tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58038675532035889542024-03-13T12:47:19.184+00:00The CIO ScrapbookAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-39772135566625694992016-02-08T08:23:00.001+00:002016-02-08T08:23:21.377+00:00Frightened? Be brave!<div style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Why do we fail? More specifically, what drives professional people to inactivity and a failure to deliver? A valid question when one considers how many times projects fail or are late, or when projected benefits fail to materialise. Perhaps this is most noticeable / measurable in an IT environment, but it is obviously a wider issue than in that one discipline or in a formal project context. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In most cases where failure occurs, these are the kinds of reasons quoted: lack of time; lack of resource (people, money, equipment); lack of direction or clear objectives; lack of skills or knowledge…though the last one can be a little risky to own up to in the modern working world..!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But what if there were another unspoken but legitimate reason? How about fear? What people will rarely say is “I didn’t do it / say it / deliver it because I was afraid”. If we are scared of something, what do we do? Make excuses; avoid making decisions; abdicate responsibility; delegate upwards; blame others… How many of us have succumbed to one of these whilst knowing in our heart-of-hearts what needed to be done or said, or what the answer was?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kids can be great illustrations of this: “I couldn’t do PE because my knee hurt”, instead of: “I didn’t want to do PE because we were having a competition and a) I was going to come last, b) I hate rugby, c) the other boys were going to kick me”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In our professional world, hopefully no-one is going to kick us or make us do press-ups, but there are scenarios where we might - not unreasonably - be afraid:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fear of failure - We will try but, in spite of our best efforts, we will not succeed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fear of ridicule - We will do something that might make us look silly in others’ or our own eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fear of rejection - We find an idea, proposal or suggestion rejected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fear of making decisions - We are nervous that we will actually be held to account for what we decide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fear of going out on a limb - We do not like taking risks, especially when this marks us out from others as ‘different’, as we know ‘different’ can be interpreted in all sorts of negative ways. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All of these 'fears’ can lead to inactivity and thus a failure to achieve at some level or another. The fears listed above are either bad for our self-esteem and how we feel, or bad for our career. There’s an element of self-preservation behind them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, the other key component in all of this - and that which gives any fear context - is the culture in which we work. If the culture is nurturing, encouraging, forgiving etc. then we are more likely to feel protected and supported by it, and thus more likely to be less fearful. If, however, the culture is aggressive, blame-ridden, bullying etc., then this can only increase any degree of fear we might feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How can we overcome such fears? Clearly there is no single answer, because ultimately any fear that exists is our own, unique to us, and intimately bound with our experience and the situations in which we find ourselves. It would be very simple to tell ourselves to “pull up our socks” and to articulate a list of things to which we should aspire: to make a difference; to stand out from the crowd; to embrace risk and change; to communicate better… But, however wise such self-instructions might be, they are of little practical value. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two things we could try though… Firstly, look out for those fearless people who find it easier than you to go out on a limb, try new things, make suggestions. See how they do it. Do they do it well? Are they effective? If so, try and learn from them. Are they approachable? Might they be able to coach or mentor you a little? (And watch out for the people who do these things badly, too. There are lessons there as well!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Secondly; take five minutes to think about a situation from your past where you have wanted to do / say / suggest something but have failed to do so because you were nervous or fearful. Then try and replay the scenario in your mind but with what could have happened had you made that suggestion, or comment, or commitment. How might that have gone - both good and bad. Are there more good than bad scenarios? And for the good ones, how might that have felt? Exciting, perhaps? Exhilarating? Rewarding? Might where you / your company be now a better place as a result?.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If the result of this little exercise gives you just a modicum of comfort or confidence, then watch out for the next time you might find yourself in a similar situation and facing a degree of fear - and perhaps try it out for real! Challenge yourself. You could start with something really small, perhaps insignificant to others and which would be meaningful only to you. But if you can triumph over that fear and do something that makes a difference, then the eventual rewards could be great…</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-90126951683483915082016-02-08T08:20:00.002+00:002016-02-08T08:20:35.082+00:00Save up to 10% of your total IT costs - for sure!<div style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I know, I know. Been there, done that… You had a project to trim IT costs last year, didn’t you? And your company took off 8.9% or 12.6% or something. There was a lot of clapping afterwards. Targets hit! Success! But how are things now? Better or worse? I’d hazard a guess, but then it depends how you want to measure success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whether you did or did not have an IT cost-saving initiative in the recent past, there are very few companies world-wide where it would be impossible to save up to 10% on like-for-like IT costs. Very few.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How so? Because total IT costs are probably greater than you realise. Because we never consider 'the whole'. And because we tackle IT cost-saving initiatives in a 'traditional' way. Actually in the wrong way. In the standard approach we tend to apply Neanderthal methods - and this after we have set our shaky foundations by asking the wrong questions in the first place. Like "What is the IT budget?". That’s not the totality of where you should start.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So where do people typically go wrong? What are the common mistakes? How about these:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s start with the "What is the IT budget?" question. The IT budget is NOT the total cost of your IT. It’s just a convenient sub-set with a suitable label. It ignores the 'non-IT' IT costs: the cost of guerrilla IT, the financial <i>benefits</i> IT can bring, the impact elsewhere of poor processes, the opportunity costs missed through doing IT badly… So, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fundamental Mistake Number 1</span> => the IT budget is $x, therefore 'Success' = 90% of $x.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-size: large;">People - and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fundamental Mistake Number 2</span>. You have 100 people in IT; if we’re saving 10% of cost, then we need to lose 10% of the staff. QED = Redundancy programme. As a default position, complete rubbish. It ignores what people do - and what people could do, and the value they could bring. It ignores the impacts of morale, productivity, organisation etc.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Closely allied to FM<span style="font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; line-height: normal;">⌗</span>1 comes <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fundamental Mistake Number 3</span>: we’ll go to all our Suppliers and tell them we want 10% off their bills - or else! Simple. And being tough makes us feel good too! Against playground bully threats, why should they be inclined to help us?</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Cochin; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-size: large;">A fourth common thread to a cost-saving initiative is to cancel stuff, typically Investments, Programmes and Projects. Never mind if these will eventually deliver financial benefits to the business overall, they are labelled as 'IT costs' not business costs, and therefore are fair game. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fundamental Mistake Number 4</span>: throwing the baby (and potential benefits) out with the proverbial bathwater.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Underlying all of these are a couple of additional core failings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first relates to measurement. A bit like the "What is the IT budget?" question, unless we get the measurement parameters correct up front, then we cannot possibly hope to get an accurate answer out of the back-end. We get an answer, yes - and one that we can probably manipulate to paint whatever picture we choose - but almost certainly not the whole truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the second relates to duration. More often than not cost-savings initiatives are undertaken in too short a timeframe. This is because it is believed an impact is needed now; evidence is needed now; success is needed now; someone needs to look good <span style="text-decoration: underline;">now</span>. Even if it really isn’t success at all…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thus, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fundamental Mistakes Numbers 5 and 6</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the day it doesn’t take a genius to come up with an IT cost savings plan. Just write the first four fundamental mistakes as bullets on a single PowerPoint slide, give it to the IT Director or a Programme Manager, and tell them they’ve got six months to deliver. In fact it definitely doesn’t take a genius to do that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the impact of all this slash and burn? Probably two years later when IT is in an even worse mess, when service is dreadful, when nothing is being delivered, when business people outside of 'formal IT' are going off and doing their own thing even more than before - and when, to put it right, costs twice as much as was 'saved' in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There <span style="text-decoration: underline;">is</span> a different approach. And it’s an approach that involves asking more questions up-front than just "What is the IT budget?". It demands a different way of thinking about IT costs and IT benefits. It needs all Execs and functions in a business to engage collaboratively and to avoid the traditional 'IT is the Bad Guy' approach. And it requires acceptance that you can cut like-for-like total IT costs in ways that might actually <i>increase</i> the 'formal' IT budget or the IT headcount; that you can potentially save money overall by paying a few suppliers <i>more</i>, or by <i>increasing</i> investment and not cutting projects…</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-81635523515770432842015-10-22T15:19:00.000+01:002015-10-22T15:19:05.789+01:00The Alphabet Exercise - a ice-breaker leadership exerciseHere is an idea for an ice-breaker type exercise that you might find of value:<br />
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The Alphabet Exercise</div>
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<i>An exercise used to help people to understand what are the critical leadership attributes that are most important to them.</i></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Intro (5 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Get each person to create an alphabet of leadership attributes that are of most significance / importance to them. One for each letter; minimum of 20. (2 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Collate a group-wide super-set of the attributes chosen by getting people to vocalise what they have written down. (10 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Now get everyone to filter their individual lists to identify the 10 attributes that are the most important to them. (2 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Quick discussion: “How did you find that exercise?” (5 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Now get everyone to filter their individual lists to identify just the most important 3 attributes. (2 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Feedback session getting individuals’ perspectives on their list and collating a new group-wide super-set (on a white board etc.) (15-30 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Open discussion on the super-set. (5-15 minutes)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(49, 72, 100); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Avenir Next'; font-size: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Overall time = 46-71 minutes.</li>
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I have the material in a PowerPoint / Keynote form. If you would like it, just get in touch!<br />
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About the author / copyright.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light'; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;">Currently available for consulting / interim engagements. Please feel free to contact me!</span><br />
