[Nfbc-info] FW: letter to the board of directors of Guide Dogs for the Blind

[Michael Hingson]

All,

The following is a letter I just sent to the board of directors of Guide
Dogs for the Blind, Inc.  Although it may appear that the content of this
letter is guide dog specific I believe you all should be aware of this issue
as it reflects on how agencies which should do better are in fact treating
blind people and their own staffs.

There are now significant problems within the Guide Dogs for the Blind
organization which stem from bad leadership by a relatively new CEO.  The
problems in part are due to a poor attitude about blindness and partly they
stem from his lack of competence in managing well a nonprofit organization,
at least as far as I am concerned.  Actually, hundreds of consumers have
already sent letters concerning this issue to the board and many others have
signed a petition concerning this.  The petition is located at
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-the-board-its-time?source=c.em.mt&r_by
=7790633.  

I am widely disseminating my letter because many of  you may be asked about
this issue, especially around the convention.  Also, as many of you know I
happen to be a quite visible guide dog user due to my experience on 9-11.
The fact is that what is happening at GDB should not be permitted nor
ignored.  You may wish to sign the petition and I ask you to consider so
doing.

There are issues I did not discuss within the letter in order to protect
staff at all levels within the organization.  However, suffice it to say
that the amount of outrage and pushback by consumers and other stakeholders
toward the leadership of Guide Dogs for the Blind is unprecedented.

Again, I send this for your information.  Should you feel it necessary to
contact me please feel free to do so at info at michaelhingson.com.  Thanks for
reading. 


Best,


Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Hingson [mailto:Mike at michaelhingson.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 08:47 PM
To: bburke at guidedogs.com; gkerscher at guidedogs.com; sodell at guidedogs.com;
ruthann.dodson24 at gmail.com; jboyd at guidedogs.com; mwatkins at guidedogs.com;
sbutton at guidedogs.com; dgershen at guidedogs.com; jharris at guidedogs.com;
amathieson at guidedogs.com; smansfield at guidedogs.com; jackscott at guidedogs.com
Cc: mike at michaelhingson.com
Subject: letter to the board of directors of Guide Dogs for the Blind

Dear Members of The Board of Directors, Guide Dogs for the Blind,

For some time I have been monitoring the changes at our school and the
stakeholders' reactions to them.  I am writing to express my feelings.
Before proceeding let me introduce myself to those of you I have not met.
My name is Michael Hingson.  I received my first guide dog from GDB in June,
1964.  For the past forty-nine years I have used guides only from GDB.  I
grew up with the school, its staff, and its advancements in guide dog and
student training.  While a college student I assisted Guide Dogs' staff in
preparing testimony concerning pending legislation to change current guide
dog laws in California.

I am a firm believer in the value a guide dog brings to blind persons who
can effectively learn to use it, and I know firsthand the value and strength
of the human-animal bond.  You see my fifth guide, Roselle, and I worked in
the World Trade Center and escaped from the attacks on 9-11, 2001.  Because
of a story GDB put out concerning our escape Roselle and I became quite
visible throughout the world.

After 9-11 I came to work at GDB where I stayed for six and a half years.
During that time I worked to keep Guide Dogs for the Blind visible to donors
and prospective donors, possible students, and others.  I successfully raise
hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school and I met with countless
donors and spoke to tens of thousands of interested persons about the
organization.

In June, 2008, after a change in the leadership at GDB I left the
organization to continue a developing speaking career.  I now travel the
world talking about issues like strengthening the Human-Animal Bond.  In
2011 Roselle's and my story was published in a book called "Thunder Dog, the
story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust" which became
an instant New York Times Bestseller and which has now been published in 12
languages.  Today I continue to travel, consult, and speak worldwide.

I tell you all this to say that I understand change and know the challenges
change and new ideas bring to any organization.  Specifically I have seen
much change during my 49 years associated with Guide Dogs.  I have seen the
school lead by several different CEOs each with their own leadership style
and priorities.  I also have seen the concern each time a new leader came
along and took the school in a different direction.  I never have found it
necessary to speak out concerning a CEO until now.  Below are my thoughts.

When Bob Phillips took the reins in 2001 he brought something new to the
school when, for the first time, the CEO had a daughter who was a graduate
of GDB.  Bob's empathy permeated throughout his leadership as he worked to
bring more of a marketing effort to the school.  During his term Bob helped
the school grow to be the largest guide dog school in the United States.
While some were concerned that he was bringing too much of a "business
approach to the school", what he did was to improve the efficiency of the
organization, and he helped enhance the reputation of GDB within the guide
dog community, the service animal world.  He supported actions which
improved the reputation of Guide Dogs within the ranks of blindness consumer
organizations.  I participated in efforts Bob promoted to integrate GDB more
into the local and Marin business community.  In short, during 2001 to 2007
Guide Dogs for the Blind began to move out of a role as a large nonprofit,
but relatively isolated from the world around it to a responsible community
family member which was growing in stature and standing within the world
community.

After Bob Phillips left the organization a new CEO was hired.  We need not
go into her contributions except to say that for the most part Nancy
Gardner's leadership proved destructive to many of the initiatives begun by
Bob Phillips and his predecessors.

