Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Friday, February 9, 2007
The Implied Trust Between IT and the Business
Sometimes I think the we've lost the implied trust that should exist between the business and IT. I found myself falling into that trap today as I fought the business over how many production application changes my group would do per week. It doesn't take many times of someone "crying Wolfe' (I spelled it Wolfe in tribute to an appropriately named Sr. Manger that was prone to last minute requests of IT), before one becomes jaded to the notion of "emergency, mission critical, client demanded work".
I suppose a healthy amount of checks and balances should exist, but when that check and balance turns from implied trust to implied distrust, I think we all lose. But because some are prone to overstate their needs for "special" treatment", I think we get into the mode of thinking all requests for special treatment are bogus.
In my particular case, the business wants the option of deploying web changes to our public facing web sites everyday, and at the same time does not want to take downtime during normal business hours. This put a large burden on the staff that "turns over" this code. And unfortunately more than a few times, the business folks that want these emergency changes have given some pretty lame excuses for the emergency. "I've got a date this weekend, so I wanted the change to go into tonight", etc.
I suppose it is understandable then why strigent and draconian measures are often adopted by change managers. But it is sad that we view all emergency changes as falling into the category of poor planning or selfishness. We should be able to trust our business partners, and our business partners should be able to trust their staff. Instead we build barriers based on mutual implied mistrust of each other, which leads to resentment and anger and a whole host of negative unproductive emotions.
I believe the answer is authority and accountability at the lowest level possible. Accountability is key. Authority without accountability is often where we come out though. We, in IT, should be able to trust that the person asking for an urgent change or fix or anything, needs it for a very real business need, and not because of some personal preference or lack of planning. When the trust is broken that person should be held accountable.
All too oftern, however, the Mr. Wolfe's (see reference above) of the world please their bosses and clients by "getting it done at all cost", but damage the organization, because strict and often unreasonable measures are put in place to counteract the behavior. The result everyone gets punished, Mr. Wolfe keeps doing what he's always done, but the organization and the organization's clients suffer in the end.
Let's demand trust from each other, let's get back to a notion of implied trust instead of implied distrust of one another. In the end our customers will be better servers.
until next time....
I suppose a healthy amount of checks and balances should exist, but when that check and balance turns from implied trust to implied distrust, I think we all lose. But because some are prone to overstate their needs for "special" treatment", I think we get into the mode of thinking all requests for special treatment are bogus.
In my particular case, the business wants the option of deploying web changes to our public facing web sites everyday, and at the same time does not want to take downtime during normal business hours. This put a large burden on the staff that "turns over" this code. And unfortunately more than a few times, the business folks that want these emergency changes have given some pretty lame excuses for the emergency. "I've got a date this weekend, so I wanted the change to go into tonight", etc.
I suppose it is understandable then why strigent and draconian measures are often adopted by change managers. But it is sad that we view all emergency changes as falling into the category of poor planning or selfishness. We should be able to trust our business partners, and our business partners should be able to trust their staff. Instead we build barriers based on mutual implied mistrust of each other, which leads to resentment and anger and a whole host of negative unproductive emotions.
I believe the answer is authority and accountability at the lowest level possible. Accountability is key. Authority without accountability is often where we come out though. We, in IT, should be able to trust that the person asking for an urgent change or fix or anything, needs it for a very real business need, and not because of some personal preference or lack of planning. When the trust is broken that person should be held accountable.
All too oftern, however, the Mr. Wolfe's (see reference above) of the world please their bosses and clients by "getting it done at all cost", but damage the organization, because strict and often unreasonable measures are put in place to counteract the behavior. The result everyone gets punished, Mr. Wolfe keeps doing what he's always done, but the organization and the organization's clients suffer in the end.
Let's demand trust from each other, let's get back to a notion of implied trust instead of implied distrust of one another. In the end our customers will be better servers.
until next time....
Thursday, February 8, 2007
IT Changed my Life....Really it did
I know, the name of my blog is probably cheesy sounding, but it is true. Before changing careers in 1999 I never thought I'd love work. I tell this story often, and relayed it to my old boss:
Just before I left Prudential, I got a new boss. He came in and told everyone how much he loved his job; how he was a little sad come Friday because the week was over and how he got excited Sunday night, because the week was about to begin. I thought he was an idiot. How could anyone like work. Now I'm that idiot!!!
Well, once I joined the technology field, I understood where he was coming from, and told him later over lunch. I LOVE going to work. I only wish I'd found this calling earlier in life, when I didn't have any family or civil commitments. I think I would have worked 80 hours a week. As it is now, I have to force myself to go home.
If you're reading this, and think I AM CRAZY, you may want to find another job, really. Life is too short and we spend too much time at work to hate our work. Now don't get me wrong, I get frustrated with work, the people I deal with, the bureaucracy, the short sightedness, etc, but overall I really like leading my group. I attract people that have my same passion, and together we do great things for our company and ourselves.
Here's hoping you love what you do.
till next time....
Just before I left Prudential, I got a new boss. He came in and told everyone how much he loved his job; how he was a little sad come Friday because the week was over and how he got excited Sunday night, because the week was about to begin. I thought he was an idiot. How could anyone like work. Now I'm that idiot!!!
Well, once I joined the technology field, I understood where he was coming from, and told him later over lunch. I LOVE going to work. I only wish I'd found this calling earlier in life, when I didn't have any family or civil commitments. I think I would have worked 80 hours a week. As it is now, I have to force myself to go home.
If you're reading this, and think I AM CRAZY, you may want to find another job, really. Life is too short and we spend too much time at work to hate our work. Now don't get me wrong, I get frustrated with work, the people I deal with, the bureaucracy, the short sightedness, etc, but overall I really like leading my group. I attract people that have my same passion, and together we do great things for our company and ourselves.
Here's hoping you love what you do.
till next time....
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