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I am <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light'; text-align: justify;">a senior Information Technology professional, passionate about service delivery and people engagement, with wide-ranging experience majoring on transformational change and programme delivery at Director level. Proven track record in managing IT functions, organisational redesign, service improvement, programme and solutions’ delivery, and strategy definition and execution. Accomplished in Customer and Supplier engagement, and with an extremely broad International exposure.</span><br />
Amazon page: <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1</a>Management blog: <a data-mce-href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk" href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk</a>This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2015. All rights reserved.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-19468241426272458982015-10-21T14:21:00.000+01:002015-10-21T14:23:23.133+01:00How to move from Chaos to Simplicity...<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
All too often we can be so beset by things that, to use a well-worn phrase, “We can’t see the wood for the trees”. Often the scale of our problem is not simply in an inability to distinguish timber, but also in that a great deal of it appears to be on fire! In any walk of life - professional or domestic - such situations can be overwhelming.</div>
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If we were to seek them, helpful words of advice would be abundant, and some more helpful than others: “Pull your socks up!” - a little demeaning; “Get a grip!” - a little too dismissive; “Focus!” - what else?!</div>
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But recognition of the true situation <em>is</em> the first key step - but then so is the final one, that state to which you are trying to aspire. On this journey from where we are to where we want to be - from ‘Chaos’ to ‘Simplicity’ - there are two other logical steps; Order and Completion. The secret of the journey from the dark to the light encompasses these four steps, and there are worst ways to navigate from an unwelcome and unhealthy situation than to use these as your guideposts.</div>
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<strong>Chaos</strong>: The situation where something is essentially out of control, non-optimal, impossible to predict, manage and steer. This is where you are and where you no longer wish to be. And to move ahead, something has to change. Remember the definition of lunacy? Doing the same things over and over again, yet expecting a different outcome…</div>
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<strong>Order</strong>: The situation where there are some controls in place; where we can measure and prioritise. We may not necessarily be doing the ‘right’ things at this stage, but at least we have established control of what we are doing.</div>
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<strong>Completion</strong>: The situation where things get sorted and finished, and where we begin to thin out the trees in our metaphorical wood. Of course completion can lead to the spawning of new things, initiatives, projects and so forth - but this will happen on our terms because we have established control.</div>
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<strong>Simplification</strong>: The situation where we have attained our ‘to be’ goal. We are no longer standing in a burning forest, but rather overseeing a well-managed, neatly laid out plantation; and where we can look forward to planting those new saplings with confidence.</div>
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Perhaps this is not particularly radical, but then common sense most often is not. Recognising the situation and the potential journey to be undertaken is at the heart of the battle. </div>
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How do you get from Chaos to Simplicity? What it involves <em>is</em> focus - and probably ‘getting a grip’, the ‘pulling up of socks’, taking ‘baby steps’ and so on. It also demands clarity of thought, the bravery to prioritise and to tackle a small number of burning trees at a time rather than the whole forest.</div>
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There are tools to help on the journey, inevitably, but perhaps one of the key ones is the ability to plan - and to plan appropriately. There is a symbiosis between the Chaos to Simplicity journey, and the planning approach I have suggested in a previous post [<a href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/plan-ahead-yes-but-how-far-can-you.html" target="_blank">Plan ahead, yes - but how far can you actually see?</a>].</div>
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<strong>Chaos</strong> = What you <em>can</em> see now.</div>
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<strong>Order</strong> = What you <em>expect</em> to see next.</div>
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<strong>Completion</strong> = What you <em>think</em> you will see after that.</div>
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<strong>Simplification</strong> = What you <em>hope</em> to see in the end.</div>
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Try it. Think of one thing that for you represents chaos right now. Write it down - just one line or phrase to describe it. What it would need to look like to be under control? Again, note just one line or phrase. Then how might completion be manifest? And finally, how would you hope the simplified end-game appeared?</div>
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If you can do this, then you have the basic DNA of your plan. You can now plan forward from where you are (and there are probably things you simply must do now! What do you need to do to bring Order etc.?). And don’t be afraid to work backwards a little from the end-game too - otherwise you run the risk of being totally constrained by your present situation i.e. you may put the fires out, but never leave the wood!</div>
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Whichever route or method you choose to take to escape the burning forest, devising a pragmatic, planned, measurable approach is fundamental. As is doing something different. Don’t fall into the trap of lunacy - be brave and make a change!</div>
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About the author / copyright</div>
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Amazon page: <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1</a></div>
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Management blog: <a data-mce-href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk" href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
This material (text and photograph) is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2015. All rights reserved.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-64232656535692207952015-10-21T14:19:00.000+01:002015-10-21T14:19:00.332+01:00Plan ahead, yes - but how far can you actually see?!<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
I once drove across Indiana. At one point the land was so flat and the weather so clear, I swear I could see the curvature of the Earth on the horizon. I have also driven in less clement weather in the Alps. The way the roads turned then, you were lucky to see 100m in front of you!</div>
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In terms of mapping out the road ahead, business can be a bit like that - though more often closer to the Alps than Indiana in terms of visibility! Yet why is it, when faced with such a variety of commercial terrain, we persist in planning for the mid-term under almost any circumstance?</div>
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Using the visible horizon as the extent of what I could reasonably foresee, my US drive would have allowed me to plan for the next several hours with a high degree of confidence; but in the Alps, I didn’t even know what was around the next corner!</div>
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Businesses - and especially ‘projects’ - spend an awful lot of time planning. Some plans at the strategic level are of necessity longer-term, aspirational, more vague; a bit like saying that once we’d made it through the Alps our goal is to eventually get to Milano. But the vast majority are focussed on specific outcomes or deliverables; quite naturally, they attempt to define the who/what/when of those outcomes. However, often these plans are created without any reference to how far we can actually <em>see</em>. They attempt to predict activities and results miles into the future, and we kid ourselves that because the plan ‘looks right’, then it is a fair representation of the future and one accurate enough to navigate and <em>be measured</em> by.</div>
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All too often, however, we need to re-plan because we haven’t hit the dates in our original schedule. Sometimes this will be down to forces outside of our control, but often it will be because the plan was never achievable in the first place. We’ve planned as if we were driving across Indiana and not about to tackle another twisting mountain road in Europe. Claims that a project has ‘failed’ often misrepresent the truth; the planning may have failed, not the project. I’m sorry, but a constant 65 mph just isn’t possible heading south on the SS33 towards Italy…</div>
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Where we have a choice, what should we do? Obviously you need to apply valid context and goals to this. Some objectives will lend themselves to supremely low-levels of planning detail - but most will not. The key is to try and make as much of your plan about the achievement of real and tangible things; things you can see or touch. Time frames will vary too; many of us will have seen the 30-, 60-, 100-days type plan from a new Exec. Whichever approach you take has to be appropriate and work for you, but the scenarios will in most cases by broadly the same: </div>
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<strong>Define what you <em>can</em> see ahead of you </strong><strong>now</strong><strong> - </strong>and focus on the key deliverables at the edge of your horizon, mapping out all the tangible and relevant steps in between. If these become increasingly subject to assumptions, risks, constraints and such like, then are they truly on your immediate horizon?</div>
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<strong>Define what you <em>expect</em> to see </strong><strong>next</strong><strong> - </strong>and concentrate on what the next large deliverables should subsequently be (clue: these will be just over the edge of your current horizon; those things about which you cannot be certain, where risks, assumptions etc. are playing a major role). Spend less time mapping out the individual steps here. As this time frame shifts from what you can <em>expect</em> to see to what you can <em>actually</em> see, then you can build the detail i.e. when the horizon shifts sufficiently to clearly include them.</div>
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<strong>Define what you <em>think</em> you will see </strong><strong>after that</strong><strong> - </strong>and outline only the major things you expect to deliver at that point (perhaps the 100-day goals in the 30-60-100 example). There is little point putting too much detail in at this stage; as the horizon shifts, the deliverables will gain greater focus as they come towards you.</div>
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<strong>Define what you <em>hope</em> to see </strong><strong>in the end</strong><strong> - </strong>and in many cases this may end up being the ‘single big thing’ that you need to achieve: cost saving, greater efficiency, a new product, double-digit growth etc. Here there is almost no truly detailed planning needed.</div>
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By taking this horizon-based, tree-like planning approach, you can align your plan in accordance with what you can ‘see’, ensuring that you make the most of your precious planning time and deliver a plan that is suitably realistic. And as time shifts, so does your horizon; this makes the plan a constantly moving, living thing - and not just in terms of tracking progress against a fixed set of tasks. It can never be a one-off. Risks change; assumptions are proven true or false; constraints fall away or new ones arise. You plan should reflect all of that.</div>
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At the end of the day, planning is like budgeting (which is essentially a plan for cash); it’s just a snapshot in time, and something, when produced, that is almost immediately wrong. </div>
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*</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
About the author / copyright</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
Amazon page: <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
Management blog: <a data-mce-href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk" href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
