Member Profile: John Gough
Digital transformation doesn’t happen overnight—it's an ongoing process, says John Gough, Senior Executive Director for Advancement Data Operations, University of Texas at Austin. And “taking the initial leap is the hardest part,” he says.
Gough is chairing the 2022 DRIVE/ Conference, March 8-9 in New Orleans. Since 2011, DRIVE/ has guided thousands of professionals in capturing, managing, and analyzing data to gain insight, drive better outcomes, operate efficiently, and achieve their missions.
Here, Gough explores problem-solving, lifelong learning and more, and more.
How did you make your way to advancement?
Purely by chance! I was fortunate to land my first job out of graduate school with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It was a fantastic opportunity that introduced me to all levels of advancement work. I fell in love with the work and have been at it ever since!
Describe a typical (or not so typical!) day in the life of a senior executive director for advancement data operations.
There is no one typical day; each one brings its own unique challenges and opportunities. Any given day could see me going from working with the team to troubleshoot system errors to pulling data for an ad hoc request to working with the gift processing team to answer questions about a particularly complex gift. I try my best to position myself where I am needed and can have the most impact.
What’s the best part of your job?
Hands down, it’s the people. I’m privileged to work with an extraordinary team who are dedicated to their craft. Likewise, our stakeholders and partners across campus are mission driven and bring their best selves every day. I also enjoy the variety in the work. Each problem is unique and an opportunity to learn something new.
What do you think are the biggest challenges advancement professionals face these days?
One of our perpetual challenges is keeping with the advances in technology and practice that can increase our efficiency as advancement organizations. Digital transformation is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process of change and improvement. Taking the initial leap is sometimes the hardest part.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve received?
This came from a professor of mine in graduate school during a technology seminar: Never stop learning! Trying new approaches, tools, and methodologies is how we make discoveries that move our work forward.
What’s the most interesting book you’ve read lately?
I can’t pick just one. Professionally, I’ve just wrapped up Michael Hyatt’s The Vision Driven Leader as part of a project we are undertaking internally. The ability to craft a clear and effective vision is key to the success of any leader or organization and Hyatt does a good job of breaking the process down.
Personally, I’ve taken an interest in the history of different religious texts and am in the middle of John Barton’s A History of the Bible; the Book and its Faiths, and Robert Alter’s The Hebrew Bible; a Translation with Commentary, both great reads for those interested in the topic.
What are you most looking forward to at DRIVE/?
I’m most looking forward to associating with good friends again and learning from them. I love to hear of what advances are being made across the industry and to build relationships and collaborations with those working to solve the same problems I am.
