Well it’s the last Friday of FY ’07, which brings another fiscal year to a close. Looking back…it’s been a challenging year for many of us in IT. Many things have been done to help Conservation employees do their jobs: from repairing broken computers to improving applications, all these tasks help Conservation employees address resource issues. You are typically unsung heroes in this fight to improve and provide for Fish, Forest, and Wildlife Management.
Not much of what you do ever makes the big news for this Org. and yet I consider technology at the very heart and soul of what this org. accomplishes on a daily basis and will only be more critical moving forward. We are like that internal organ of the human body….few (if anyone) ever see it, and yet without it the body wouldn’t/couldn’t function. Your efforts are appreciated even if rarely spoken!
As we jump right into a new Fiscal Year, the challenges only continue to mount. I think that is a good thing! The opportunity to bring new solutions to Conservation is exciting. Being a part of a Team that understands the Conservation Mission and who work hard to provide solutions to business problems is rewarding. Thank you! …and I look forward to continued success in the coming year.
----------------------------
Because I was asked….here is my “meme” (List 8 Random Facts/Habits About Me) and I will not propagate it further…
1) I was born on Thanksgiving Day….after the main meal was complete.
2) I love to weight train, (provides an opp for competition with nobody as a loser).
3) I love NHRA type races, especially Funny Cars.
4) I moved to MO from Nebraska when I was 13.
5) I am James Edward the 3rd….and no there were no plans to have one named the 4th.
6) My favorite meal: Roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh corn, sweet rice and bread (Mom’s is the best)
7) Best car I ever owned: 69 Chevelle
8) I have no musical ability, but do have a keen ear for music (volume, pitch, harmony, etc)
TAFN
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
A New Dawn...
New beginnings….What’s not to like about the sound of those two words together? To most people, when they use or hear those words, it is truly a positive thing. No different in the case I will use today. I believe we are on the initial edge of a “New Beginning” within the Technical Services Group (TSG). Recent changes both programmatic and personnel wise (and with more changes promised,) have opened some doors to changing the way the TSG conducts its work.
The most recent news of a Development Staffer relocating to a work place that more closely fits his individual needs, serves as yet another opportunity to bring about some positive change. This vacant position will be re-evaluated on a larger scale to determine where and how is the best way to proceed. Rest assured that there are a number of opportunities that will present themselves during the review process of that position, from a simple refill to perhaps more creative solutions. I tend to be more excited about the “creative solutions”…but we’ll have to wait and see what appears to be the best solution. Stay tuned…
With the advent of the Team concept for Application Development, new beginnings are underway to improving work flow and delivery of product. A perfect example of how effectual this process can be is through the Ag Crop development process. The Lead Developer experienced an unplanned; extended absence…another team member was redirected to continue the work in the program to help ensure the release date was met. Even though the Lead was out for weeks…the application development continued and will certainly meet the original promised release date. THAT is a perfect example of new beginnings that pay dividends. Without that change, the application would have laid dormant until the Lead returned to resume work. I happen to believe the change is positive.
Drop shipping on the Desktop Technology side will likely add significant value and opportunity for change within this group too. Last FY years’ numbers reflect that Desktop group spent one FTE in the seat of a vehicle traveling to conduct PC replacements. That’s a lot of seat time and as you might guess…non productive time. All of the hard work that this group has put into developing a plan to drop ship PC’s to our customers and conduct remote builds/configurations will no doubt add great value. The time savings from this task alone will enable Technical Staff to focus on other projects, including R&D which is sorely needed in this Org.
Another first….CI-IT! This change brings about a method to ensure that the entire Agency’s view of what is important to writing software is in place. We are an Agency resource and focusing on smaller projects or allowing the distractions of the “squeaky wheel” detract from the work that move the entire Agency forward. Our efforts should be broad brushed and concentrated on what Leadership determines to be the most important thing to Conservation. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a project that the Agency’s Leadership says: “This is our number one priority for Conservation.” That direction will help focus our limited resource on the important things. Another good move….
I could go on for pages here talking about other new beginnings/changes that have taken place…some more subtle than others….but the point is:
Change is needed;
Change is happening and
Change will continue.
Attitude and acceptance of these changes will be crucial to our success. While change isn’t always simple or easy…it can be very beneficial. Those who have the ability to recognize the need for change and the desire to ensure its success are as one with our new direction. On the other hand, it’s easier to sit back and be critical….frankly my opinion is that is a Cowards way of doing business… Lying in wait for any new idea to jump on and criticize. I think if you will take notice and analyze this person…likely you will see that they are the ones who have no ideas of their own, they don’t offer suggestions on how to improve anything. They are almost like a cancer of sorts….feeding on the good and causing destruction in their path.
But of course we don’t have those types of folks working here, so we have the added advantage of high quality staff with a professional mentality. It’s all about the people….You reap what you sow…your efforts are rewarded to the extent of the energy you exert…the good outweighs the bad. We have much work to do in the future and many new opportunities will arise. Professionalism, high energy, commitment and support will ensure those goals are met…..for everyone.
I look forward to the new challenges that await the TSG. Yes, there will be bumps and there may even be some growth pains…but if we all focus on the goal---Which is to move Conservation forward from a Technology standpoint---then those efforts AND results will be positive.
TAFN
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Facts of Life...
“…sometimes, your best just ain’t good enough…” Ever heard those words? I have…and they have guided me and my actions for many years. While on the surface the quote likely sounds quite harsh and knowing that it came from my father may seem even worse. No, my father is not a harsh uncaring man, rather just the opposite.
Those words were spoken to me when I was a teenager and in the middle of a “life lesson” where I was acting, (as my Mother would say), “a little too big for my britches.” My father and I were having a discussion about some family tasks that needed to be completed before I took the family car to town. He was pointing out that I was neglecting some of the chores around the farm that I was responsible for and driving the family car required that I pull my weight too. Never missing many opportunities to open my mouth….I lashed out in true teenager style about how unfair life was to a young man, namely me. I ranted on about how hard I worked and how much effort I put into EVERYTHING I do…..I yelled at him that I was doing “the best I can…” His calm reply to me… “Well, if this is your best effort…It’s time you learned that, sometimes, your best ain’t good enough.”
Those words have stuck with me to this day….while some may interpret other meanings…I knew my Dad and I KNEW what he meant. He was dead on…as usual. Although I really didn’t know the meaning of the word back then and likely didn’t care too much…I had experienced a Paradigm Shift. The moment had arrived for my –“fundamental change in approach or assumptions.”
Those words opened my eyes to a new way of thinking…My thoughts prior to the event, were that I was doing everything I could possibly do and as such nothing more was needed ….and yet the reality was that: It wasn’t good enough for someone! Wow!! My eyes were opened! It wasn’t all about me. There were others to consider and my value wasn’t just based upon what I thought of myself. My value was measured in different terms than just my own…so just because I “thought” I was doing everything I could….in reality it didn’t appear that way to others. Hmmmm
The fundamental shift for me included the realization that I must grow even further…because it was obvious that my standards of best or good enough, etc. just wasn’t going to get it. So the process began where the value of Jim Garr wasn’t just being based upon a self perception. I realized that sometimes my view of myself was biased…no in fact it was clouded, muddied if you will by my own blindness. I wanted my efforts, as great or as slight as they may be….to be good enough. My father kindly pointed out…it’s not that way junior.
I look around today and I feel I meet people in the world who didn’t have the type of father that I did. It is obvious to me that no one taught them the same lesson in their life. Some have no clue about the need to grow…the need to stretch mind, body, and soul. They are missing a basic understanding that not everyone’s view of who and what you are is the same as yours. I believe it related to understanding a bigger picture of things….not staying in your own little shallow corner of existence. An understanding of when we think we have it all…. that is generally the first clue we are missing something.
My takeaway…never assume you are doing all you can possibly do. Look for other ways, better ways, quicker ways, less costly ways, etc. An old saying I used to use in my Collegiate Basketball days to gauge whether or not I had any more to give is:”If you left your guts on the floor, then you’ve done all you can…” If you haven’t done that…then you haven‘t given it your best effort. I often wonder how different work and family life would be if everyone put that much effort into it.
Yes, I did get to use the family car….after promising to make up for less than 100% effort.
To this day, my measure of success IS NOT based upon my criteria alone…that would be too shallow. I thank my Dad for the education to help me understand, it is bigger than me… Why would anyone settle for something less than best effort?
TAFN
Those words were spoken to me when I was a teenager and in the middle of a “life lesson” where I was acting, (as my Mother would say), “a little too big for my britches.” My father and I were having a discussion about some family tasks that needed to be completed before I took the family car to town. He was pointing out that I was neglecting some of the chores around the farm that I was responsible for and driving the family car required that I pull my weight too. Never missing many opportunities to open my mouth….I lashed out in true teenager style about how unfair life was to a young man, namely me. I ranted on about how hard I worked and how much effort I put into EVERYTHING I do…..I yelled at him that I was doing “the best I can…” His calm reply to me… “Well, if this is your best effort…It’s time you learned that, sometimes, your best ain’t good enough.”
Those words have stuck with me to this day….while some may interpret other meanings…I knew my Dad and I KNEW what he meant. He was dead on…as usual. Although I really didn’t know the meaning of the word back then and likely didn’t care too much…I had experienced a Paradigm Shift. The moment had arrived for my –“fundamental change in approach or assumptions.”
Those words opened my eyes to a new way of thinking…My thoughts prior to the event, were that I was doing everything I could possibly do and as such nothing more was needed ….and yet the reality was that: It wasn’t good enough for someone! Wow!! My eyes were opened! It wasn’t all about me. There were others to consider and my value wasn’t just based upon what I thought of myself. My value was measured in different terms than just my own…so just because I “thought” I was doing everything I could….in reality it didn’t appear that way to others. Hmmmm
The fundamental shift for me included the realization that I must grow even further…because it was obvious that my standards of best or good enough, etc. just wasn’t going to get it. So the process began where the value of Jim Garr wasn’t just being based upon a self perception. I realized that sometimes my view of myself was biased…no in fact it was clouded, muddied if you will by my own blindness. I wanted my efforts, as great or as slight as they may be….to be good enough. My father kindly pointed out…it’s not that way junior.