This material (text and photograph) is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2015. All rights reserved.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-54465269465154509682015-09-11T13:42:00.000+01:002015-09-11T13:42:14.874+01:00“Think-Build-Run” - and Insource or Outsource?<div style="font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For some people the concept of splitting an IT function into logical components of “Think” (or “Plan”), “Build” and “Run” will be nothing more than a fashion statement. There will also be those who are, for personal or philosophical reasons, totally opposed to the concept. For many, especially where the IT function is small, achieving such a delineation may be impossible given an absence of critical mass in one or all areas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yet for others, “Think - Build - Run” will be a logical move, allowing a sharper degree of focus for them, their people, and their business; giving them the chance to drive up quality and drive down cost. It will be, more or less, the IT equivalent of an efficient production line paralleled with some kind of interpretation of ‘Lean’. For these people, likely to be in larger organisations with larger IT functions, it might simply be ‘the right thing to do’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For those that adopt T-B-R, there is often a follow-on question when looking at the organisational shift to the new model: Insource or Outsource? Whilst this question is, for CEOs and CIOs always there in the background anyway, T-B-R can throw it further into the spotlight, especially if there is a working assumption that the “Run” part is more or less akin to commoditised computing services. And make no mistake, much of it is. But there is a danger in falling for a too simplistic view of the world. Many people might draw an equation between T-B-R and Insource/Outsource in the following way:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yFhlw69jw5XIaDcEia9EM-Hd9pG65zJ2mbxXq0ElBWaiiq_3rSTa8gMgJ0OskVzz2hUdc9y4c2CZ0V4q13Nn5ECFpXSlQ9bCpJNDGU2q-VQNV7xVaLd9lQppEqd5j9FAUHFsLmt600o/s1600/T-B-R+In+vs+Out+v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yFhlw69jw5XIaDcEia9EM-Hd9pG65zJ2mbxXq0ElBWaiiq_3rSTa8gMgJ0OskVzz2hUdc9y4c2CZ0V4q13Nn5ECFpXSlQ9bCpJNDGU2q-VQNV7xVaLd9lQppEqd5j9FAUHFsLmt600o/s400/T-B-R+In+vs+Out+v1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But not only is this a lazy interpretation, it is also flawed. The true line of transformation we should be looking at is something like this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9762XSnfdkOOGuHd1Rl-WKe3_W2IJFy-qfsjcGFdW2BaRAknJEz3PbIECopHKkgKfCzUPkxpFYAPaFQoTjzdFYCSJIMMdid-YW0Kusbqpek8KnkwtfyyPWyQW5v4LTm9ICwr78DfoCFI/s1600/T-B-R+In+vs+Out+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9762XSnfdkOOGuHd1Rl-WKe3_W2IJFy-qfsjcGFdW2BaRAknJEz3PbIECopHKkgKfCzUPkxpFYAPaFQoTjzdFYCSJIMMdid-YW0Kusbqpek8KnkwtfyyPWyQW5v4LTm9ICwr78DfoCFI/s400/T-B-R+In+vs+Out+v2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And why is that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 - Because you should <i>never</i> outsource very much of your “Think” activity. This is the area where you are closer to the business, where the relationships between IT and its Customers are most critical, and where in-house expertise can add the most value. If you can truly add differentiating competitive advantage to your organisation as an IT function, then in “Think” is where you will do so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 - Because, whether we like it or not, a large proportion of the ‘systems’ IT functions “Build” is likely to be unique to that organisation. Either they are bespoke, one-off solutions, or they are customised versions of commercial software offerings - and sometimes <i>very</i> customised! (And don’t forget all the Excel Warriors..!) It is only when you start to get to homogenous, non-differentiating, more ‘vanilla’ kinds of solution that a greater degree of outsourcing begins to make more sense (and Software as a Service [SaaS] can play a role here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3 - Because you should never outsource <i>all</i> of “Run”. Even if it is only the management layer that you retain, responsibility for the service still resides in-house, and CIOs need people on their teams who hold that passion and accountability. Again the question of the service being truly commoditised comes to the fore, as do things like scale, practicality etc. There are some elements of “Run” that you simply will not be able to do as well as a third party provider (or at all, come to that: think of networks…), but there may be others where there is enough local differentiation to suggest that keeping it in-house just makes sense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, other factors come into the equation such as cost differentials and arbitrage, the overall size and philosophy of the company as a whole, appetite, previous experience, in-house expertise and talent, and so on. And the feast is a moving one too, with ‘Cloud’ becoming ever more mature, and the whole notion of Bimodal ’Mode 1’ / ‘Mode 2’ projects adding another new dimension to the mix.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Inevitably the equation is a very complex one, and to which the solution is rarely simple.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-84191992371023322492015-09-06T15:07:00.000+01:002015-09-06T15:07:10.883+01:00Being Agile...<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
Fashion is everywhere. Fashion introduces new things to us - and recycles the old! Fashion creates product and demand; it generates sales and profit; it breeds need. Even in Information Technology, we love fashion. It gives us the opportunity to create new notions and processes; it is a natural bedfellow with the rapid changes in technology that we are now seeing, inventing new ways to use those technologies and creating new ‘products’ from them.</div>
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Yet what we actually do in IT is the same as ever: we teach machines (computers, now of various favours including mobile phones) to take the data we give them and then manipulate and store that data for future processing (more manipulation) or reporting. Occasionally the data is used to control other things, like traffic lights or machinery - or even spaceships and cars! </div>
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Ensuring that we do a good job in building the systems that make those manipulations effective, IT professionals have always invented rules and processes around the development cycle in order to try and make the end product as good as it can be. As technology moves on and the pace with which development can be carried out quickens, the volume of changes and the speed with which results are needed both increase, and hence new models of development are needed.</div>
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And so we have seen a progression of methodologies like ‘waterfall’ through ‘rapid application development (RAD)’ and on to ‘Agile’, the current IT panacea for this decade it seems.</div>
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<strong><em>Agile</em></strong><em> software </em><strong><em>development</em></strong><em> is a group of software </em><strong><em>development</em></strong><em> methods in which solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary </em><strong><em>development</em></strong><em>, early delivery, continuous improvement, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change. (Wikipedia)</em></div>
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Like many ‘next great things’, Agile will only be as good as the people and organisations that adopt it However, we might be missing a trick here. Should ‘Agile’ not be a state of mind, a philosophy, rather than a methodology or series of formal IT processes? For one thing, if a development team is working in ‘an agile way’ but the rest of IT is not, or the culture of the business as a whole is slow and ponderous, will ‘Agile’ not inevitably fail to deliver as much as it might promise to?</div>
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Take the Wikipedia definition above. The “collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams” requires <em>everyone</em> involved to be able to work in the same way. “Rapid and flexible response to change” needs to be in the DNA or culture of the whole organisation; what’s the point in producing IT systems quickly if their prospective users do not readily embrace change?</div>
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If we think of being ‘Agile’ as being “the answer” and that it relates just to IT software development, then we are deluding ourselves. ‘Agile’ needs to be part of the corporate culture.</div>
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<strong><em>Agile</em></strong><em> is a </em><strong><em>cultural philosophy</em></strong><em> as a result of which </em><strong><em>decisions</em></strong><em>, </em><strong><em>actions</em></strong><em> and </em><strong><em>business solutions</em></strong><em> evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive </em><strong><em>planning</em></strong><em>, evolutionary and incremental </em><strong><em>progress</em></strong><em>, early </em><strong><em>delivery</em></strong><em>, continuous </em><strong><em>improvement</em></strong><em> and the </em><strong><em>elimination of waste</em></strong><em> (in all its forms), effective and prompt </em><strong><em>decision-making</em></strong><em>, and encourages a rapid and flexible response to </em><strong><em>change</em></strong><em>.</em></div>
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OK, I know this version isn’t perfect - but doesn’t it sound much more like the kind of business we would all like to work in?! Isn’t it more inclusive and relevant to <em>all</em> our staff, rather than that minor percentage employed in the rarified world of IT application development? Yes, it might increase risk a little; and yes, it will demand better delegation, more accountability and so forth. But in the end, those are probably good things - and any negatives should be outweighed by overall commercial benefits.</div>
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And I expect each of us can think of real, every-day examples of where being ‘Agile’ can bring true improvement - in bottom-line, morale, responsiveness etc.</div>
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Why not change the format and content of that monthly departmental meeting so that we can focus on just the critical points and get through it in an hour instead of the four hours it currently takes?</div>
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Why not reduce the number of people needed to take a decision to those who are <em>really</em> affected by it so that the decision is made more <strong>quickly</strong>? And why not make decisions when a) you have 80% of the data needed rather than search for the 100%, or b) when everyone <em>knows</em> what the ‘right’ answer is anyway?!</div>
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Why not redesign our organisations to facilitate teams whose <em>sole</em> purpose is rapid response or firefighting?</div>
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Why not cull the hundreds of documents and reports we produce and focus on the very few we actually <em>need</em>?</div>
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Why not, why not…</div>
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Agile as a software development methodology is all well and good, but until we broaden our thinking to embrace more than just IT, we will never get the full potential benefit of taking such a pragmatic approach.</div>
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*</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
About the author / copyright</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
Amazon page: <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Gouge/e/B001K85PNI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430724789&sr=8-1</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
Management blog: <a data-mce-href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk" href="http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://cioscrapbook.blogspot.co.uk</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
This material (text and photograph) is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2015. All rights reserved.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-64628836163636624442015-07-21T19:34:00.000+01:002015-07-21T19:34:48.132+01:00What can we in IT learn about Business Systems from ‘Minecraft’?!<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
From an IT applications’ perspective, you could argue that there is no way ‘Minecraft’ should be a success. After all, in these times of high-powered and sophisticated devices with their stunning graphics capabilities, a game colloquially recognised as “blocky” and without a single non-straight line in the game perhaps should not have taken off at all. Indeed, it is an interface, one might suggest, that is at least fifteen if not twenty years out of date!</div>
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But it <i>has</i> been a success - and a raging one at that. Millions of people play it - many addictively. A whole industry and sub-culture has arisen because of it, and we now find some of its exponents - particularly in the world of the on-line video - gaining ‘Star’ status, appearing on TV chat shows, and with more followers than Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Philanthropic and Commercial giants.</div>
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So why is that? If we strip ‘Minecraft’ back to some basic level - that of an ‘application’ with ‘functions’ and ‘users’ - then what might we uncover that can be usefully and profitably reflected back into the world of commercial business systems? Where does it ‘work’, and - more importantly - are these factors applicable to our company’s finance or logistics or ERP systems?</div>
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Take perhaps the three of the most salient points:</div>
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<li style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0px;">It is inherently simple. The components on which Minecraft is predicated - the cube, the straight line, the interface - are consistent and universally adhered to. Whether you are working with bricks, carpet, snow or foliage, the way you work with them is the same; and, with a few exceptions in the area of ‘redstone’, what you can do with them is even more limited. You either put them in place or remove them. Left click or right click.</li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Because of its simplicity, it is easy to learn. Once you have mastered just a few basic concepts, then you are ready to roll.</li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0px;">On one level, this simplicity and ease of use could point to a lack of sophistication - but how you play the game and what you can do within it is massively sophisticated, and that is the more important thing. This ability to create your own world from a blank canvass, where no two buildings need be identical and where no two games will ever be the same, give ‘Minecraft’ the addictiveness that comes from seeing your personalised world rise in front of you. “Just one more brick…”, “just one more minecart track…”, “just one more tree…”.</li>