When Paul Lopez began his term as CEO there was much optimism for continued
growth among many stakeholders.  Some of us had concerns that he did not
have a good grounding in a positive philosophy about blindness, but everyone
took a wait and see approach.  Rather than growth Paul has demonstrated that
his approach is not well suited to a nonprofit philanthropic organization
such as Guide Dogs for the Blind.  I know you have heard from many
concerning the issues stakeholders have with Paul's leadership and I do not
want to go over ground you already have encountered.  However, I believe my
perspective is somewhat unique since I have a 49-year history as a student,
and a six and a half year back ground as a GDB mid level management and
leadership staff member.  Also, I have served in management positions within
various companies including serving as a company president, vice president,
and I have served as a senior level manager in more than one sales
organization.  I know first-hand good leadership as well as poor and
disconnected leadership.  Paul Lopez is not demonstrating good leadership
for the benefit of Guide Dogs for the Blind.  Let me illustrate.

1.	 Consumer Relations.  To date Paul Lopez has not made an appearance
at any of the blindness consumer organization National meetings, and it is
my understanding that he has not even attended any of the California
affiliate meetings.  I know he has received such invitations in the past
because I delivered one to him personally last year long before the time of
the National convention season.  I also know he has received written
invitations this year, but has not accepted them.  The National organization
conventions are the best places for any new leader to learn about the issues
blind people find important.  Also, they are the best platforms for any new
blindness related program director to market their organization and to
promote discussion.  The fact that Paul has not attended National
conventions among blind people is noticed by blind people throughout the
country and red flags have gone up especially since his lack of action is
directly opposite to what Bob Phillips did to promote relations during the
early 2000s.  Given the lack of visibility by the school and its newest CEO,
and given the bad press within the consumer world I believe any positive
momentum concerning consumer interest is gone.  Furthermore I believe Paul
Lopez's lack of visibility concerning consumer organizations is a bad
reflection on his value of input and cooperation with blind people.

On another front I have heard from many students who have attended classes
over the past year and a half that Paul will not spend time with them, or at
least he spends very little time with them, especially in the past few
months.  This is the exact time Paul should be selling his decisions and
actions to his consumers, but he seems to be having none of that.
2.	Budget.  Earlier this year when the announcement of lay-offs took
place we all heard that the decision to terminate eight employees was in
part a budgetary one.  The local newspapers also reported the layoffs and
stated that the reason was related to a need to reduce or adjust the budget.
This makes little sense especially when the stock market and the GDB
reserves are growing.  Also, given that ten employees lost their jobs in a
similar move during the Nancy Gardner administration it is hard to
understand why an additional eight, mostly long time employees, were
dismissed.

I like the concept of establishing the new call center which can help
improve efficiency if handled properly.  It seems to me that any time a call
goes unanswered for more than one business day any organization which
permits this is remiss in its obligation toward the consumers it serves.  If
students' did not get return calls before and if that has changed then well
and good.  Creating the call center should help improve efficiency.
However, laying off several long-term key staff people and choosing to
terminate the head of graduate services given his standing in the world-wide
guide dog community and the vast amount of knowledge and respect from
consumers he brings to GDB does not seem efficient or wise.  The community
at large does not buy the budget and efficiency arguments for laying off
some of the people who were terminated earlier this year.  I agree with
them.  It can never be good to lose people of the caliber of those employees
who were let go and expect any organization to continue to operate as well
as it did before.  Also, one aspect of decreasing the number of field reps
while increasing the call return effectiveness is that you may find that
more people actually need visits from a GDB rep.  While Mr. Lopez has chosen
to believe it more efficient to send people from GDB you cannot yet know if
it might have been better to keep the people you lost, but work to keep them
busier with visits as well as better involving them in GDB's marketing
effort.  Also, given that some of the employees worked on campus might it
have been better to reassign or split their duties rather than dismissing
them outright?  Please do not say it was for budgetary reasons as GDB was
not and is not in peril of going under.  The "business decision" to let them
go is a bad one by any basic business staffing morale standard.

Speaking of morale, I have not heard any positive comments about moving
Barbara Browning away from the switchboard and removing the friendly face
that greets visitors to the administration building.  The approach taken
with Barbara again shows a business orientation not suited or appropriate
for a nonprofit like GDB.
	
3.	 Trust.  While blind people go to guide dog schools to obtain guides
and gain the additional mobility assets they feel come with using a guide
dog, the trust of the senior staff of guide dog schools often is lacking.
Senior staff have, for example, in the past changed school policies
concerning dog ownership, reduced consumer representation on boards, reduced
the influence levels of or eliminated consumer advisory committees, and
downright ignored issues and input by stakeholders.  Many of us have seen
new senior staff come with ideas of "making the organization run more like a
business" and "improving efficiency" while all they do is to alienate
stakeholders and not grow the organization.  The result is that students go
to schools because of positive experiences with the staff members who work
directly with them and they ignore leadership which they view as something
which doesn't concern them, or they go elsewhere or decide not to use a
guide dog altogether.  I have seen all three happen regularly.

