How to get resources and money for records

What would you do if you had a superannuation fund that constantly talked about how valuable it was, kept taking your money, and refused to show the results of your investment?

First off, it would be illegal.

Second, you’d take your money and put it in the super fund that kept showing you a 10% return.

The simple fact, is that records management is the super fund that talks a lot about its own value and almost universally refuses to show a return on investment.

The other even simpler fact, is that the business units that can present simple business cases with clear returns on investment get funded first.

We’ve just been through a period of time in which money was the cheapest it has ever been.

At the same time, the number of information and records managers telling me they don’t have resources is only going in one direction.

If the existing way of doing things couldn’t get money when interest rates were the lowest they have been in human history, we are only going to get less money as interest rates rise, and money gets more expensive.

For lots of RM teams, this means that being funded in April - when contingency budgets from other projects get released - is going to turn into not being funded at all.

Often, when I talk about creating a strong link between records management practice and financial returns, people give me a look like I don't know where I am, or there's something wrong with me.

But that's it.

That's all it is.

The way to get resources and money for records is really simple.

Connect practice to financial outcomes.

This doesn't mean that you'll get funded every time.

In fact, you'll probably find that the first few times around, people won't understand how to deal with a records team that are linking what they do to financial outcomes.

It's not what records teams do, so it's going to take your organisation time to wrap their head around it.

They'll also probably think that it's the same old records wrapped in a WIIFM (what's in it for me) sandwich.

Do it for long enough though - and they'll start to trust that it's real, and they'll give you a chance to prove it.

And if you can - they'll probably trust you again.

Eventually, you'll find that you'll get a seat at the executive table - because executives know that the only real constraint on their ability to get things done is money.

When they see someone who can help them get more done by producing a financial return, they'll start to feel like they understand you.

And they'll take you seriously.

And give you more money when you ask for it.

This is the virtuous cycle of record funding.

The big practice challenge here, is that a lot of records practice is dogma, and doesn't produce a gain anymore. 20 years ago, in a paper world - it did, but 2002 is not coming back.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who have arrived here and are still reading only with amusement or scorn - that's fine, I am happy to continue listening to you talk about the lack of resources and money for records for the next ten years.

There will always be people who won't try swimming even after it's become abundantly clear that the water has become too deep to stand.

And then there are the swimmers - who get the money and the resources.