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Do the business systems’ we tend to implement in our professional lives mimic these traits? Hardly. We tend to make systems that are massively complex - and as a result, difficult to learn. In areas such as financial transaction processing or warehouse management, the things businesses do - buy stuff, sell stuff, pay bills, raise invoices, put stock away, pick it out again etc. - are, at one level, simple and homogeneous. And yet company after company believes it is “different”; that systems need tweaking to fit their processes. The end result is that we tailor and customise and seek out those final few percentage points of “perfect” alignment - and in doing so, we create a monster.</div>
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And it becomes a monster even before the system is ready to use. It takes too long to build; it costs far to much money; and, in taking this approach, we are creating something that, when the software vendor releases the next major upgrade, may once again take an age to re-customise, and again cost a fortune in doing so.</div>
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Some people might argue that they are building-in sophistication; that in taking this approach, they are driving value, efficiencies and so on. If that were truly the case, then why is just about every core business processes and major business applications dependant, at some point or other, on data being manipulated in Excel? If we had done such a great job with our highly customised and ‘sophisticated’ applications, we wouldn’t need Excel. Right?</div>
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Think about it. Excel is much like ‘Minecraft’. A blank page; a relatively limited number of rules; easy to use - and the chance for us to be creative and build something that a) fits ‘us’ as individuals, and b) meets the needs of ‘the process’ as we see it. Never under-estimate an individual’s desire to make their mark. As in ‘Minecraft’ worlds, no two Excel spreadsheets will ever be the same! [There is a potential pointer here to the future of business applications - but let’s save that for another article!]</div>
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So, keep it simple; change / build as little as possible; focus on what’s really important (and what commercially adds value); and engineer something that people actually want to use.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-75728198075066711072015-05-05T09:09:00.000+01:002015-05-05T09:09:41.295+01:00Man Management Lessons from the Badminton Court<div style="color: #1d4770; margin-bottom: 15px;">
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I have started playing badminton with my two youngest children. At this stage they are, let’s say, ‘enthusiastic’ rather than proficient - and certainly not as good as they are going to become one day. If we can all stay keen and keep practicing, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t become decent players.</div>
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It’s interesting seeing what motivates them when we play. My Daughter’s goal is to try and build the longest rally possible. She gets excited when she beats her last record, and immediately sets her next goal. My Son doesn’t care about long, tippy-tappy rallies; he wants to become ready for battle, and has started to practice mixing smashes with drop shots, even though he’s not that great at either just yet. His motivation is to make his Dad run around; to take him by surprise; to win a point.</div>
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They are competitive, of course, but in different ways. Yet it occurs to me that there is much that is similar in what they strive for - and much in this simple example that is directly transferable to the working world and how we interact with the teams and colleagues in our professional lives. These common threads are: achieving goals and self-esteem; feedback and communication; encouragement and praise.</div>
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<b>Achieving goals and self-esteem</b></div>
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Both my Son and Daughter know where they want to get to, even if one’s goal is slightly more concrete than the other. They know what good looks like, and - more importantly - they know what it <i>feels</i> like too. It’s probably not the achieving of the goal that is paramount here, but rather how it makes them feel. When my Daughter beats her longest rally by just one shot she is over the moon; she smiles; she bounces. She wants to do it again; to beat it by two shots more, or three. If I can’t reach one of my Son’s drop shots, it’s the same story. That self-esteem is critical. Who doesn’t want to feel great?!</div>
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<b>Feedback and communication</b></div>
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They know, of course, that they’re not that good at the game yet. My Daughter knows, instinctively, that she should be achieving much longer rallies; my Son knows that he should be getting more of his drop shots over the net - and that those that make it, should be so close as to make it impossible for me to return them. Because they’re not perfect yet, they need feedback. They need me to make suggestions about how to hold the racket, when to flick and when to power, when to hit overhead and when not. They need me to fire shots at them in different places, at different speeds and angles, in order to give them the experience and challenge to which they can respond and through which they learn - although they might not acknowledge this part just yet! If I did nothing, if there was no communication, no variation, then their improvement - solely by trial and error - would simply take much longer.</div>
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And even though they’re not great yet, in order to feed that good feeling and self-esteem, they need to be encouraged. At this stage, they need praise for even the small things - for <i>trying</i> something, even if it is not executed perfectly. It keeps them enthusiastic, bouncing, looking ahead.</div>
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Why should the working world be any different? Why shouldn’t these simple considerations apply to the people in our teams, and our peers and bosses?</div>
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And of course they do.</div>
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Our professional challenge is in part born from the fact that we don’t know our people as well as we know our children, so recognising some of the key drivers is harder; in part, we are compromised by homogenous approaches to HR - through job definitions, appraisal regimes, lack of time, poor communication - which force a uniform engagement model upon us; and in part our problem comes from the fact that we may not be very good at all this people stuff anyway.</div>
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So surely, our goal as managers has to be to understand our people better:</div>
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<li style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0px;">to work out what their individual professional goals are, what floats their boat, what makes them feel good - and then align that to what we / our business needs from them</li>
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And just maybe we should do this for ourselves too. Who knows, one day we might just be able to produce some decent badminton players!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-33697555828529457572015-04-12T12:49:00.001+01:002015-04-12T12:49:18.075+01:00How Do You Take Your Coffee?<div style="font-size: 26px; margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">Analogies are fantastic. They allow you to portray difficult concepts against a set of real world comparators thus enabling someone to better understand and interrogate ideas. In theories of management, analogies occupy a key station in this lexicon. Let’s take coffee…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In most organisations, ‘Management’ and coffee go hand-in-hand; most meetings start with coffee, are punctuated by coffee, and end with coffee. Often, the most important conversations are those held at the coffee machine. But thinking about coffee in the round provides us with a means of interrogating management styles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a number of different styles of coffee, and - although fanciful - we can parallel them with approaches to management.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ristretto - a very short, dark, and intense hit, possibly with a bitter after-taste. In management terms, perhaps we can see ristretto as a rapid, no-holds barred, hard-driving, decision-making style, often adopted in extreme circumstances. From a management perspective, advantages of the ristretto approach is that it is ultra-dynamic and things get done in the shortest time possible - but running the risk of doing so in the least elegant or ideal way. Disadvantages? A lack of compromise, perhaps; no prisoners are taken; and perhaps, like the ristretto itself, you can only take so many before you are ‘eyeballs out’, completely hyper, out of control, and unable to relax.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Espresso - also short, dark and intense, but not to the extreme of a ristretto. Espresso management would promote dynamic decision-making also, moving with pace, but in a slightly more refined manner than the extreme and condensed ristretto. The approach still gets things done quickly, with execution the priority above all else; but perhaps there is a little more flexibility and longevity in the approach, although again, after too many espressos, sleep can prove elusive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Americano - essentially a ‘watered down’ espresso, and with the option of a little milk. On the scale of hard driving, the americano manager will allow the troops a little extra time compared to its condensed parent, and the addition of milk suggests a management style that offers the option of flexibility; more the carrot-and-stick approach than being constantly driven by hard imperative. If quantity is the killer with the ristretto and espresso (in terms of how many hits you can take before it harms you), with the americano it is likely to be volume that is a problem - from a resolution viewpoint, there is only so much you can actually take-on within a given timeframe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Macchiato - an espresso in a dress. The short, intense hit is still there; results can be dynamic and reasonably rapid; but there is a considerable amount of froth disguising the style. So the macchiato management style can take some time in building up that froth before the ‘wham!’ of delivery. Perhaps slightly less genuine than an americano, the macchiato manager might be in danger of being seen to be just a little duplicitous or inconsistent by the troops.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Latte - here the espresso is bathed in warm and creamy milk. Essentially things still get done, but inevitably they will take a little longer to get over the line. The experience will be softer, less intense; no bitter after-taste; no shock from the coffee hit. In management terms, this would be the most collaborative and engaging style of them all perhaps. But it’s still coffee; there’s still an espresso there at the heart of it, and the manager must ensure that he or she doesn’t lose sight of it if they are to ensure that things still get done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cappuccino - the most complex and indulgent of all; espresso, milk, froth, and a sprinkling of chocolate! One of those management styles you probably either love or hate; a mix of hard, soft, bitter and sweet. When it comes off, a cappuccino can be wonderful - but a bad cappuccino is just unpleasant. You need to be an innovative, self-confident and somewhat machiavellian manager to be able to pull off this style effectively. Things will still get delivered, but you might polarise or alienate people along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And finally, cafe au lait - all milk, no substance. A management style like the coffee: at its worst, weak, wishy-washy, bland. Some people would say that this wasn’t coffee at all…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All very fanciful, of course. But the analogy does offer a lens through which to view management styles, to depict or grade how these styles compare to each other, and - crucially - to understand how we prefer to work ourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the parallel gives us more than that. If you think about coffee, we probably each of us have our favourite from the short list above. In the same way, we each of us have our preferred way of managing - and being managed. If your natural style is perhaps espresso, but your line manager is much more a latte kind of manager, then it is quite likely that you will get frustrated with them because they won’t move fast enough for you. And they are likely to find you reactionary, threatening and perhaps not a little unpleasant or difficult to handle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whole organisations can have a ‘coffee culture’ too. Why is this important? Well, it is highly likely that someone who loves their cafe au lait approach will struggle in anything stronger and more intense than a latte organisation. A mismatch of styles, a clash of approach, will be bad for company, manager and employee in various measures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are many management definition tools - such as Belbin or Myers-Briggs - that can help to illustrate styles and predict how divergent ones will interact with each other. In all cases, recognition is the first step; tactics to handle disparities follow after that. The simple parallel offered here allows us to start on that analysis journey with a really easy question: “How do you take your coffee?”