The unfortunate reality is that "business oriented CEOs" do not understand
the subtleties of running a nonprofit or philanthropic organization.  Yes,
nonprofits should operate more in line with business practices than most do
today.  In fact, some of today's concepts regarding the "good" operation of
a nonprofit are the very things which keep it from growing as they go
against what makes any organization grow in our changing world.  However,
while trying to bring good business practices into the nonprofit arena the
"corporate way" as it exists today also tends to exclude some of the very
attitudes, drives, and strengths which make good nonprofits great.  The most
important of these is Trust.  If a CEO arrives and changes some of the very
core foundations upon which an organization is built without obtaining
support from stakeholders then he or she loses the faith of those
individuals and probably staff as well.  Nonprofits must have emotional
buy-in and support in ways many corporations today seem not to have and seem
not to need in order to be successful.  Corporations can buy loyalty while
today's nonprofits cannot.  Also, with an organization like GDB consumers
have no permanent stake in the organization since they have many choices of
guide dog schools.  So, if they become disenchanted or dissatisfied with one
school they do not suffer a financial hardship when deciding to attend
another.  Trust and emotional buy-in are all the building blocks a school
like GDB has to make a consumer relationship work.

In the past five years 18 people have been laid off from GDB.  Right or
wrong no employee had ever been laid off before.  Before 2008, budgets were
cut, some staff perks were cut, some positions and departments were
realigned, and puppy raisers and breeder keepers were asked to shoulder more
financial obligations to care for their charges, but no employee was simply
eliminated in order to decrease staff size.  When the first ten people were
separated there was grumbling and concern, but in general, stakeholders felt
that the programs would continue and thrive.  However, with the latest staff
reductions, programs and staff directly connected to consumers were
dramatically affected.  Well loved, trusted, and effective staff members
were removed.  Personal access to trusted staff was eliminated.  Consumers
were asked to trust a decision maker who had not established any kind of
bond with them as he made changes those very consumers considered part of
the fabric that made GDB better than ANY OTHER SCHOOL.

Also, it didn't stop with the lay-offs.  Two very senior staff members
retired at a time many of us find suspicious at best.  Terry Barrett and Don
Frisk worked at GDB long after they might have retired simply because they
loved their jobs and because they wanted to continue to make contributions.
I tell you that you will have a very hard time convincing consumers that the
timing of these two retirements is a coincidence.  In addition, at least one
other training supervisor has quit and left the guide dog field completely.
Right or wrong, again, many of us find this additional departure not to be
coincidental.

If all the "changes" aren't enough Paul Lopez has further eroded consumer
confidence in his leadership with what he has done concerning Guide Dogs for
the Blind's reputation and involvement in the international guide dog
community by reducing the number of GDB certified assessors for the
International Federation of Guide Dog Schools from four to one, all in the
name of saving money.  Previous administrations spent time and effort to
move GDB into the 21st century including establishing relationships and
connections which made our school one of the preeminent guide dog
organizations in the world.  Trainers came to consult with the GDB staff.
GDB experts helped insure that other schools throughout the world were held
to high standards of excellence in all aspects of their operations.  GDB
could do this only because it is so large and staffed so well that it had
the necessary expertise within its ranks.  Even before the lay-offs three
assessors working at GDB were told to withdraw from their IFGDS commitments
which also mean that fewer individuals will attend International Federation
meetings.

Guide Dogs for the Blind has lost the trust and confidence of much of its
consumer base.  I said earlier that due to my 9-11 experiences I am a highly
visible guide dog user.  I am contacted daily by GDB users who tell me they
will not return to this organization for their next guide.  I have been told
by people who are in a position to know that staff is demoralized in ways
never experienced before.  I have spoken with past members of the board who
tell me that they are angered and outraged at the way the organization is
being run today.  I am amazed that the board has not done anything visible
to stem the tide of outrage and anger and that its only public position is
that people simply do not know the internal issues and budgetary challenges
which led to the decisions we now discuss.  When I am asked my opinion and
guidance I do not have positive encouragement I can offer because I have
come to have the same views as others.  I know I will be asked about the GDB
issues when I attend the consumer National conventions this summer, and I do
not have anything I can say with confidence that will alleviate consumer
fears and concerns.

It is hard for me to write this letter.  I love GDB, but I, like many, have
no confidence in Paul Lopez and I am concerned that the board of directors
has not done anything obvious either to show the value of Mr. Lopez's
decisions or to remove him as CEO.  I call on the Guide Dogs for the Blind
board of directors to take a vote of no confidence toward Paul Lopez and I
call on the board to remove him as CEO and begin a search for a truly
qualified replacement.  Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Best,

Michael Hingson
The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
"Speaking with Vision"
Michael Hingson, President
(415) 827-4084
info at michaelhingson.com
To order Michael Hingson's new book, Thunder Dog, and check on Michael
Hingson's speaking availability for your next event please visit:
www.michaelhingson.com
To purchase your own portrait of Roselle painted by the world's foremost
animal artist, Ron Burns, please visit http://www.ronburns.com/roselle