I look around today and I feel I meet people in the world who didn’t have the type of father that I did. It is obvious to me that no one taught them the same lesson in their life. Some have no clue about the need to grow…the need to stretch mind, body, and soul. They are missing a basic understanding that not everyone’s view of who and what you are is the same as yours. I believe it related to understanding a bigger picture of things….not staying in your own little shallow corner of existence. An understanding of when we think we have it all…. that is generally the first clue we are missing something.
My takeaway…never assume you are doing all you can possibly do. Look for other ways, better ways, quicker ways, less costly ways, etc. An old saying I used to use in my Collegiate Basketball days to gauge whether or not I had any more to give is:”If you left your guts on the floor, then you’ve done all you can…” If you haven’t done that…then you haven‘t given it your best effort. I often wonder how different work and family life would be if everyone put that much effort into it.
Yes, I did get to use the family car….after promising to make up for less than 100% effort.
To this day, my measure of success IS NOT based upon my criteria alone…that would be too shallow. I thank my Dad for the education to help me understand, it is bigger than me… Why would anyone settle for something less than best effort?
TAFN
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Two Way Traffic...
A recent jaunt to Johnson City, TN gave me ample opportunity to do some thinking on quite a number of fronts, as you might imagine. One thought that was spurred by the numerous highway construction sites we encountered on the trip. Traffic in those areas was slow and congested, typically a result on the road narrowing to one lane. But, in one particular case the traffic issue was due to One Way traffic. As I sat there hoping for a fast resolution, my thoughts drifted to good ole work.
I got to thinking about how many times in my career I’ve been exposed to situations that I’ll analogize as One Way traffic. A very basic human characteristic is that we are chronic complainers. People are almost always quick to criticize or complain about something and rarely make or take the effort to understand whatever it is any better. Rather, they will spend a great deal of effort complaining about the way things are….rather than channeling that effort into understanding why things are the way they appear….better yet….spend some time trying to positively bring about a change…or in other words---trying to COMMUNICATE.
Most of my career with this Org. has been in some time of supervisory role. Countless times exist where an employee has criticized me or the Org. because of some decision or directive. While I certainly lay no claims towards perfection or as having all of the answers, I have been employed to making decisions and setting some direction…..and as such, my efforts are geared towards that end. I thought back on some of the history and tried to identify what it was that was central to the exchange. I break my trance….traffic still a dead stop---as the one way traffic coming towards me funnels past. It occurs to me… Aha!
ONE WAY TRAFFIC! That was it….for whatever reason in many of those cases I was thinking about, was due to one way traffic. Information was exchanged in only one direction--- The other party didn’t think they had a voice, a say in the decision and was upset as a result. I challenged this thought---Hmmm, not that unusual I think—as a child, Mom and Dad direct, in grade school through high school, the instructors direct. In college, the Profs direct…in my early years with this Org. they direct….today my Super directs. At home my wife directs…etc, etc, etc…. OK so it’s not like people aren’t used to be told what to do and when to do it. So what’s the difference?
The difference in many cases is that the other party doesn’t like the decision/direction because it directly impacts them in some way. The decision, whatever it is, requires some effort from this person. (If you haven’t noticed, few folks complain about issues that don’t affect them…) As a result, they don’t like it…from this point on it’s a wrong or bad decision/direction and the complaints will start to roll. Rather than stand up and address the issue with the decision maker, most folks choose to instead just complain.
Try to see it from this perspective…When the unhappy person made decision that they disliked the decision/direction if the thought process had been…”I think I’ll ask for some time with “Jim” and ask about the (insert your issue here), problem, and see why that decision was made AND let him know why I don’t think it’s a good move…” WOW!! Epiphany material!! The decision to communicate with the other person to identify all of the factors that went into their decision and discuss it with them would likely add another perspective to the situation. Perhaps even help alleviate some concern or misperceptions.
Unfortunately, in my experience that rarely happens. I believe it takes a very mature person to arrive at that type of thought process. But, once that maturity is attained, the results can be spectacular for the company and the supervisor/employee relationship. It’s called mutual respect. No harm comes as a result of mutual respect…in fact in my experience…only positives have resulted from that type of relationship.
As the work force changes and expectations about the work environment also shift, that maturity and code of conduct will be essential. I see it more and more every day in the generation just now entering the work force. They are willing to step up and ask the questions…they are willing to ask for time to discuss issues that are relevant to them. They will have a much better understanding (and relationship) with their employer because they are willing to assume some ownership on the issue. They are willing to discuss it…to find out more…to grow. Hence this type of relationship becomes a TWO WAY traffic situation….and that is ALL GOOD.
As we work towards moving Conservation forward from a technology perspective….lets all make a vow today to communicate more often and make it of better quality….with our customers, with other staff, with our supervisors and leadership. The results will certainly be a more informed, mature workforce that is spending less time complaining about things (aka doing nothing productive) and more time focused on improving them.
My efforts at improving traffic flow?.....I encourage each and every one of you to stop in my office sometime…ask a question…try to gain (OR provide) additional perspective. If you have a situation that doesn’t make sense to you, let’s talk about it…otherwise ONE of us is sitting dead still on the Interstate of life, watching the other lane move past us…
TAFN
I got to thinking about how many times in my career I’ve been exposed to situations that I’ll analogize as One Way traffic. A very basic human characteristic is that we are chronic complainers. People are almost always quick to criticize or complain about something and rarely make or take the effort to understand whatever it is any better. Rather, they will spend a great deal of effort complaining about the way things are….rather than channeling that effort into understanding why things are the way they appear….better yet….spend some time trying to positively bring about a change…or in other words---trying to COMMUNICATE.
Most of my career with this Org. has been in some time of supervisory role. Countless times exist where an employee has criticized me or the Org. because of some decision or directive. While I certainly lay no claims towards perfection or as having all of the answers, I have been employed to making decisions and setting some direction…..and as such, my efforts are geared towards that end. I thought back on some of the history and tried to identify what it was that was central to the exchange. I break my trance….traffic still a dead stop---as the one way traffic coming towards me funnels past. It occurs to me… Aha!
ONE WAY TRAFFIC! That was it….for whatever reason in many of those cases I was thinking about, was due to one way traffic. Information was exchanged in only one direction--- The other party didn’t think they had a voice, a say in the decision and was upset as a result. I challenged this thought---Hmmm, not that unusual I think—as a child, Mom and Dad direct, in grade school through high school, the instructors direct. In college, the Profs direct…in my early years with this Org. they direct….today my Super directs. At home my wife directs…etc, etc, etc…. OK so it’s not like people aren’t used to be told what to do and when to do it. So what’s the difference?
The difference in many cases is that the other party doesn’t like the decision/direction because it directly impacts them in some way. The decision, whatever it is, requires some effort from this person. (If you haven’t noticed, few folks complain about issues that don’t affect them…) As a result, they don’t like it…from this point on it’s a wrong or bad decision/direction and the complaints will start to roll. Rather than stand up and address the issue with the decision maker, most folks choose to instead just complain.
Try to see it from this perspective…When the unhappy person made decision that they disliked the decision/direction if the thought process had been…”I think I’ll ask for some time with “Jim” and ask about the (insert your issue here), problem, and see why that decision was made AND let him know why I don’t think it’s a good move…” WOW!! Epiphany material!! The decision to communicate with the other person to identify all of the factors that went into their decision and discuss it with them would likely add another perspective to the situation. Perhaps even help alleviate some concern or misperceptions.
Unfortunately, in my experience that rarely happens. I believe it takes a very mature person to arrive at that type of thought process. But, once that maturity is attained, the results can be spectacular for the company and the supervisor/employee relationship. It’s called mutual respect. No harm comes as a result of mutual respect…in fact in my experience…only positives have resulted from that type of relationship.
As the work force changes and expectations about the work environment also shift, that maturity and code of conduct will be essential. I see it more and more every day in the generation just now entering the work force. They are willing to step up and ask the questions…they are willing to ask for time to discuss issues that are relevant to them. They will have a much better understanding (and relationship) with their employer because they are willing to assume some ownership on the issue. They are willing to discuss it…to find out more…to grow. Hence this type of relationship becomes a TWO WAY traffic situation….and that is ALL GOOD.
As we work towards moving Conservation forward from a technology perspective….lets all make a vow today to communicate more often and make it of better quality….with our customers, with other staff, with our supervisors and leadership. The results will certainly be a more informed, mature workforce that is spending less time complaining about things (aka doing nothing productive) and more time focused on improving them.
My efforts at improving traffic flow?.....I encourage each and every one of you to stop in my office sometime…ask a question…try to gain (OR provide) additional perspective. If you have a situation that doesn’t make sense to you, let’s talk about it…otherwise ONE of us is sitting dead still on the Interstate of life, watching the other lane move past us…
TAFN
Friday, June 22, 2007
Sticks and Stones...
Yesterday’s entry was a bit long so I’ll make an effort to keep it shorter today. It’s been a long week….and now we’re “in the short rows” and I welcome the weekend. A chance to be with family and friends, catch up around the house and recharge the brain and body.
On the radio I have often heard a commercial for a remodeling company that uses the tagline, “First impressions are instant and very difficult to change.” Wow! I thought it was quite clever and actually brutally honest. It’s one of those sayings that can be either a good thing or a not so good thing…depending upon who is saying it and in what context. I’ve thought back over this past week on some of the more “fun” issues I was privileged to have been exposed too. Some of the words are still ringing in my ears….Some of those words (and the meaning/intent) can be positive or not so positive, it’s all a matter of PERSPECTIVE …for example:
1) That’s water under the bridge…
2) Are you sure…?
3) Of course, last time we didn’t have any problems…
4) I think you’re close….
5) I don’t know you very well…
6) Sorry…
Communication and more importantly, CLEAR communication can be the difference between someone leaving with a good feeling versus a not so good feeling. As youngsters, we’ve likely all heard or perhaps used a chant that went something to the way of: “Stick and Stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me…” Well, it might have served a purpose back then to try to bluff someone into thinking that what was being said wasn’t bothering you…but really it was. Not any different today…the words chosen can and do have a significant impact on those around us.
As technical staff some of the words we use are somewhat foreign to many people. We tend to use acronyms and IT related jargon. When people don’t understand your words, two things tend to happen…either they insert their own word(s) or thinking or they start to tune you out. Neither of which is overly positive. While in our case the use of acronyms and jargon isn’t typically meant to harm or belittle…it can be interpreted that way. Others may feel a sense of inadequacy or they may feel you are trying to “talk above them.” No one really likes that situation.