.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-54666015237080385092014-12-31T08:00:00.001+00:002014-12-31T08:00:47.810+00:00Flat Structures - Really?!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />As Managers, what is our job? Once, many years ago, when I was promoted into a senior management role, my then boss informed me that “I didn’t have to ‘do’ anything”. It took me some time to realise what he meant. He didn’t, of course, mean that I sat around, drank coffee and read the papers all day! There were things to ‘do’ – but more in the sense of taking the lead, of helping others to 'do the ‘do’'.<br /><br /> At the end of the day, a Manager’s job is to create an environment which maximises what can be delivered from those components (people, money, capital items etc.) for which he is accountable, however it is appropriate to measure that delivery: profit, service, quality... Which is fair enough, isn’t it?<br /><br />But often there are other criteria that, whilst we may not realise it at the time, cut completely across that ‘enabler’ ambition and can critically compromise what we can contribute – and therefore, most likely, what others can contribute too. Take the notion of the “flat hierarchy”.<br /><br />Logically very sound: not too much management; clear line-of-sight between ‘top’ and ‘bottom’; people feeling ‘more connected’ somehow; less bureaucracy, and so on. But in practice?<br /><br />If you accept the Manager’s role as an enabler, then this means that he or she has to have the time and capacity to help their team: to mentor; to suggest; to coach. Essentially, through the distribution of their experience and expertise, they must enhance what their direct reports can achieve. It fits with the maximisation of the delivery of the 'components' they have at their disposal. If we compromise that, then surely what a manager can contribute is diminished somehow – and if he or she gives less to their team, then those next down the line already start at a disadvantage…<br /><br />So let's assume we have a flat structure with 111 people and just three layers, top-to-bottom. To achieve this, every one of the eleven managers (the top man and his immediate team) needs ten direct reports to create that organisation.<br /><br />Perhaps you are one of those managers, and that you are lucky enough to work just a 40 hour week. Depending on your role, you may spend 50% of your week on projects, initiatives, administration. Then there will be the meetings you have to attend outside of your function or team, perhaps with customers, or Finance, or HR. Say another 15%. Then there’s that unplanable ‘stuff’ that crops up (usually from email!) that takes away another 10%.<br /><br />Where does that leave us? 75% gone, 25% left. That’s just 10 hours in a week to share with your direct reports. If you have ten of them, that's just one hour per person, per week. Is that enough to help them, their teams; to mentor, suggest, and coach? Really? Not only are you stretched as an individual, your people don't start with the full boost you could be giving them.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />There is a 'multiplier effect' at work here too. From the top manager to the middle management layer, and then - with those 'middle managers' being at less than 100% effective - down to the real 'doers' in the team.<br /><br />But what happens if the 111 team has four layers? Then each manager might have just four or five direct reports. Suddenly those free 10 hours per week now gives you around 2 hours for each of your direct reports. If your input is of value (and you would hope it would be!) then all your people should benefit accordingly.<br /><br />It would take a scientific study to prove the point, but I would be confident that the overall measurable loss of 'effective input' or productivity cascading downwards from management layers would be greater with the former case - two layers only, ten direct reports per manager - than with the second - three layers, more managers, but only four or five direct reports per manager.<br /><br />You might object that in the 'fatter' organisation, there is a greater level of man management admin and/or non-productive time from a greater percentage of the 111 team (i.e. 21 'managers' vs. 11 'managers'). This ignores the greater effective loss from the flat organisation as suggested above. Also, the truth is that there is no reduction in man management admin delivered by the flat structure: for example, appraisals for all 110 people don’t just go away. They still have to be carried out, and with fewer people to execute them, those eleven managers can only be less effective in this area - and their output of poorer quality.<br /><br />And it is worse than that of course. In the flat structure, bottom to top needs only 2 promotions – which effectively means that the top 11 positions are ‘blockers’, and the remaining 100 people are looking upwards, seeing no possibility of progression and advancement – unless of course you make the ratio of middle managers to the top guy maybe 1 to 12…<br /><br />And don't forget, the extra time for managers offered in the deeper structure will more likely be ‘quality’ time. And the “dead man’s shoes” scenario in the second organisation isn’t quite so prevalent.<br /><br />Are you working in an organisation that's 'too flat'? Of course, you can go too far the other way. A 111 team with six levels of management would clearly be inefficient. There is a reason that 'best practice' suggests the optimal number of direct reports for any manager is between four and seven. <br /><br />In any event, don’t assume that a flat structure is a good structure; it may not always be the case…<br /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2014. All rights reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-53320724631665249722014-12-06T11:55:00.000+00:002014-12-06T11:59:08.519+00:00The New Dr Who - A Lesson in Management<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Had enough? Loyalty tested to the extreme? Prepared to just walk away? Welcome to the world of the two million or 33% of “Dr Who” viewers who are feeling exactly the same about the new series. Why is that? And how can a legendary UK science fiction series offer us lessons in management?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Well, in two ways: the effect of the new ‘boss in the blue box’, and the script he is working to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">It is inevitable that the new Doctor disturbs the equilibrium we have become accustomed to; there’s a changed approach, a different style. Suddenly we have to accommodate a different language, a new set of demands; we’re not immediately sure if this new Doctor is a good guy or a bad guy. He seems a bit grumpy / serious / flighty / abrasive etc. etc. (add and delete as appropriate). And it may be a style that doesn’t sit easily with us. We came to love the way the last guy flew around, madly, fixing things, and saving the Earth for three whole series; we aren’t used to this new, growling, uneven and unpredictable bizarreness. Even his conversation is haphazard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">“I’m sick of listening to you!” Clara shouts - and well she might. We know how she feels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Now read ‘Manager’ for ‘Doctor’…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Of course, it isn’t all their fault - nor <i>your</i> fault as the new manager. You can only be yourself; you have your own style, the way you communicate. You <i>can’t</i> be the other guy. Nor should you be - or try to be. I hate to say it, but you have to be “authentic” and “genuine”… And the least you <i>can</i> be is aware and conscious of the environment in which you find yourself. In many ways you need to listen more than speak, converse more than command, explain more than dictate - after all, you’re new to this skin and, as we all know, for a Time Lord to function effectively after a regeneration takes a little - well - time…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">It is also possible that your ‘script’ (aka Job Description or Objectives) might just be a little different to your predecessor. After all, we are paid to do a specific job. It could be that the emphasis you have been given is different to that of the regime that went before - and in that case, perhaps you can’t help <i>but</i> be different to the old Doctor/manager everyone used to love. [Of course, the whole thing is much easier if they hated the last guy!!]</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">One of the challenges you might face is if you are expected to - or want to - make a ‘big impact’. For some people, this can be more important than anything else: “hit the ground running”; “show them who’s Boss”; “take no prisoners”… Just be cognisant that there are many ways to achieve all of these things and more without running around like a bull in the proverbial china-shop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">In any new situation - managerial or Time Lord-like - the watchwords should be balance, patience and humility. You can still achieve an awful lot very quickly. And if you get it right, you won’t lose a third of your audience doing so.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2014. All rights reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-271245280459211582014-10-03T19:17:00.001+01:002014-10-03T19:17:15.143+01:00The Seven Cs of Exemplary Management<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Many of the components designed to provide an effective and results-oriented management framework are actually based on relatively simple concepts. The problems that we encounter most often are not related to the understanding of or endorsement of these concepts, but to their execution. This execution is often compromised by an unhealthy mix of inappropriate or inadequate use of tools, pressure or volume of work, and sheer human fallibility.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Inappropriate or inadequate tools?</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: large;">The addiction to e-mail</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">The pathological dependence on spreadsheets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">The abdication of results based on such inadequate, inappropriate or poorly used software…</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">...o</span><span style="font-size: large;">r blaming failure on missing software!</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">…And the absence of good quality, simple processes that work for us as managers – because we each work in subtly different ways, and one of the tricks is to unlock those things that allow us as individuals to contribute the most.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pressure of work?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because we all have too much, don’t we?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because often we can’t see the wood for the trees?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because, no matter what we say, we actually aren’t very good at time management / prioritisation / communication / delegation (delete as appropriate!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">…And our failure to give ourselves an effective and simple management framework only makes matters worse, deepens the spiral, forces us to cut corners, make mistakes, take inappropriate risks, make shaky assumptions or decisions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Human fallibility? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The desire for the path of least resistance perhaps… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or that we just pay lip service to core principles… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the assumption that ‘people know what we mean / think / want’… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the belief that it will all come right in the end… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the conscious decision to ignore that really bad feeling we have somewhere in the pit of our stomach… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the aversion to conflict and challenge… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the difficult decision… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the inappropriate trust / mistrust in others… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or the profound challenge of honesty…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> So how can we capture the core components of a good management framework? </span><span style="font-size: large;">How can we elucidate them simply, and in such a way that we can fashion a mode of working that fits us, suits our style, and gives us the best chance of success?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are the ‘Seven Cs of Exemplary Management’?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Commitment </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Clear Expectations </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Clear Actions </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Control </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Commerciality </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Communication </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Change</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Commitment</u></em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">…in the sense of belief; of believing in what you are doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The premise is simple: if you believe in what you are trying to do, achieve, deliver, then the commitment will follow. </span><span style="font-size: large;">But the converse is true, of course: if don’t believe in it…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">…maybe you should ask yourself if you should be doing something different, taking a different approach, aiming at a different goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or maybe someone else should be doing it for you!