're talking about.

NPower: We were thrilled that 3 TSC students were invited to serve their internships at McGraw-Hill

We get great interns - some in high school and more who are college level. I get more requests than I have the budget to fill. But we love it. Working with interns brings a fresh perspective. It helps the students, it helps us, and we get more things done!

NPower: You manage a large organization - how do you motivate your people?

My nonprofit volunteer work taught me most of what I know about managing people. It is fundamentally better to convince your team to get behind a common goal, than it is to manage from the perspective that you control their pay checks. In a volunteer organization, this is the only way you can operate. Shared goals make you feel good. People give a lot more when they are excited about a shared objective. They're happier and everybody gains from it.