As far as my experiences this past week…I tend to believe most of the examples I listed were harmless, but if different words or sentences had been used, likely I would have had no initial doubts. AS a now famous man has told most of us time and time again: “If you are not sick and tired of communicating, then you are not doing it enough…” Let’s make sure our communication is clear and easily understood and not open to second guessing.
TAFN
On the radio I have often heard a commercial for a remodeling company that uses the tagline, “First impressions are instant and very difficult to change.” Wow! I thought it was quite clever and actually brutally honest. It’s one of those sayings that can be either a good thing or a not so good thing…depending upon who is saying it and in what context. I’ve thought back over this past week on some of the more “fun” issues I was privileged to have been exposed too. Some of the words are still ringing in my ears….Some of those words (and the meaning/intent) can be positive or not so positive, it’s all a matter of PERSPECTIVE …for example:
1) That’s water under the bridge…
2) Are you sure…?
3) Of course, last time we didn’t have any problems…
4) I think you’re close….
5) I don’t know you very well…
6) Sorry…
Communication and more importantly, CLEAR communication can be the difference between someone leaving with a good feeling versus a not so good feeling. As youngsters, we’ve likely all heard or perhaps used a chant that went something to the way of: “Stick and Stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me…” Well, it might have served a purpose back then to try to bluff someone into thinking that what was being said wasn’t bothering you…but really it was. Not any different today…the words chosen can and do have a significant impact on those around us. As technical staff some of the words we use are somewhat foreign to many people. We tend to use acronyms and IT related jargon. When people don’t understand your words, two things tend to happen…either they insert their own word(s) or thinking or they start to tune you out. Neither of which is overly positive. While in our case the use of acronyms and jargon isn’t typically meant to harm or belittle…it can be interpreted that way. Others may feel a sense of inadequacy or they may feel you are trying to “talk above them.” No one really likes that situation.
So when we communicate in any situation, think about what you want and what you have to say. Consider your audience and their position…then communicate your thought. I believe there will be less chance for misunderstanding or hard feelings.
As far as my experiences this past week…I tend to believe most of the examples I listed were harmless, but if different words or sentences had been used, likely I would have had no initial doubts. AS a now famous man has told most of us time and time again: “If you are not sick and tired of communicating, then you are not doing it enough…” Let’s make sure our communication is clear and easily understood and not open to second guessing.
TAFN
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Bottom Right....
Even though I knew what to expect it was still nice to get that letter in the mail this evening when I got home. A letter from the Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation….informing me that I was going to be receiving a raise in my July 31st pay check. Welcome news for me and my family!
The letter reminded me of an earlier conversation that I had with an IT Staffer about worker productivity and giving the Org. what they are paying for. Our conversation took numerous twists and turns as you might expect, but what stuck out in my mind was our dialogue about hours worked and the expectations. Somehow the conversation got to the point the question was asked, “How many hours per day is the Org. paying you for?”…I think we both agreed they were paying for a minimum of eight, (more so I believe they are paying for “whatever it takes” but, that is another point). So we tried to pick that eight hours down a little in terms of what could be the “typical” day for an employee.
We painted a scenario similar to the following: Typical work hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Employee walks in the building door at 7:58 a.m., makes their way to their desk, flips on the light and fires up the workaholic (their PC). AS it is booting they put their water bottle somewhere and decide to get a cup of coffee while they wait for the PC. They see their neighbor on the way to the coffee machine, say the courtesy hello and ask how the evening went with the kids. All is well and head to the java machine…..someone else is pouring coffee so I’ll squeeze in a bathroom break so they can really be focused and productive when they get back to their desk. Down with the restroom visit, grab a cup of coffee---say hey to the CIO on the way by and head back to the work space. Sit down at the desk and FINALLY the PC is waiting for log on, they log on and PC loads profile, start-up programs etc. They are ready to rock and roll for Conservation. Bottom right of the flat panel monitor says the Atomic Time is 8: 12 a.m.
Employee begins checking email and replies to a few, they check a few of the RSS news feed relating to their work and then get settled into serious work. Phone rings, it’s the kid, “Can I go to the pool with Jason today,” …..Sure kid be careful, obey the lifeguard, lock your bicycle at the pool and wear sunscreen! OK, now where was I….OH yeah, work….(bottom right says it’s 8:44 a.m.). The “work” begins in earnest now…a solid 35 minutes is spent head down, focused and getting `er done. Hmmm, what’s that feeling in my lower abdomen?....they glance at the time keep bottom right---it says 9:19 a.m….sure could use that second cup of “joe” and a quick potty break…off they go… Along the way, Charlie is in his office…a quick, polite shout out to him and they take the change to stab him a little about how poorly “his” Cardinals are playing. A little kidding and they move on to the task at hand. Finish the body functions, grab a fresh hot cup of liquid caffeine and back to work. Bottom right says 9:28 a.m. MORE work now….
They notice a few folks walk by their office door….they look bottom right….man it’s 10:00 o’clock already!! Time for my morning smoke break with the gang. They grab their smokes and head outside to the “permitted area” and inhale some carcinogens. Someone comments well, we better get back in there before the “time nazi” says something about our taking too long a break---back inside now and they sit down at their desk….bottom right says 10:19, close enough to 15 they think.
More work!...really focused this time, gettin` things done now. A few phone calls later, more PC work and one visit from the boss and they notice DANG! It’s already 11:55…I better take a quick potty break so I can get to lunch. Off to lunch they go….the Grub and Chub is really busy today so it takes a little longer than they expected, but you know what, the work ain’t goin` anywhere, it’ll be there no matter what time I get back. They finish the grub and head back to work. Sit down and begin the afternoon of chores…bottom right now says 1:14 p.m.
A meeting at 1:30 in the Conference room so they check the email quickly and reply to a couple and figure I better get to the meeting…but better visit the restroom first, it may be a long meeting. Meetings over and man it was a time waster! Back to the desk at 2:45. Check email again, that dang stuff really piles up! Cool I got one from Bobby---a quick shout out to him and confirm the plans for Friday night. A crowd shuffles past the door again….MAN it’s break time!!! Great, I’m ready for some fresh air after that boring meeting. Out they go….that cancer stick sure tastes good. Some dialogue with the others present, mostly about how fast their darn grass is growing and time to head in. They contemplate… how come breaks go so fast and work time just drags by…..?
Down at their desk and right on time…bottom right says 3:17 p.m. Back to the grind….recheck email to see if Bobby has responded and they reply to some work stuff. More work now…. They notice the room has darkened somewhat, they look over their shoulder and notice it’s darker outside….they hear a distant rumble….WHAT? the channel 8 weather goddess didn’t say anything about rain…they left their windows cracked so the heat could escape. A quick check on weather.com and sure enough a band or red is on the way. They select “map in motion” to see how quickly the storm has been moving…coming fast and looks potent. ON the way out, they announce to their friends…”rain is coming, if you’re windows are down…better get out there!” Out to the car, windows up and back inside before one drop touches the ground…Success!! They think, I better call home and see if Jason is back from the pool. They call, yes he’s home, a short visit about the scuffle in the restroom at the pool and the conversation ends. Bottom right 4:22
Martha stops by the door at 4:27 on her way home (she works flex time). She pokes her head in and asks if I’ve heard about John….NO, they say, what happened. A quick story is told about the horrible seafood incident that put John on the disable list for two days. She heads out complaining about not having her umbrella. Bottom right 4:35 p.m.
Another check of the email…crap, the boss wants to meet tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. to discuss projects---they wanted to come in a little “late” tomorrow as tonight is the poker game and usually is a long night. Oh well, suck it up….it is work. Scan the email….COOL! Bobby has replied….they read it and send a quick note back….no problem they think…it’s rare I do any “personal” stuff. They look bottom right thinking…”it has to be close to 5, this has been a long day”…sure enough the time keeper says 4:53 p.m. I better get ready to go they think….a quick potty break before the ride home, grab my stuff out of the fridge and back to my desk to shut down that dang machine that makes me work….They select the shutdown command and the last flicker bottom right says 4:58 p.m. They grab the umbrella and get out the door thinking…”I’m a couple minutes behind…I hate the traffic right at 5…”
….and the day is done! They have put in their “8”
Perhaps you’ve drudged through this long “tale” and are thinking….that’s a bunch of …..baloney. That’s horribly exaggerated and not true. If that is true and you are giving the Org. what they are paying for…they there is no issue. If you are not, now is a good time to rededicate your efforts to the job.
While the story, may be fictional….I’ll offer that it happens and without much guilt or remorse from the employee. The staffer and I further surmised that there is a mindset with “some” employees that they feel this Org. owes them….for whatever reason. Taking small liberties like in the story above, really don’t matter…”it’s only a few minutes a day…” Well those minutes add up over the course of a week, month, year…lifetime!! I read an article several months ago about worker productivity---their data showed that the MOST an employer could hope for would be a 75% worker productivity rate. Even though they are paying for 100%.....
Minutes do count and the fact is that we are being paid for a solid 8 and then some….
TAFN
The letter reminded me of an earlier conversation that I had with an IT Staffer about worker productivity and giving the Org. what they are paying for. Our conversation took numerous twists and turns as you might expect, but what stuck out in my mind was our dialogue about hours worked and the expectations. Somehow the conversation got to the point the question was asked, “How many hours per day is the Org. paying you for?”…I think we both agreed they were paying for a minimum of eight, (more so I believe they are paying for “whatever it takes” but, that is another point). So we tried to pick that eight hours down a little in terms of what could be the “typical” day for an employee.
We painted a scenario similar to the following: Typical work hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Employee walks in the building door at 7:58 a.m., makes their way to their desk, flips on the light and fires up the workaholic (their PC). AS it is booting they put their water bottle somewhere and decide to get a cup of coffee while they wait for the PC. They see their neighbor on the way to the coffee machine, say the courtesy hello and ask how the evening went with the kids. All is well and head to the java machine…..someone else is pouring coffee so I’ll squeeze in a bathroom break so they can really be focused and productive when they get back to their desk. Down with the restroom visit, grab a cup of coffee---say hey to the CIO on the way by and head back to the work space. Sit down at the desk and FINALLY the PC is waiting for log on, they log on and PC loads profile, start-up programs etc. They are ready to rock and roll for Conservation. Bottom right of the flat panel monitor says the Atomic Time is 8: 12 a.m.