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If it’s right but not working and you can change it, then change it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You will be more committed – and successful – if you strive to do three things you believe in, as opposed to eight things you do not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Clear Expectations</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…in the sense of knowing what the overall objectives are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Do you believe that your people understand what you need from them, and what their scope of responsibility is?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…because if they don’t, they can never deliver what you need.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ask yourself, if you were in their shoes, would you be clear?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And a suggestion: brief your team members on what you need them to do for you – then two days later, have them come back and present their interpretation of those expectations to you! This has the advantage of establishing firm mutual understanding, and in their presentations you have a better record of expectations than in any out-dated job description.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Clear Actions</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…in the sense that actions – when they are written down at all! – are rarely that clear. And why? Because we are lazy, we make assumptions that everyone knows what XYZ means – and because most of us hate producing (or reading!) minutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So an action needs to have: one owner, a deliverable, potentially a description of the format or content, and a date. </span><span style="font-size: large;">If it does not, how can you possibly have any confidence it will be delivered – and in some cases, how will you know when it has been? How can the action owner know what he or she has to do?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh yes, and if you aren’t going to bother to check and chase actions and make them mean something, then don’t even bother in the first place…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Control</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…in the very narrow sense of knowing what your people are working on, what the pipeline of demand is, what the unused – or over-committed – capacity is…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s all about Demand and Resource planning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Your job, as a manager, is to get things done with the resources you are given. If you have no control over that one critical, elemental, finite component, then what chance have you got to be successful?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You will under-commit and waste money; over-commit and miss deadlines; make poor judgement calls, erroneous decisions – and perhaps worse than any of these things, your team will see that you are not in control, and you will lose their respect and commitment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Commerciality</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…because one way or another, everything has a cost – and hopefully a benefit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Which means that everything you and your team does must have an impact, somewhere…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Cost is easy when it’s money out of the door, but it could be time, an impact on risk, diversion from strategy, the opportunity cost of doing (or not) something else – and then the more intangible things like impact on staff morale…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…and for each cost, there must be benefits that could be articulated in the same language.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For the big things, think cost & benefit. Try and articulate them. Often, when you are in two minds about something, this might just sway you in the right direction</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Communication</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…that old chestnut! But let’s face it, communication is almost a ‘no win’ topic, because different people want different things: monthly, weekly, paper, email, Town Hall, detailed, personal, high-level, data-based, informal… So:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rule #1 – do it!</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rule #2 – choose what works for you in terms of format & timing</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rule #3 – make it relevant</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rule #4 – ensure the quality is good (poor quality communication is unforgivable in a manager!)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rule #5 – don’t let it slip!</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Adhere to these rules and, after a while, most people will come to accept what you are trying to do – and then they will start to expect it, and if the quality and relevance is there, maybe even come to look forward to it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <strong><em><u>Change</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">…in the sense that most of what we do is predicated on making change happen – and for the manager, in initiating and driving change.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Even in the most stable of environments things are constantly changing – and so they should be, as this is the only way we can make things ‘better’. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The good manager can identify those things that need changing, and can the implement the change in a controlled and positive fashion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">‘Change’ is one of the things we need to believe in, and should always be on the agenda.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And don’t be seduced by notions of innovation. Innovation is just a marketing word for Change…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><u>What are the ‘Seven Cs of Exemplary Management’?</u></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Commitment – believe in what you do</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Clear Expectations – know what the objectives are</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Clear Actions – who, what, when – and chase!</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Control – demand and resource management</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Commerciality – everything has a cost and benefit</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Communication – do it how it works for you</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Change – now, tomorrow, always..!</strong> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2014. All rights reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal and non-commercial use, but only if you acknowledge the author and blog as the source of the material. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the author, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-32856478625264556622012-10-28T14:25:00.000+00:002012-10-28T14:25:26.122+00:00The Minimal IT Function<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is it a joke, or is it a myth?
“Size matters”. Well to some people it clearly does, and whether you are crowing
about your in-house IT Empire or trying to recruit someone to run one, the size
of that estate – in terms of the numbers of people who work there – is often
quoted as the boast / carrot. Perhaps that used to be relevant in the days when
you had to do everything yourself, but in our brave new world of Cloud,
outsourcing, managed services, comprehensive composite service providers,
applications-as-a-service and the like, surely the measure is less relevant
than it used to be. Indeed, I suspect its partner measure of ‘size of budget’
may (or should) go the same way too, usurped by some kind of assessment of
business value or benefit delivered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So if we resist the temptation to
think that ‘big is beautiful’ in terms of in-house IT functions, what about
going to the other extreme? Just how small could your team be and still have
all the bases covered? I suspect pretty minimal – but it will take a mind-set
change and the acceptance of some risk to get there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But is any attempt to ‘downsize’
simply an intellectual exercise? Well only in part. There are now a number of
things in play that might legitimately drive us this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Complexity</span></b>.
The IT landscape is becoming increasingly more complex and the days when an
in-house IT function could truly cover all bases is probably long past. For
example, Telephony used to mean just ‘phones’; now it’s a whole complex
eco-system of its own!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Breadth and
depth</span></b>. Even if we do try to operate the entire portfolio, it is
likely we will run into skills issues, both in terms of breadth (numbers) and
depth (knowledge) within the resources available to us in our organisations. We
will find we can’t have all the expertise we need, or that we will be
single-handed in some key skills, or perhaps know just enough to keep the
lights on but not move anything forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Business
drivers</span></b>. One answer would be more people, but this is against a
backdrop of severe business drivers that continually want us to ‘do more with
less’ and where having smaller IT functions (both people and budgets) is often seen
as a sign of success – at least from the CEO’s or Finance Director’s
perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Innovation</span></b>.
If we don’t have the people and the knowledge, then our capacity for innovation
– at a very time when innovation is critical and the pace of change is
frightening – will be negligible, we will always be playing catch-up, and our
business competitors who have made the change and who can adapt and be more
agile will always win.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So the challenge is as much one
for the business as it is for IT, because that is where the end impact will be
felt. And it forces us to ask a fundamental question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">If we accept that we can’t do
everything in-house, then it follows that there are choices to be made. We need
to decide what we ‘keep’ and what we ‘let go’. And the way we do that is to ask
where we <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">add value</i></b>. Take everything else off the table, where do we in
IT make the difference for the company in which we work? Where is there true tangible
benefit in us owning, operating, supporting, hosting, managing etc. as opposed
to third party service providers who are able – because of scale and expertise
– to offer those things back to us as homogenous commodities?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I suspect it may be in no more
than three main areas:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Business
knowledge</span></b>. No-one should know our business – and how IT relates and
contributes to that business – better than we do. This is knowledge gained over
years of experience and interaction. You can’t buy this, in spite of what some
consultancy organisations might say.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Areas of
intellectual property</span></b>. It is entirely possible that we have
applications or uses of IT that are unique to us, and that this IP is valuable.
It might be, for example, more in the area of business process and the way we
utilise IT to support those business processes; or it could be in the way we
have configured our network to support a diverse geographic organisation. It
could be the way we manage risk, or assets, or how we have set up our Project
Office. Anything which is <u>demonstrably</u> ‘better’/’tailored’ than a
generic norm (but resist thinking that means everything!).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Areas of
competitive advantage</span></b>. It could be that we have developed specific ‘best-in-class
applications’ (in the broadest sense) that give us the edge over our
competitors. Most likely this will be in the area of business applications, and
should be considered across the widest spectrum i.e. including web- and
mobile-based applications.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Taking all that as read, where do
we start?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">As with many things, it would
make sense for us to adopt a structured approach when analysing our overall IT
offering with a view to making the in-house component as ‘minimal’ as possible.
But we must make sure we are doing it for the right reasons – or, more
explicitly, that we are not doing it for the wrong ones! And the most wrong of
these is to save cost. If we assume that the breadth of responsibility and
workload does not go away (indeed it may increase), outsourcing more of our
service provision will not necessarily save money. Yes, the internal headcount
will fall and thus the wage bill, but the amount of money we spend with third
parties will go up – and may increase by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i>
than the reduction in salaries. The right reasons for undertaking the exercise
(at least to see how things <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could</i>
look) will be to address some of the challenges to which we have already
referred: complexity, breadth, depth, meeting business demands / drivers (e.g.
being faster to market, more agile etc.), and innovation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">To keep things simple, I’ll
assume that outsourcing IT entirely (i.e. having no in-house IT staff <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at all</i>) is not being considered. And
we’ll focus on the activity that gets us to a picture of what our minimal
organisation could look like.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">One basic principle is that,
whatever discipline we are talking about, we need to retain management of it.