Employee begins checking email and replies to a few, they check a few of the RSS news feed relating to their work and then get settled into serious work. Phone rings, it’s the kid, “Can I go to the pool with Jason today,” …..Sure kid be careful, obey the lifeguard, lock your bicycle at the pool and wear sunscreen! OK, now where was I….OH yeah, work….(bottom right says it’s 8:44 a.m.). The “work” begins in earnest now…a solid 35 minutes is spent head down, focused and getting `er done. Hmmm, what’s that feeling in my lower abdomen?....they glance at the time keep bottom right---it says 9:19 a.m….sure could use that second cup of “joe” and a quick potty break…off they go… Along the way, Charlie is in his office…a quick, polite shout out to him and they take the change to stab him a little about how poorly “his” Cardinals are playing. A little kidding and they move on to the task at hand. Finish the body functions, grab a fresh hot cup of liquid caffeine and back to work. Bottom right says 9:28 a.m. MORE work now….
They notice a few folks walk by their office door….they look bottom right….man it’s 10:00 o’clock already!! Time for my morning smoke break with the gang. They grab their smokes and head outside to the “permitted area” and inhale some carcinogens. Someone comments well, we better get back in there before the “time nazi” says something about our taking too long a break---back inside now and they sit down at their desk….bottom right says 10:19, close enough to 15 they think.
More work!...really focused this time, gettin` things done now. A few phone calls later, more PC work and one visit from the boss and they notice DANG! It’s already 11:55…I better take a quick potty break so I can get to lunch. Off to lunch they go….the Grub and Chub is really busy today so it takes a little longer than they expected, but you know what, the work ain’t goin` anywhere, it’ll be there no matter what time I get back. They finish the grub and head back to work. Sit down and begin the afternoon of chores…bottom right now says 1:14 p.m.
A meeting at 1:30 in the Conference room so they check the email quickly and reply to a couple and figure I better get to the meeting…but better visit the restroom first, it may be a long meeting. Meetings over and man it was a time waster! Back to the desk at 2:45. Check email again, that dang stuff really piles up! Cool I got one from Bobby---a quick shout out to him and confirm the plans for Friday night. A crowd shuffles past the door again….MAN it’s break time!!! Great, I’m ready for some fresh air after that boring meeting. Out they go….that cancer stick sure tastes good. Some dialogue with the others present, mostly about how fast their darn grass is growing and time to head in. They contemplate… how come breaks go so fast and work time just drags by…..?
Down at their desk and right on time…bottom right says 3:17 p.m. Back to the grind….recheck email to see if Bobby has responded and they reply to some work stuff. More work now…. They notice the room has darkened somewhat, they look over their shoulder and notice it’s darker outside….they hear a distant rumble….WHAT? the channel 8 weather goddess didn’t say anything about rain…they left their windows cracked so the heat could escape. A quick check on weather.com and sure enough a band or red is on the way. They select “map in motion” to see how quickly the storm has been moving…coming fast and looks potent. ON the way out, they announce to their friends…”rain is coming, if you’re windows are down…better get out there!” Out to the car, windows up and back inside before one drop touches the ground…Success!! They think, I better call home and see if Jason is back from the pool. They call, yes he’s home, a short visit about the scuffle in the restroom at the pool and the conversation ends. Bottom right 4:22
Martha stops by the door at 4:27 on her way home (she works flex time). She pokes her head in and asks if I’ve heard about John….NO, they say, what happened. A quick story is told about the horrible seafood incident that put John on the disable list for two days. She heads out complaining about not having her umbrella. Bottom right 4:35 p.m.
Another check of the email…crap, the boss wants to meet tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. to discuss projects---they wanted to come in a little “late” tomorrow as tonight is the poker game and usually is a long night. Oh well, suck it up….it is work. Scan the email….COOL! Bobby has replied….they read it and send a quick note back….no problem they think…it’s rare I do any “personal” stuff. They look bottom right thinking…”it has to be close to 5, this has been a long day”…sure enough the time keeper says 4:53 p.m. I better get ready to go they think….a quick potty break before the ride home, grab my stuff out of the fridge and back to my desk to shut down that dang machine that makes me work….They select the shutdown command and the last flicker bottom right says 4:58 p.m. They grab the umbrella and get out the door thinking…”I’m a couple minutes behind…I hate the traffic right at 5…”
….and the day is done! They have put in their “8”
Perhaps you’ve drudged through this long “tale” and are thinking….that’s a bunch of …..baloney. That’s horribly exaggerated and not true. If that is true and you are giving the Org. what they are paying for…they there is no issue. If you are not, now is a good time to rededicate your efforts to the job.
While the story, may be fictional….I’ll offer that it happens and without much guilt or remorse from the employee. The staffer and I further surmised that there is a mindset with “some” employees that they feel this Org. owes them….for whatever reason. Taking small liberties like in the story above, really don’t matter…”it’s only a few minutes a day…” Well those minutes add up over the course of a week, month, year…lifetime!! I read an article several months ago about worker productivity---their data showed that the MOST an employer could hope for would be a 75% worker productivity rate. Even though they are paying for 100%.....
Minutes do count and the fact is that we are being paid for a solid 8 and then some….
TAFN
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Where Do You Stand....?
Where do you fit in with the age old adage?
LEAD-- FOLLOW-- or GET OUT OF THE WAY
Are you doing what you can to lead? Are you putting forth the effort to demonstrate you are willing to lead....willing to make the tough decisions--even if unpopular? Making the easy call is NOT being a leader...making the ones that may be unpopular, (but none the less best for the Org.), are tough but needed. Are you willing to change "your" idea/plan to make room for better ideas? Do you allow room for negotiations...do you invite in an alternate view in order to arrive at the best answer? Or do you hold fast only to your idea? ...or
Do you follow....are you supportive of those who do are willing to lead?...or perhaps you're one that smiles and nods your head when you are around a supervisor acknowledging agreement and then head back to your work space to criticize every word that they said? Or are you one that provides the support both in word and deed that respects the word and direction of your leadership. ...or
Are you trying to get out of the way? Just buying time, hoping the issue passes without you having to break a sweat. Do you try to keep things nice and orderly in your corner of the world---don’t rock my boat. I've heard it said MORE than once---"laying low", "trying not to be noticed..." I just don’t see how that is productive, nor do I think that is what the Org is paying for.
Well I'm willing to say that I want and need two of the previously mentioned folks on my teams; well intentioned leaders and supportive followers. Anyone else has a detrimental effect on the progress of the Org.
I like Leaders---those who lead for the good of the cause. Those who are looking for ways to challenge and improve beyond where and what we are today. I favor those who are willing to make a stand because it is the RIGHT thing to do---not just because it's an easy thing to do. Positions of leadership are not easy. Frequently they may be unpopular due to decisions that may vary from popular opinion or perhaps they have made a decision that didn't make it "easy" for others. If the decision is based upon what is right, then the decision is proper. I don't expect everyone to fully understand that line of thinking....I'll tell you why.
It's in part a matter of perspective, your view of the world and the situation. Not everyone can fully comprehend, nor appreciate, the sheer magnitude of being a good Leader. Throughout my life I have been blessed with reasonably good promotions and new challenges. Each time I progressed "up the ladder" I saw things in a different light. i.e. When I first started back in 1982, my task was to mow grass, camouflage blinds, check in waterfowl hunters and manage water manipulations on ONE Conservation area. That was my world.
I took on another job that involved similar tasks, but on several areas and now required that I supervise the work of others. Wow, my eyes opened considerably--I not only had to worry about me, but now about others and their struggles. Then I moved on again to take on responsibility for people and programs for an entire District---now even more things to consider. Competing thoughts, wants, desires. I had more people to be concerned with. My world grew some more.
Next I was provided the opportunity to supervise and manage a number of Conservation Areas in several counties. Then I moved on to providing my services and oversight of 1/3 of the state. Talk about an eye opener! My view had changed...what used to be important to me locally, now had to be evaluated on a much larger scale.
Skipping ahead, now my responsibilities include management and supervisor of a number of people, programs, and projects for the entire state. My perspective has grown even more. No longer can I consider just what is important to one small area or person in the State. I must consider what is best for the entire State---make my decision based upon the "greater good"...not just what is good for one small part of it. Yep, your decisions and perspective does change--I can vouch for that. It has too...but if you haven't experienced those leaps or in some other way gained that insight....likely you will continue to view and make your decisions based upon you own little view of the world.
Now, back to the point---Leaders make the call based upon the greater good---not what is happening in a small corner of the Org or what is best for one person. It must be bigger than that. At times, those decisions may be unpopular and perhaps some cannot even comprehend why that decision would have been made to start with....but perhaps that person should expand their horizons and try to look at it from another perspective.
And of course those who are defined as followers (supporters) are a good thing too. One who follows another typically does so for two reasons: 1) no other choice and 2) because they support the direction and decision of the Leader. I want the latter on this Team. I desire those who are willing to put in the sweat equity to make the program better. We don't need robots or zombies who blindly follow along. We need THINKING supporters who will do what it takes to make us successful...AND who are willing to speak up and offer suggestions and ideas to make it even better.
As for the "get out of the way" folks....they are just that...a hindrance. A road block to success and those folks are obvious to everyone, not just the Leader(s). Their time is short lived unless they decide to get off of dead center and take a position and join the TEAM.
We have a very bright future in the IT arena within this Org. I'm excited about the future technology tools that we can and will bring to bear. But it will take committed, fully engaged, supportive followers and Leaders to bring it all together. I, for one have signed up for that challenge....What Say You?
TAFN
LEAD-- FOLLOW-- or GET OUT OF THE WAY
Are you doing what you can to lead? Are you putting forth the effort to demonstrate you are willing to lead....willing to make the tough decisions--even if unpopular? Making the easy call is NOT being a leader...making the ones that may be unpopular, (but none the less best for the Org.), are tough but needed. Are you willing to change "your" idea/plan to make room for better ideas? Do you allow room for negotiations...do you invite in an alternate view in order to arrive at the best answer? Or do you hold fast only to your idea? ...or
Do you follow....are you supportive of those who do are willing to lead?...or perhaps you're one that smiles and nods your head when you are around a supervisor acknowledging agreement and then head back to your work space to criticize every word that they said? Or are you one that provides the support both in word and deed that respects the word and direction of your leadership. ...or
Are you trying to get out of the way? Just buying time, hoping the issue passes without you having to break a sweat. Do you try to keep things nice and orderly in your corner of the world---don’t rock my boat. I've heard it said MORE than once---"laying low", "trying not to be noticed..." I just don’t see how that is productive, nor do I think that is what the Org is paying for.
Well I'm willing to say that I want and need two of the previously mentioned folks on my teams; well intentioned leaders and supportive followers. Anyone else has a detrimental effect on the progress of the Org.
I like Leaders---those who lead for the good of the cause. Those who are looking for ways to challenge and improve beyond where and what we are today. I favor those who are willing to make a stand because it is the RIGHT thing to do---not just because it's an easy thing to do. Positions of leadership are not easy. Frequently they may be unpopular due to decisions that may vary from popular opinion or perhaps they have made a decision that didn't make it "easy" for others. If the decision is based upon what is right, then the decision is proper. I don't expect everyone to fully understand that line of thinking....I'll tell you why.
It's in part a matter of perspective, your view of the world and the situation. Not everyone can fully comprehend, nor appreciate, the sheer magnitude of being a good Leader. Throughout my life I have been blessed with reasonably good promotions and new challenges. Each time I progressed "up the ladder" I saw things in a different light. i.e. When I first started back in 1982, my task was to mow grass, camouflage blinds, check in waterfowl hunters and manage water manipulations on ONE Conservation area. That was my world.
I took on another job that involved similar tasks, but on several areas and now required that I supervise the work of others. Wow, my eyes opened considerably--I not only had to worry about me, but now about others and their struggles. Then I moved on again to take on responsibility for people and programs for an entire District---now even more things to consider. Competing thoughts, wants, desires. I had more people to be concerned with. My world grew some more.
Next I was provided the opportunity to supervise and manage a number of Conservation Areas in several counties. Then I moved on to providing my services and oversight of 1/3 of the state. Talk about an eye opener! My view had changed...what used to be important to me locally, now had to be evaluated on a much larger scale.
Skipping ahead, now my responsibilities include management and supervisor of a number of people, programs, and projects for the entire state. My perspective has grown even more. No longer can I consider just what is important to one small area or person in the State. I must consider what is best for the entire State---make my decision based upon the "greater good"...not just what is good for one small part of it. Yep, your decisions and perspective does change--I can vouch for that. It has too...but if you haven't experienced those leaps or in some other way gained that insight....likely you will continue to view and make your decisions based upon you own little view of the world.
Now, back to the point---Leaders make the call based upon the greater good---not what is happening in a small corner of the Org or what is best for one person. It must be bigger than that. At times, those decisions may be unpopular and perhaps some cannot even comprehend why that decision would have been made to start with....but perhaps that person should expand their horizons and try to look at it from another perspective.
And of course those who are defined as followers (supporters) are a good thing too. One who follows another typically does so for two reasons: 1) no other choice and 2) because they support the direction and decision of the Leader. I want the latter on this Team. I desire those who are willing to put in the sweat equity to make the program better. We don't need robots or zombies who blindly follow along. We need THINKING supporters who will do what it takes to make us successful...AND who are willing to speak up and offer suggestions and ideas to make it even better.
As for the "get out of the way" folks....they are just that...a hindrance. A road block to success and those folks are obvious to everyone, not just the Leader(s). Their time is short lived unless they decide to get off of dead center and take a position and join the TEAM.
We have a very bright future in the IT arena within this Org. I'm excited about the future technology tools that we can and will bring to bear. But it will take committed, fully engaged, supportive followers and Leaders to bring it all together. I, for one have signed up for that challenge....What Say You?
TAFN
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
"The Review"
It’s that time of year again! Summer vacations, end of the Fiscal Year and the …..Performance Appraisal review process. Most of the IT Supervisors have been putting some time and effort into preparing performance reviews for that past year. While many Supervisors will likely tell you that this process is laborious and time consuming it does provide an opportunity to review past accomplishments and give a hard look at the near future.
This process is always interesting to me. At times in my career, the process has reminded me quite a bit of a Psychology 101 Lab event. It’s amazing to me to learn of the “expectations” that can be a part of this exchange. If I have heard it once, I have heard this a hundred times regarding the Performance Review itself: “nothing my Supervisor said is true…” or “my supervisor only put the bad stuff in there…never the good things I do…”, “it’s such a waste of time—it means nothing…” As one of my friends typically says....Hmmmm do you really think so?
I’d like to share of my thoughts on this topic …. Having been a “supervisor” for the vast majority of my 24+ years with this organization, I do have some experience in this area.
First and foremost, this process can be extremely valuable---but only if it is taken seriously and BOTH parties approach the exchange with an OPEN mind. The annual review is not the place for dumping from either party. It should be a place to review all past accomplishments, areas where the employee has performed well and areas where an employee could make some adjustments (improvements).
Secondly: Neither party is GOD, neither is the Alpha or Omega, NOBODY is perfect. A Supervisor WILL NOT remember ALL of the “good” things you have done in the past year..And likely they will not recall all of the not so good things that were done. To expect anything different isn’t realistic. Expecting a Supervisor to not take note of areas you’ve fallen short, is unrealistic and frankly, they wouldn’t be doing their job. The same is true for the areas you’ve done well….
Third: The process itself is meant as a conduit to meaningful discussions from both directions. A formal chance to interact, share, recall…and PLAN. Don’t sit there and let the Supervisor perform a “solo”…jump in, share your thoughts…EXCHANGE information!
Fourth: A little know fact…..Supervisors are HUMAN too! As hard as it is to believe, we make mistakes too, we may not recall all the details or facts….if that’s true, bring it up. If you disagree with a rating or comment---say so…but do so in a professional respectful manner and you might be surprised at the reaction.
There are many stories I could share about my experiences giving performance reviews, some good and some not so good, but the bottom line is that I feel this tool is a valuable one to help understand where the employee stands on performing to expectations. Like it or not…we do have to measure up to something.
As the reviews are being written and rewritten to find the right words to express, it is also a time for you as the employee to devise your work objectives for the coming Fiscal Year. We have many new and exciting projects budgeted for in the coming year; Exchange and Outlook, IDF, Office 2007, Visual Studio upgrade, CMT device changes, and numerous Applications to be written, etc, etc. I’m actually excited this year to read the Goals that each of you will devise this year. I’m looking for staff to “stretch” themselves this year, challenge themselves to grow, while at the same time addressing the normal day to day operations of the IT business.
Put some thought into your Goals and Objectives (IT IS your future!) and lets prepare ourselves for a challenging and yet rewarding new Fiscal Year. Also give some thought, prepare yourself for your Performance Review and take the opportunity to make the process work as intended.
TAFN
Monday, June 18, 2007
Technical Challenges
If you were asked the question: What are the top five future technical challenges that Conservation will be faced with….How would you respond? Could you respond comfortably and confidently? Likely those are expectations of your IT Leadership. Some challenges are probably obvious…those would be the easy ones to identify. I think part of the challenge in this business we’re in is NOT to let the day to day emergencies become your primary technical challenges….if they are, something is amiss.
GCN states from a recent poll that the top five future technical challenges from the government orgs were: (current challenges listed in parentheses)
1) Compliance with security directives (same)
2) Data quality (same)
3) Infrastructure & Software Security (Disaster Recovery)
4) Data Management (Infrastructure & Software Security)
5) Disaster Recovery (Data Management)
Do any of these sound familiar? They should…..I would offer that all five of the current and future challenges are very much our concerns also. Perhaps we’ve not done a good enough job of tying the work priorities/objective and budget into a short crisp word or two like the above….but our project list, budget, and work priorities certainly tie directly to this list. I’ll spell a few out with examples to prove the point:
1) Compliance with security directives: our efforts = computer and password policies, screen lockups, documentation of security and processes, etc.
2) Data quality: our efforts = redundant systems, SAN storage, bigger pipes, credential access to data, etc
3) Infrastructure & Software Security: our efforts = internal controls and documentation, “A” account controls, standardization practices, tools to evaluate our code writing, software testing personnel, etc
4) Data Management: our efforts = budget request for Centerra, discussion internal & externally re: data lifecycle management tools, etc
5) Disaster Recovery: our efforts = DR documentation created by the CIO, budget requests for DR hardware, documentation of hard/soft-ware build processes, redundant systems installed, etc.
Now I’ve only listed the first few off the top of my head…I guarantee there are many, many more examples. So what’s the point? The point I’m trying to make is that we have a pretty good IT Team in place. We are looking at the future while trying to address the current. We are addressing many of the common issues, we are looking down the road, we are being proactive when and where possible. Are we there yet…..No….but we’re not just sitting on our hands watching the world pass us by. We are trying to address immediate customer concerns, while trying to be visionary and seeing what issues lay in road ahead.
I’m encouraged to read articles like this…and to know we have solutions in place to help this Agency deal with many of them…in some cases, without our customers evening knowing it’s an issue. That’s part of the value we have by employing quality technical staff who understand the business of Conservation. Our work isn’t finished as we must continue to build upon the foundation established by others before us. We must continue to address current wants/needs in a timely fashion, but we must place even more emphasis on visioning, strategic positioning, and costing advantages that technology can bring to Conservation.
TAFN
GCN states from a recent poll that the top five future technical challenges from the government orgs were: (current challenges listed in parentheses)
1) Compliance with security directives (same)
2) Data quality (same)
3) Infrastructure & Software Security (Disaster Recovery)
4) Data Management (Infrastructure & Software Security)
5) Disaster Recovery (Data Management)
Do any of these sound familiar? They should…..I would offer that all five of the current and future challenges are very much our concerns also. Perhaps we’ve not done a good enough job of tying the work priorities/objective and budget into a short crisp word or two like the above….but our project list, budget, and work priorities certainly tie directly to this list. I’ll spell a few out with examples to prove the point:
1) Compliance with security directives: our efforts = computer and password policies, screen lockups, documentation of security and processes, etc.
2) Data quality: our efforts = redundant systems, SAN storage, bigger pipes, credential access to data, etc
3) Infrastructure & Software Security: our efforts = internal controls and documentation, “A” account controls, standardization practices, tools to evaluate our code writing, software testing personnel, etc
4) Data Management: our efforts = budget request for Centerra, discussion internal & externally re: data lifecycle management tools, etc
5) Disaster Recovery: our efforts = DR documentation created by the CIO, budget requests for DR hardware, documentation of hard/soft-ware build processes, redundant systems installed, etc.