This is simply saying that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whoever</i>
does the work, the responsibility for IT remains with “us”. Therefore the most miniscule
IT organisation would be a small management team with functional responsibility
for each discipline. If everything else were outsourced, that’s your entire IT
team; ten people? eight? six? four?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">And why not?! Well hopefully
because you do have some ‘value add’ to offer somewhere: business knowledge,
intellectual property, competitive advantage… So here’s a detailed method you
could try to get you to a potential ‘minimal IT function’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
1</span></b> – Break down your function into the range of disciplines that
works for you in your industry and business environment. There is no perfect
organisational shape, but it could for example comprise of these things: Infrastructure
/ hosting; Networks & security; Service support; Application development; Project
management; Governance; Procurement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
2</span></b> – For each function, assess what you actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i>. This could be in terms of the activities you perform (database
administration, service desk call handling, project reporting etc.), and the
‘things’ you support (the telephone system, the ERP application, the demand
management process, the computer room!). Hopefully it will be a large and
comprehensive list; you should be impressed at the end of the exercise – “Do we
really do all that?!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
3</span></b> – Next, you need to take that comprehensive list from Step 2 and
assess each item in terms of ‘value add’. Which elements are actually generic
or homogenous activities – perhaps Windows administration or firewall management
– and where do you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">genuinely</i>
contribute business knowledge, intellectual property, competitive advantage?
The answer is unlikely to be black-and-white; you may need to scale your
response e.g. high-medium-low or some such. If in doubt, ask the tie breaker
question: could you get a third party to carry out the work for you? Honestly?
Ignore cost, knowledge transfer and any other automatic objections you might
come up with. Take that old legacy, in-house built bespoke application; surely
there’s no way anyone else could maintain that?! Well be careful to divorce the
mechanics of code building, testing etc. – which is an execution of skill and
development process – from the design and analysis of solutions – which is
where engrained business and application knowledge comes into play.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
4</span></b> – Finally, for each activity in your list, roughly allocate the
amount of effort (in full-time equivalents) that is provided from your existing
team. When you first do this, you are likely to end up with a bigger FTE number
than the actual people you have – that’s wishful thinking! Your current
headcount is your very real checksum and the total you need to arrive at.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
5</span></b> – One could now argue that, in theory, your minimal IT
organisation will simply be made up of the people needed to continue to provide
the high-rated value services (activities and ‘things’) from your detailed list
(not forgetting to ensure you have overall management responsibility covered).
However, you are likely to find that you will be dealing in fractions here. For
example, one value-generating activity requires just 25% of one individual;
organisationally that just won’t work. So you will need validate that it is
truly high-value activity, and if so, then think through how you might be able
to sensibly combine other activities to create a meaningful and practical FTE
role. This is where some of the medium-rated activities will be included back
into the picture – or where a high-rated activity is left out! Take some time
and care over this step. If you rush it two things could happen: one, you end
up with the organisation you have now; or two, your final structure will have
left something out or be taking too many risks with service provision (e.g. inadequate
cover for out-of-hours support). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Step
6</span></b> – Now review. Stand back and, perhaps after a few days, take a
look at what you’ve come up with. Could it work? Are all the bases covered? Are
the risks manageable? Is the scale of change likely to be enough to stand up to
scrutiny? Does it make a good business case? And then look at it from the
outside-in. Those parcels of responsibility that you now wish to buy-in from
outside; are they going to be attractive to a service provider? Will you be
taking an impractical proposition to market? Are you going to outsource
activities that are already well-managed and under control – or are you simply
trying to give your chaos to someone else?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of this process, the
key questions will be:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is the outline proposition practical?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is it different enough?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is it commercially attractive / does it stand up
to scrutiny?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Can you sell it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you want to sell it?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and if Steps 2 through 6 are
a little too much for you, then take your output from Step 1 and decide at the
macro level what’s in or out. It will be quicker for sure, but too crude to
give you the best chance of getting to the right answer. And even worse if your
breakdown in Step 1 is actually flawed…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the
IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third
parties for their personal and non-commercial use, but only if you acknowledge the
author and blog as the source of the material. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
author, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it
or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-55140237180346220032012-10-14T10:48:00.001+01:002012-10-14T10:52:45.954+01:00Wither ITIL?<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Established now as perhaps the de
facto standard for service management operational processes and procedures,
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is the default starting
place when thinking about how we ‘do’ IT service. Notions such as Change,
Incident, and Problem Management have all entered the IT lexicon as familiar
disciplines which we pursue and in which we strive to excel.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">ITIL is certainly based on sound
principles, and – properly embraced and adopted – can bring real value to an IT
function and hence to the business it supports. Having said that, I do wonder
if we might have lost the plot a little bit…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I draw a parallel with Prince2,
the similarly accepted default project management standard. Developed primarily
as a tool with which to run large public sector projects, it occupies the kind
of standing to which ITIL is now close. The problem with it, though, is that at
a fundamental level it doesn’t work; it guarantees nothing. If Prince2 did
exactly what it said on the tin, then why do so many projects adopting it still
fail – and massive value public sector projects in the UK continue to do so
spectacularly?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking at ITIL (and keeping
Prince2 in mind), there are some obvious concerns about where we are with it today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">It’s
getting more complex</span></b>. ITIL started as a number of volumes (the
‘library’ in its title). The move from Version 2 to Version 3 has seen a
significant increase in the numbers of books in the library, and an increase in
the numbers of processes and procedures proposed by it. Proponents may argue
that this is necessary to reflect the current IT world, to ensure better
services etc. They may be right. They may not.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Has
it become an intellectual exercise in its own right?</span></b> This explosion
of breadth and depth within ITIL could potentially be seen as becoming an
intellectual exercise in its own right. ITIL has now an industry of its own.
One can imagine the clamour to be part of ITIL v4 (should there be such a
thing) where the numbers of volumes expands once again, the qualifications
burgeon, the specialist consultants multiply…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">An
excuse, not a tool? </span></b>Adopting ITIL guarantees nothing. Just like
Prince2. Are we embracing ITIL more as an excuse than a tool? Does it allow us
the opportunity to actually <u>not</u> think about the situations we face on the
premise that ITIL will fix it? And if it’s not quite there, do we go further in
our over-engineering to pursue an idealised vision of a ‘real world’ where
simply nothing goes wrong? There are no silver bullets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think ITIL – or at least the
principles behind it, rather than the ‘thing’ itself – offers true value.
Indeed, adopting some of the underlying principles are essential in providing
solid IT services. But have we lost our way in that the adoption of ITIL becomes
the end in itself, rather than the true outcomes for which we strive – and for
which ITIL may not be the best tool, or the only tool, or indeed the right
tool. Are we asking ourselves the right questions? Maybe ITIL has some kind of
shelf life – like an old movie actor known by everyone, yet everyone also knows
they are past their sell-by date.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Heretical stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I recently saw a job advertised
where there was non-negotiable application criteria that demanded an ITIL
qualification. Adoption of such a crude instrument could actually lead to
the preferential recruitment of people with specific pieces of paper
(qualifications) over those who have the real scars of battle in providing good
quality IT services. What would you rather have, a soldier who had a diploma in
rifle shooting, or the best marksman in the world minus the diploma?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the very least we owe it to
ourselves to take a step back from our ITIL programme, processes, initiatives
and metrics, and ask ourselves some fundamental questions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What is important in IT in relation to our
business context? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What do our customers actually care about – and
what don’t they? You aren’t a Bank, so do you need security like Fort Knox?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i>
know what is important and fundamental to our Users? We need to ignore all
‘received wisdom’ on this one and just ask them. Make the questions as binary
as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are there things we spend time and focus on
which they don’t want, need, read etc. – because if there are, then maybe we
should stop them. Our service proposition could get simpler!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What components of ITIL (and associated
elements) currently in place could they actually live without?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What elements of IT for which we are responsible
cause our customers pain and aggravation?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Again, do we really know? We may assume that we
are failing them in some areas because our metrics tell us so – but they may
not care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ask them what they would change if they had the
chance – I guarantee that a significant proportion of what they suggest will be
basic, non-ITIL, service fundamentals e.g. make it easier for me to get a new
PC..!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What problems are we actually trying to solve? Do
we know? We may think we do…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The output from asking the business about what
is important to them will help – and any pain survey conducted certainly will!
This should give us a starting list of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what
really matters</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What ‘internal’ IT problems are we trying to
fix?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These should be easier to identify, right. After
all, they’re right under our nose…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We should know where we take too long, where
quality is poor, where performance (in all its guises!) is inadequate, and so
on. The important thing here is <u>not</u> to start with an ITIL manual or list
of ITIL processes, otherwise you’ll end up with a list predicated on ”Oh, we
haven’t got one of those / aren’t doing that”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Articulate the problems we are trying to solve –
both business and IT – in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">simple language</i>,
and identify what will look different after we’re solved it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What are the truly essential ITIL service
components from an IT perspective?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What would happen if we stopped doing ‘X’?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is tricky too. This is also where we need
to be ruthless. But the bottom line is that by stopping doing one thing we
might just free up our resources to fix something much more important.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For example, we ‘do’ Knowledge Management to a
‘level 2’ competency and our instinct tells us we need to get to level 3. But
what if we stopped doing it altogether? What would we lose? And what would we
save / free up?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What do we really need to do that we aren’t?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 90pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level3 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is about core, bread-and-butter ITIL
processes. Like Change Management. Not doing it? Shame on you! One you can’t
live without, I’d suggest. But even then, even if you are doing it, is your
approach appropriate to your need? Are you gilding the lily for the sake of it?
What does ‘good enough’ look like – do you know?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Questions, questions, questions.
But without questions, we don’t get to answers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here’s the rub. I suspect
that, if we undertake such a review, if we strive to find out what is really
important in the context of our ITIL-related, service provision processes, what
we will actually find is that we need less ITIL than we thought – fewer
processes / less complex ones – and more bread-and-butter management. We will
expose weaknesses that cannot be addressed by adopting ITIL or for which ITIL
has no solution. We will learn how to become that expert marksman, and use the
diploma for target practice!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whither ITIL? Well it’s going
nowhere fast – and probably neither should it. But we should perhaps consider
putting it back in its box and re-teach ourselves to recognise what we truly
need to get done. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the
IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third
parties for their personal and non-commercial use, but only if you acknowledge the
author and blog as the source of the material. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-91351849832947450942012-10-08T11:19:00.002+01:002012-10-08T11:19:24.014+01:00Contractor Day Rates - Is there a Better Way?