Now I’ve only listed the first few off the top of my head…I guarantee there are many, many more examples. So what’s the point? The point I’m trying to make is that we have a pretty good IT Team in place. We are looking at the future while trying to address the current. We are addressing many of the common issues, we are looking down the road, we are being proactive when and where possible. Are we there yet…..No….but we’re not just sitting on our hands watching the world pass us by. We are trying to address immediate customer concerns, while trying to be visionary and seeing what issues lay in road ahead.
I’m encouraged to read articles like this…and to know we have solutions in place to help this Agency deal with many of them…in some cases, without our customers evening knowing it’s an issue. That’s part of the value we have by employing quality technical staff who understand the business of Conservation. Our work isn’t finished as we must continue to build upon the foundation established by others before us. We must continue to address current wants/needs in a timely fashion, but we must place even more emphasis on visioning, strategic positioning, and costing advantages that technology can bring to Conservation.
TAFN
Friday, June 15, 2007
-3 of the Top 4-
Happy Father’s Day!
Pardon the personalization of the message today, but events in my life dictate that to some extent. This weekend will mark days in my life which reflect two of the four (number 2 and 3 in fact) most absolute greatest blessings in my life…Wedding Anniversary and Father’s Day. Later this year, another milestone and blessing that I rank fourth in my life is the date marking my 25 years of service within Conservation work. Some didn’t think my marriage would last (there will always be nay-sayers) and I’d bet there were a number who didn’t think I would make it very long working here either.
During the entire time I’ve spent preparing for and reflecting on my anniversary, (ok for the past hour…), I got a little sentimental and thought about how blessed I was to have the woman I do and how she has given me (us) the two most precious gifts in the world (our daughters). Certainly not everything in our marriage or in raising our children can be characterized as being “easy”…but I can honestly tell you it is worth the effort. I spent some time thinking about how long we’ve been married (23yrs, yes Dear, I remembered), but even more…how long we’ve known each other…how long we’ve shared similar thoughts, ideas, beliefs… We were exposed to one another at a relatively young age and have shared common habitat (Stover) and proceeded along similar directions (HS->College->Profession…etc). We have worked very hard to try to be successful in everything we do…we are willing to put forth the effort because we believe the mission! I do what I can to make her better…to compliment her life…to show her—that she made the right choice!
Perhaps it’s the ADD or can be attributed to my ADHD, it’s your call…but during my reflections, I thought of some similarities between my “personal” life and my professional one. It occurred to me…that the similarities were great. The core principles were the same. I haven’t known “Conservation” my entire life, but we were exposed to one another at a relatively early age… We shared many of the same interests…. We have grown through the past 25 years… We have both become bigger, stronger, more educated… In essence, we both chose each other too. I decided I wanted to work for Conservation and they in turn decided I was worth the time also.
There have been some bumps in the road for both of “us”…it’s not always been easy. But we are both committed to ensuring success and that my friends’ is what sets “us” apart from the average run of the mill situation. The commitment—the dedication—the desire to do what it take. Both, I think, understanding that there will be some rough times but both willing to endure those times because we recognize that because of those efforts the outcome will be beneficial. Certainly a lot of similarities between my marriage and my work….
I wonder how many of you view your work in that respect. Do you consider it a commitment? Are you willing to “do what it takes” to strengthen that relationship. Do you care enough about what you do and who you work for to put forth that extra effort?
My thinking about my personal life AND my professional one is that if it’s worth doing it’s worth doing right…. That’s the commitment needed to make ANYTHING a success. Take a look at yourself…evaluate where you are…are you giving it your ALL? If so….you are WELCOME on this bus. If not, figure out why and fix it, because the bus has a schedule and seldom waits for anyone….
No one ever promised me when I joined the Conservation ranks that it would be easy, but it was obvious to me that there were many rewards awaiting, if I chose to invest the time and the effort…..hmmmm kind of like---marriage and children….
TAFN
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Knowledge Management
“Knowledge management is about asking yourself: Who has done this before? Who can I collaborate with? Who needs to know this? Where can I post this so that someone can use it when they need it?” (David Wennergren DOD Dep CIO) Wikipedia defines Knowledge Management as: comprises a range of practices used by organizations to identify, create, represent, and distribute knowledge for reuse, awareness and learning.Seems to me there is some value to ensuring we have a good knowledge management system in place. Where else can a better example be thought of where knowledge is key to success than right here in the IT world? We use internal and external knowledge to solve complex problems on a daily basis…that knowledge is typically organized and presented in a way that it can be found and utilized. Why should our entire Organization think of it any differently? Knowledge exists in every single corner of this organization and just imagine how valuable some of that information is…..
There have been lifetimes spent within this organization finding answers/solutions to resource management issues…..shouldn’t this information be available for the new kid fresh out of College beginning his work for us? Imagine how much further ahead of the game he will be armed with the knowledge that took someone else 20 years to figure out. That, my friends, is of value!
Playing off of a current playing commercial …..Information is critical…..having ready access to it in a format easily understood is….Priceless! Information drives our world and some current, but certainly most future, employees will expect the tools to be in place to help them retrieve that information. Well, this is where I see IT fitting in once again….we should be providing the tools for that information retrieval…or at least putting the requests in for those tools.
I believe we are making inroads into that arena. We currently have some of the tools in place to assist with a reasonable Knowledge Management system….we have Sharepoint, we have the Intranet, and other tools. I believe there is a growing interest amongst current employees to use those tools to store some of the knowledge. We must continue to grow the technology to facilitate that maturing process. Some keys to that success include: IDF; a document management system (complete lifecycle management); I believe improved collaboration software will help (Exchange, Office `07, Sharepoint `07, IM, etc); and certainly an educated technical staff on the tools will only help improve the odds of success.
While we may still be in the infancy in fully understanding and implementing this concept, we are heading in the right direction. Keep thinking about ways we can present information that is of value to those we work with and those we serve (Conservation Supporters). We owe that to those who put in the effort to create the information as well as to those that will follow that will benefit from having it readily available.
TAFN
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Purge the Mundane...
I’ve been vocalizing for some time now about the need for change within our IT Group. I’ve also thrown out some suggestions/ideas of where we should be going as a Technology Services group and even why or how that would add value to Conservation. Ran across an article by Michael H. Hugos that puts some of the things I’ve been talking about into a pretty clear perspective.
He writes: “The IT groups that remain within companies will change their focus from data center operations to the design, construction and constant adjustment of systems that meet ever-changing business conditions. The value of IT groups within most companies will no longer be measured by how well they operate information technology but by how well they combine technology with business processes to create a stream of responsive and profitable products and services for their companies’ customers.”
Farfetched? Pipe dream? I don’t think so….I believe the writing is on the wall—in that technology employees must learn the business…understand the processes that drive the organization. Otherwise we need to relegate our future to total reactionary practices as other business units will be driving the technology they want/NEED down our throat. We’ve seen examples of that pushing already within our Organization….others are doing our research & development and asking for specific technology. We must change for face extinction or be relegated to basement vault. While being exposed to outside (of IT) suggestions is NOT necessarily a bad thing…we need to be in the foreground in researching, investigating, developing NEW technology solutions that move Conservation forward.
If you read Michael’s article, he goes on and describes other scenarios that I believe are critically important for us to consider also. For years, “outsourcing” was the bane amongst IT Staffers….the tide has turned and like it or not, organizations must do what is right for the business. They must be looking for costing advantages, productivity and efficiency gains, and ways to be more responsive. Looking at offloading run of the mill tasks within an IT group may be the perfect opportunity to gain back some valuable time from an IT Staff. That time can then be spent working on new ideas, new approaches, and new technology that continue to add value to the org.
I don’t believe total outsourcing is of immediate value to this Organization. But, we owe it to the folks we work for, to find ways to continue to “do more with less.” If we ignore that challenge we only provide more fodder for those who would believe outsourcing is the less expensive and best solution. We need to become more educated on the value that some offloading can provide. We should be investigating and recommending those opportunities to free up some of our time to work on more important tasks…..
TAFN
He writes: “The IT groups that remain within companies will change their focus from data center operations to the design, construction and constant adjustment of systems that meet ever-changing business conditions. The value of IT groups within most companies will no longer be measured by how well they operate information technology but by how well they combine technology with business processes to create a stream of responsive and profitable products and services for their companies’ customers.”
Farfetched? Pipe dream? I don’t think so….I believe the writing is on the wall—in that technology employees must learn the business…understand the processes that drive the organization. Otherwise we need to relegate our future to total reactionary practices as other business units will be driving the technology they want/NEED down our throat. We’ve seen examples of that pushing already within our Organization….others are doing our research & development and asking for specific technology. We must change for face extinction or be relegated to basement vault. While being exposed to outside (of IT) suggestions is NOT necessarily a bad thing…we need to be in the foreground in researching, investigating, developing NEW technology solutions that move Conservation forward.
If you read Michael’s article, he goes on and describes other scenarios that I believe are critically important for us to consider also. For years, “outsourcing” was the bane amongst IT Staffers….the tide has turned and like it or not, organizations must do what is right for the business. They must be looking for costing advantages, productivity and efficiency gains, and ways to be more responsive. Looking at offloading run of the mill tasks within an IT group may be the perfect opportunity to gain back some valuable time from an IT Staff. That time can then be spent working on new ideas, new approaches, and new technology that continue to add value to the org.
I don’t believe total outsourcing is of immediate value to this Organization. But, we owe it to the folks we work for, to find ways to continue to “do more with less.” If we ignore that challenge we only provide more fodder for those who would believe outsourcing is the less expensive and best solution. We need to become more educated on the value that some offloading can provide. We should be investigating and recommending those opportunities to free up some of our time to work on more important tasks…..
TAFN
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
“Real change opens doors.”
Just read an article by Steve Duplessie on the Enterprise Strategy Group web site. I think this guy hits the nail on the head as he talks about business process and its effects on the costing structure of an organization. If you have the time, I’d encourage you to read the enter article.
This particular article uses an orgs IT Test and Development process as an example of how things are not done efficiently. I do see a few similarities…. While the power and cooling savings are a consideration my main interest was in the process itself and how broken that seems to be. The process exudes non-efficiencies which translate into loss of revenue or the wasting of operating capital better invested elsewhere.
As a member of the Application Development Group, I can vouch that we will be looking more closely at this process internally and trying to figure out ways to improve it. Hmmmm sure like the sound of “Data Repurpose Policy”…..food for thought.
TAFN
This particular article uses an orgs IT Test and Development process as an example of how things are not done efficiently. I do see a few similarities…. While the power and cooling savings are a consideration my main interest was in the process itself and how broken that seems to be. The process exudes non-efficiencies which translate into loss of revenue or the wasting of operating capital better invested elsewhere.
As a member of the Application Development Group, I can vouch that we will be looking more closely at this process internally and trying to figure out ways to improve it. Hmmmm sure like the sound of “Data Repurpose Policy”…..food for thought.
TAFN
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sitting in Church on Sunday morning listening to the Pastor’s Sermon, a thought occurred to me. Our workplace wasn’t much different from the points he was trying to make in the Sermon. The Pastor’s topic was on “Submission.” He offered that all too often the word submission is viewed in a negative context. He presented a simple definition of the word as: “under the mission/control of another.” He related one story of when discussing marital plans with new couples, he often asks then to define submission. Again, he emphasized that the replies by these couples were mostly negative of the word and its meaning. Dictionary.com defines submission as: “the act or instance of submitting;” in turn submit defined is: “to give over or yield to the power or authority of another.” 
Pastor suggested a different take on the word---He offered that when you submit to someone/thing you care greatly for (love), you are more open to creating the best possible experience. You have the opportunity to learn and experience things on a deeper level…because “you’ve checked your pride at the door.” If you practice submission in a positive sense it IS something positive. Most of us experience and practice submission (the act of submitting) in a positive sense at least occasionally in our marriage. There are times we recognize that for the good of the marriage, it is best to submit/yield to the desires of the other---the negative view would be to “give in.” Yet, this give and take is a positive….it is a growth experience for both.
So my revelation? I took notes during the Sermon for the first time in quite a while. Some of the notes I’ll share in short snippets:
1) “In a work environment we (employees) are submitting to the direction of the company…we are following their lead, their direction.” This isn’t negative either---if fact is can be quite positive. In a work place setting, following the direction of others is common and typical.
2) “Team effort is required in any relationship.” It’s the common goal thing all over again. We all share a common interest here….whether it the love of wildlife, rivers, or another aspect of natural resources….or even the attraction of things IT related. That is our common bond.
3) “On any Team, the art of submission is practiced.” “On any highly successful team, the art of submission is refined…” Meaning that the most successful teams are some the best at knowing when to acquiesce to others at the appropriate times. Everyone has a role to play and they have the mature ability to recognize the fact and how it will help move the Team forward….no matter what the Teams mission is.
4) and the final note I’ll share: “Once the bigger Mission is recognized the value to MDC and to the resource will benefit much more…It’s not about IT, it’s about Conservation.” IT is but one member of this bigger Conservation team…
I guess my way of thinking about what Pastor was saying (aside from my Faith) and how those words tied to a work place is that submission is NOT a bad thing. In fact just the opposite, it is required of all SUCCESSFUL TEAMS. No Team is successful due only to one team member…NONE. Information Technology Staff as a whole is but one Team member on the Conservation Team. We are an important team member without a doubt but we still must play within the boundaries established by Leadership. My thought is that by submitting (again a positive thing) to the bigger picture, we actually accomplish something much better than we could ever accomplish alone. We must focus on the goals of Conservation and provide technology solutions that are good for it...not just technology solutions that are good for IT. While our individual pride would sometimes lead us to take a different course….it is the greater good that we need to look out for and strive for. We must evaluate our interests, our motives and put them to the test of comparing to how does this technology move Conservation forward...or lets be sure to look at new technologies with that thought in mind.
Individualism is and will continue to be rewarded…it has a role to play; but more importantly so does the Team concept….the efforts put forth to grow the team…to further the cause---the mission. This is where the real value of our efforts comes into play. Working as a team, giving when that’s the best course of action and standing firm when that is required too. It’s about maturity and I would offer that the ultimate sign of maturity and devotion is that of submission….
TAFN
Pastor suggested a different take on the word---He offered that when you submit to someone/thing you care greatly for (love), you are more open to creating the best possible experience. You have the opportunity to learn and experience things on a deeper level…because “you’ve checked your pride at the door.” If you practice submission in a positive sense it IS something positive. Most of us experience and practice submission (the act of submitting) in a positive sense at least occasionally in our marriage. There are times we recognize that for the good of the marriage, it is best to submit/yield to the desires of the other---the negative view would be to “give in.” Yet, this give and take is a positive….it is a growth experience for both.So my revelation? I took notes during the Sermon for the first time in quite a while. Some of the notes I’ll share in short snippets:
1) “In a work environment we (employees) are submitting to the direction of the company…we are following their lead, their direction.” This isn’t negative either---if fact is can be quite positive. In a work place setting, following the direction of others is common and typical.
2) “Team effort is required in any relationship.” It’s the common goal thing all over again. We all share a common interest here….whether it the love of wildlife, rivers, or another aspect of natural resources….or even the attraction of things IT related. That is our common bond.
3) “On any Team, the art of submission is practiced.” “On any highly successful team, the art of submission is refined…” Meaning that the most successful teams are some the best at knowing when to acquiesce to others at the appropriate times. Everyone has a role to play and they have the mature ability to recognize the fact and how it will help move the Team forward….no matter what the Teams mission is.
4) and the final note I’ll share: “Once the bigger Mission is recognized the value to MDC and to the resource will benefit much more…It’s not about IT, it’s about Conservation.” IT is but one member of this bigger Conservation team…
I guess my way of thinking about what Pastor was saying (aside from my Faith) and how those words tied to a work place is that submission is NOT a bad thing. In fact just the opposite, it is required of all SUCCESSFUL TEAMS. No Team is successful due only to one team member…NONE. Information Technology Staff as a whole is but one Team member on the Conservation Team. We are an important team member without a doubt but we still must play within the boundaries established by Leadership. My thought is that by submitting (again a positive thing) to the bigger picture, we actually accomplish something much better than we could ever accomplish alone. We must focus on the goals of Conservation and provide technology solutions that are good for it...not just technology solutions that are good for IT. While our individual pride would sometimes lead us to take a different course….it is the greater good that we need to look out for and strive for. We must evaluate our interests, our motives and put them to the test of comparing to how does this technology move Conservation forward...or lets be sure to look at new technologies with that thought in mind.
Individualism is and will continue to be rewarded…it has a role to play; but more importantly so does the Team concept….the efforts put forth to grow the team…to further the cause---the mission. This is where the real value of our efforts comes into play. Working as a team, giving when that’s the best course of action and standing firm when that is required too. It’s about maturity and I would offer that the ultimate sign of maturity and devotion is that of submission….
TAFN
Thursday, June 7, 2007
...as a child....
"When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things." I Cor. 13 v 11.
As most any parent of a child still residing in the home can tell you, this time of year is busy. As a parent of one High School and one College age child myself, this year has been every bit as busy as any that preceded it. Parenting has been a humbling, exciting, disappointing, and challenging experience at times. Not unlike the world of Technology and for those of us in the IT world. I have compared working in the IT world many times to that of raising children. If you think about it, there are many similarities.
Children begin life almost totally dependent on a parent; Information Technology (as we recognize it today—applications, PC’s, Internet) began in a similar fashion…in that most employees were very dependent on others who knew something about the technology. As the child grew they become a little more self-sufficient, i.e. they can walk and talk; Information Technology grew in favor and was being used by more and more people in the work place and home and becoming a little less dependent on the IT gurus. The child becomes a teenager and while still needing some protection, some guidance, some money, etc, they are beginning to exert a lot of independent thoughts and actions; IT grew to that point also, people used technology in many ways and began to implement some of their own thinking about what tools to use at work and didn’t just follow what the IT staff directed.
If we have done our job as a parent, the child continues to grow and mature and becomes a self sufficient adult. One who is able to walk, talk, THINK, act and survive in the world with much influence from Mom or Dad. While the child still has a very strong bond to their parents, they are not totally dependent upon them for survival. NOW---the question is where is IT in this maturity process? I would offer that Technology as it exists today in our organization has matured to the point of a late teen. It has developed a great deal and is being utilized extensively throughout the organization. There is some independent (contrarian) thinking (teenage trait) that exists, there is some freedom flexing, and there are some direct challenges---all of which I would point us back to the child and what we have or do experience with them.
One of our important IT tasks that we have is to help that “child” grow into a fully functioning, almost completely self sufficient Adult…with the goal of being able to function completely (if possible) all by themselves. Is that possible? Can we implement technology solutions that mimic that scenario? Well honestly I don’t know if we can ever get technology to the point of 100% self-sufficiency. I believe IT Staff will continue to play a critical role in this Agency for the foreseeable future….BUT I do think we can help grow our work force to the point of being much more self-sufficient and less reliant on us for common day to day issues.
I have long professed that our Agency is on the edge of great change….including technology change and workforce change. For many years we have served as “mom and dad” to many staff whose expertise was not understanding technology, but rather resource management and biology. Well, that ship has sailed….the work force coming to us today is much, much more technology educated. They don’t need to be trained on the basics of file folders, storage devices, tools to use, etc…in some cases they bring those ideas/suggestions to us!
The new breed of Conservation Worker requires a different service from IT---more advanced tools, forward thinking, advanced troubleshooting, strategic visioning, etc. They, themselves, can figure out the basics of PC operations, spreadsheet functions, graphics manipulations, file storage, E-mail, etc, etc….they are wanting (and needing) for us to be looking forward, helping with future technologies…the next tool or a tool that helps them even more than the current one. They look to us to know down the barriers in the road ahead of them, i.e.—in many cases they know the value of technology and how to use it…they want us to find ways for them to use that technology where ever they may be, at home, the office or in the field.
Our tasks are numerous of course….we must continue to support an aging workforce that still may require that lower level technical support, but we must also be moving (at a accelerated pace) towards meeting the technology needs of the new breed of worker. What are those needs---look around, if you are paying attention, technology is used in almost every aspect of day to day living. “Speed Passes” at the gas pump, card readers at toll booths, 10MB pipes into homes, Wii game stations, GPS devices in VW’s, RFID tags, etc, etc. The expectation exists for technology to help people do the basic functions….that won’t be any different in the work this Agency does. But the basic functions won’t be enough, we must do more. We must develop new ideas, new ways of tackling and completing the tasks needed to move Conservation forward. It will be expected….check that…..it will be DEMANDED of IT .
TAFN
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Documentation...
Have you heard me preach about the need for documentation enough yet? lol.... Well, hopefully it doesn't come across as preaching necessarily, but nothing has really changed since we placed an emphasis on it a few years ago....the need still exists for it and we are not completely there yet. YES! we have made some great strides towards filling some of the gaps we've had in the past when it comes to documentation...But, we are not there yet.All of you have helped bring our documentation up several layers from where we (and countless others) have been in this business and that is a good thing. While documentation of systems, builds, development, etc may not be on the top of our "want to do" list, it needs to be near the top of "things I will do."
Documentation isn't just something your IT Management Team wants...it is part of the SOP for our world. Best practices call for adequate and through documentation. Auditors clamour and sing praises when it exists....and even IT Techies appreciate it, when a system goes south and it aids in the recovery process. It needs to be just a natural part of the work that each and every one of us do here.
I will placing a higher priority in the coming Fiscal Year on quality documentation and will insist that our IT Managers/Team Leaders address that priority in our work plans for the coming year. Yes, it is that important..... I ask that each of you be thinking of ways in which you can improve our documentation. Where are we weak, what would benefit this group/this Agency if it were documented or perhaps better documented. Are we missing critical documentation---if so, address it or bring it to your Supervisor's attention.
We have many processes and some of which are adequately documented. We have other processes that we fully understand.....today.....that are not well documented. The goal here is to document it well enough that a new person could read it and be able to accomplish the task without much assistance. That's the value of documentation. Perhaps you could think of it as leaving a legacy....
I look forward to moving our documentation up a few more rungs on the ladder this coming fiscal year and helping this group better position ourselves as a critical component to the business of Conservation.
TAFN
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
"The" Future....
Do you think technology is important to the work force of today? This article would indicate that the work our (and others) IT group does is very important…and not just for people who come into the office. This information should also point out a few very specific things to us. The need for technology and the need to provide hardware and software to allow employees anywhere (everywhere) to perform their work is here… Our focus must shift from the give them tools in the office to …give them tools they can access everywhere. I believe we are well on our way to helping with some of the requirements to make this happen. In production or soon to be examples for us: Bigger pipes to haul the load; Clean Access and CSA to allow non-Agency owned hardware access; mobile PC’s (tablets/PDA/Laptops); SharePoint for collaboration and file sharing; the Portal; Web base applications; wireless infrastructure; Live Meeting; plans for Office `07, Instant Messaging and Exchange-----all these are tools preparing/laying the groundwork for such a work force. Believe it or not, there has been considerable thought given to bringing in the tools that enable our work force to be ultra-mobile and perform effectively as “Teleworkers.”
Random happen-stance or planned order….whatever you want to call it—we are positioning our teams to provide the Technical Services required to move this Agency forward. The work performed by all of you on a daily basis helps us to bring this Agency one step closer to being a solidly position organization for the future. Keep the ideas, dedication, and hard work coming and we’ll be there in short order and if done correctly, few will even notice all of the groundwork that has been laid….
TAFN
Monday, June 4, 2007
Idea....ology
Was reading an article Friday night that was talking about new technologies and how they would/could impact the future of businesses and technology itself. One thing they were really touting was the Web-based storage systems that are rapidly developing. Several players in that field that are (will be) competing with the EMC and Hitachi systems in existence today. Part of the thinking encompasses; 1) online storage (web based) and 2) non-proprietary solution (lower cost). Both of which are very attractive for organizations to consider. Biggest downside to date…performance and security---what else is new… So what does this technology mean to us?
Ran across another headline: “Agile development aligns tech, business better. Studies show agile development works, and yet few companies follow its principles.” Hmmmm what does that mean to us?
How about this one….”Social networking: Not IT's problem. Blogs, wikis and user-driven content can get out of hand if not managed by dedicated human resources….For social networking tools to be successful, the buck has to stop somewhere other than IT, according to technology pioneers and experts.” Does this one have any impact on our Organization?
And finally: “Google has released a new Javascript API this morning dubbed Gears that adds offline support for web applications”
I wondered if any of the TS Staff has read any of these articles. Then I wondered further, as to what thought process they might have undergone when/if they had. This line of thinking then lead me to my next question…. When was the last time one of our technical support folks approached me and submitted a thought or idea that tied technology to the work we do here…something they read somewhere, (like the above) or something they experienced somewhere else. I can honestly say, it took me awhile to answer that question. Bottom Line: Not often enough!
While Leadership within an IT org should have thoughts and ideas and they should be
bringing technology solutions to bear….they should not be the only ones on the team to do so! If we rely solely on Leadership to provide that insight and way of thinking, we will miss some valuable opps and we will not be providing the best value to this organization. IF only one or two people come up with all the ideas…then why would they need anyone else? The solutions would likely be narrow in scope and vision. The real benefit is to have the entire TEAM on-board and thinking of ways to move Conservation forward.
I would argue that we did not set out to hire “robots” within this IT group…we hired walking, talking, THINKING people. That is the value you bring to this group! Help us to think about ways technology fits….listen….read…..TALK. Try to understand what impacts that new piece of hardware/software or how a new technology could solve a problem for US. Bring ideas to the forefront, talk to your Managers/Leaders. …. I guarantee they will appreciate the thought and time you’ve invested.
TAFN
Ran across another headline: “Agile development aligns tech, business better. Studies show agile development works, and yet few companies follow its principles.” Hmmmm what does that mean to us?
How about this one….”Social networking: Not IT's problem. Blogs, wikis and user-driven content can get out of hand if not managed by dedicated human resources….For social networking tools to be successful, the buck has to stop somewhere other than IT, according to technology pioneers and experts.” Does this one have any impact on our Organization?
And finally: “Google has released a new Javascript API this morning dubbed Gears that adds offline support for web applications”
I wondered if any of the TS Staff has read any of these articles. Then I wondered further, as to what thought process they might have undergone when/if they had. This line of thinking then lead me to my next question…. When was the last time one of our technical support folks approached me and submitted a thought or idea that tied technology to the work we do here…something they read somewhere, (like the above) or something they experienced somewhere else. I can honestly say, it took me awhile to answer that question. Bottom Line: Not often enough!
While Leadership within an IT org should have thoughts and ideas and they should be
bringing technology solutions to bear….they should not be the only ones on the team to do so! If we rely solely on Leadership to provide that insight and way of thinking, we will miss some valuable opps and we will not be providing the best value to this organization. IF only one or two people come up with all the ideas…then why would they need anyone else? The solutions would likely be narrow in scope and vision. The real benefit is to have the entire TEAM on-board and thinking of ways to move Conservation forward.I would argue that we did not set out to hire “robots” within this IT group…we hired walking, talking, THINKING people. That is the value you bring to this group! Help us to think about ways technology fits….listen….read…..TALK. Try to understand what impacts that new piece of hardware/software or how a new technology could solve a problem for US. Bring ideas to the forefront, talk to your Managers/Leaders. …. I guarantee they will appreciate the thought and time you’ve invested.
TAFN
Friday, June 1, 2007
New Day is Dawning...
Ran across another article that was speaking to IT Professionalism, once again. I'll include the text that hit home with me....
But times have changed, and for the better. The business is now driving the bus and taking IT with it, to more cost-effective, greater fiscal knowledge and accountability, and crating business value from IT-enabled initiatives and innovations. Now we need to bring professionalism to the forefront of the IT makeover.”
“Years ago, IT professionals took pride in their own oddball culture. We were different than the rest of the business professionals. The business needed us and was willing to overlook our quirks if we just continued to make things work and fix them when they were broken. It was good to be the IT king because we owned the data; we could afford to live in our world and occasionally treat the business and our customers irreverently. But this also caused a negative perception of our function---deservedly so.
But times have changed, and for the better. The business is now driving the bus and taking IT with it, to more cost-effective, greater fiscal knowledge and accountability, and crating business value from IT-enabled initiatives and innovations. Now we need to bring professionalism to the forefront of the IT makeover.”
A couple things about the text: 1) It confirms the thinking of many people and how IT employees were viewed in the past,; 2) It speaks to how things have changed and, 3) It mentions my favorite mode of transportation....the ever present "Bus." While the author likely isn't speaking about the "bus" in the same context as Jim Collins does...we can still use the analogy to help us focus on where our future lies.
If indeed, the business (Conservation) is now driving the bus and if we want to be passengers (employees) on the bus, we certainly had better be paying attention to the wants, needs, and direction of the business. We cannot introduce technology just for technology's sake. We cannot expect funding for technology, because "it's the latest,"...we need to be able to make the case for how it moves the business forward. What value does the technology add to Conservation...how does it help people do their job faster or better...does it raise more quail or does it grow more trees, etc.
I believe the entire workforce has become much more educated on technology and the days are gone when the IT person was the absolute sole information source and idea harbinger for technology solutions. We need to adjust our posturing, be nimble, be creative, and be fully prepared to move the business forward by adding value in the ways that the majority can understand and embrace. Cost effective technologies that are not overly complex will be embraced by the masses long before more costly things that are difficult to use. ....seems so common sense-ish....
So how do we become the "new breed" of IT employee? (...for 
those of us who may not be just yet...) We need to pay attention to business needs, developments and trends. We must be better fiscal agents...we must understand ROI and be able to demonstrate in a manner that is easily understood. We must be well rounded--educationally--have an understanding of the business drivers within Conservation. We must understand the business fully in order to recommend/secure/provide the best technical solutions. Bottom line, we need to grow in every aspect.
those of us who may not be just yet...) We need to pay attention to business needs, developments and trends. We must be better fiscal agents...we must understand ROI and be able to demonstrate in a manner that is easily understood. We must be well rounded--educationally--have an understanding of the business drivers within Conservation. We must understand the business fully in order to recommend/secure/provide the best technical solutions. Bottom line, we need to grow in every aspect. To borrow a term being used extensively in our org---the "Next Gen" of IT employee will have the skill sets of many: business training, management training, resource training and of course solid technical training...and the ability to see the big picture. Are you positioning yourself today to become that type of value added employee? I sure hope so! Not sure if you are or where you are short...let's talk about it...
TAFN...
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