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So let me get one thing clear
right up front. I think Contractors play a valuable role in IT functions
delivering solutions to Customers. Like most people in our industry, they are
professional, diligent and hard-working.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having said that, I look at the
way we reward contractors and it seems somehow out of kilter with the role they
often play. Our approach – agreeing a rate for a ‘professional day’ – is tried
and tested. Or rather, it’s simple, easy to administer, and we’ve been paying
for these services in this way for ever. But on reflection, does this encourage
us to get the best value possible from this expensive resource? And is it
offering the Contractor the best possible return for their efforts?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">By and large we recruit
Contractors for two main reasons: as workload supplementation for our
Business-as-usual (BAU) activity, or as specialist resource to deliver a
specific ‘ thing’. Much of what I am suggesting here applies more easily to the
second of these two contexts i.e. the delivery of something specific. Having
said that, I’m sure it could also be looked at in the light of BAU activity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s assume we hire a plumber
into our home to fit a new bathroom suite, and they tell us it will take five
days and that’s the effort for which they will charge us. If at the end of
those five days the suite is installed but all the taps leak and the toilet
doesn’t flush properly, what will we do? We’d expect the plumber to fix these
things for the price quoted. If he tells us it will take another three days
effort – and therefore cost – to put right, we wouldn’t accept it, would we?
Why then do we take a different approach with Contract resource in our
professional life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, partly it’s because we are
paying them for turning up (the day rate), not for delivering. There is a
certain irony here in that we often employ contractors to deliver something
specific and then don’t reward them accordingly. More than that, we often
compound the problem in two further ways. Firstly we endeavour to incentivise
our permanent staff around specific deliverables where this is often
inappropriate as they may be more engaged in a more ‘fluid’ and less measurable
BAU activity. And secondly, our permanent staff see Contractors doing the same
/ similar work and raking in more money without any additional pressure or
constraint. The second case may be unavoidable where the work is BAU related
and hard to break down into specific deliverables, of course. Here the argument
for the differential is the same as it has always been: risk, job security etc.
– although I would argue that in today’s commercial world this differential is
not as great as it once was!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, this begs the question
about whether or not there is a better way; the possibility to tweak the day
rate system to drive more value from what is likely to be the most expensive
resource we employ. And if there is, then can we extend these principles beyond
the individual contractors to encompass the broader, wider-ranging engagement
of Consultancies and Systems Integrators?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The core suggestion is that we explicitly
link reward to the deliverable, to getting the job done. Just like we do for
the plumber. This would have the immediate benefit of getting a little more
skin in the game – the plumber would know for sure that he wasn’t getting paid
any more than agreed only when the taps worked properly. Surely this would
drive engagement and delivery in a very real way – and in a way that was
different from permanent employees, thereby helping to mitigate any sense of
injustice they might have against Contractors. For us, it might also help to
improve certainty about the cost of getting things done, and aid our ability to
hit project budgets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I would argue that we should consider
trying to arrive at some kind of ‘split fee’ approach. Let’s assume that we are
paying a Contractor £500 a day. In the new model, we would still pay a day rate
– perhaps £400 or £450 – with a ‘bonus’ when the deliverable was produced (the
bathroom installed!) which would end up equating to the £500 day rate. That
way, if the Contractor delivers as planned, no-one loses out. If they deliver
late or deliver a bad product, then we have some comeback against the cost. And
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>this is important</u></i> – if they
deliver early and/or a ‘better’ product than we had asked for, we need to be
able to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reward</b> that too i.e. they
make more than the averaged £500 a day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This might get us more hours in our
‘professional day’ and improve engagement and commitment (and in a way that’s
harder to achieve with permanent resource?). Win-win!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, it isn’t that simple.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">It
doesn’t work for all assignments</span></b>. Where we have contract resource
working on operational BAU activity such as support, the deliverables will be
harder to define. Whilst there may be some generic targets we might expect them
to hit, the simple day rate is probably still the best solution here – at least
until we are sophisticated enough to be more specific.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">We
need to include metrics into the contracts</span></b>. We have to agree the
metric up-front. Some will be simple, binary even: something is either
delivered or it isn’t. Then we more in to more quantitative measures: time and
cost are the obvious ones in this area. The hardest ones are the qualitative
measures. Some you can attempt to be specific about – zero defects, for example
– but what about the quality of a document, or the efficacy of a strategy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">We
need to agree the outcome</span></b>. Having agreed the metrics, at the end of
the job we need to agree the outcome. The quantitative and binary measures
should be easy enough: yes/no, six days instead of five, and so on. The
qualitative measures will be harder, especially those that are based upon
personal opinion. Your hired resource might think their presentation is top
notch, but you don’t. What do you do then? You need to be clear about as many
of the metrics as possible at the start of the assignment, and probably leave
out anything that could be dangerously contentious – at least for your first
time round. You will need to be prepared for the “It wasn’t my fault” argument
when things don’t go quite so well, when there are mitigating circumstances
outside of the control of the Contractor that impacted their ability to
deliver. Here, your integrity and honesty needs to be spot on. If you try and
use these kind of graduated rewards as a means of getting a job done on the
cheap then shame on you – and the word will spread as to how you operate!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The rewards? I would suggest a
simple scale. For example, delivering on time to agreed quality would net a
bonus that would work out to equalling the ‘normal’ day rate e.g. the £500. For
being late or delivering a poor quality product, then maybe anything from a
zero ‘bonus’ up to the day rate i.e. in the £400-499 per day equivalent. For
delivering early and/or something of superior quality that exceeds expectation,
well, take your pick – but being able to go beyond the £500 average is clearly
the ‘carrot’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bottom line. Does it work? I have
seen examples of fixed contracts where individuals have agreed to deliver a
specific ‘thing’ to agreed levels of quality based on it taking them a certain
amount of effort (hours or days). That becomes the fee. If they deliver it
early, they get paid the same amount – effectively their ‘day rate’ goes up. If
they deliver late, clearly the opposite applies. These people were focussed,
motivated and delivered; they were engaged and committed. It really was
win-win.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So tweaking the system – where
appropriate – can work. Certainly it should be something worth thinking about,
at least to try and calculate if the additional admin effort up-front will
yield sufficient benefits downstream…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT Strategy and Project Management, the impact on IT of e-Business, and the
IT Organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents
in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third
parties for their personal and non-commercial use, but only if you acknowledge the
author and blog as the source of the material. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
author, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it
or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-45436021103891590222012-10-05T10:09:00.002+01:002012-10-05T10:09:45.526+01:00The Marginalisation of the IT Function
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">In case you hadn’t noticed, for
some time now there has been something of a quiet insurgency afoot in relation
to Information Technology (IT) functions in the context of the businesses they
serve, and particularly in SMEs. Put simply, the traditional foundations of IT
– primarily around the uniqueness or specialism of the role – are being eroded.
The boundaries that have been in place to ‘protect’ the fiefdom of IT are being
breached. To survive, to adapt, to add value, it is time to ‘re-envision’ what
IT is actually all about, what it is for, and what its role is.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is clear and undeniable
evidence to support this premise – especially if you compare how things were
perhaps 15 years or more ago, in an age when many of the IT frameworks and
structures we still employ today were drawn up. A list of what’s different now
is telling:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">IT as
commodity</span></b>. It was always going to happen at some point, but now IT
is more commoditised and available than it ever has been.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">There
are more Users of IT – and these Users are more sophisticated</span></b>.
Everyone is now an expert. Everyone has a PC or laptop at home – often more
powerful than the one they use at work. People blog, build websites, edit
photographs. Children are now more articulate on a computer than they will ever
be on paper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">There
is a greater range of solutions available, faster, and more flexible than before</span></b>.
What do you want? What kind of application do you need? The chances are that
you can get it – fast – on some kind of pay-as-you-go deal. You can be
up-and-running more quickly than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">The
Cloud</span></b>. And it’s not just in the area of business applications. In
the virtual world we have created, you can get hosting, storage, disaster
recovery – and take them for granted, not worry about them. The kinds of
business models being pursued by technology providers today means you can get
virtually everything you need with minimal IT expertise – in theory you only
need to know about your business.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">The
growth of comprehensive Systems’ Integrators</span></b>. The big technology
companies are becoming broad SIs; all things to all men. Traditional hardware
firms now offer consultancy and applications; consulting firms now offer
hosting; network providers offer hardware. Everyone does everything, and these
are the domains where unique IT specialisms are concentrating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">The Intellectual
Property of IT is now diluted</span></b>. Because of all of these factors, IT
professionals (working within Business organisations vs. technology service
providers or the SIs, above) now own less IP in relation to their function than
ever before. They are losing the primacy of their expertise, their unique
selling point. It’s a transition we saw way back when step changes in
programming languages happened – but now it’s in all disciplines, and is
happening more quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">IT becoming
more integrated into business functions</span></b>. And perhaps one of the most
obvious symptoms of the entire transition is the migration of functions (such
as Business Intelligence) and skills (for example in the area of Financial
Management systems’ configuration) out of the domain of IT and into ‘business
teams’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is any of that wrong in some way?
Undoubtedly not – and even if it were, there’s little we can do about it!
Should the majority of these shifts to using new models of IT service provision
bring benefits to our businesses? Yes, they should – though undoubtedly they
bring some fresh risks too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But above all, it <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">demands</i></b>
that business-domiciled IT functions align themselves against this new world.
And to be as effective and flexible as our customers need us to be, this
alignment may need to be radical considering where we are starting from.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The traditional in-house IT
function is becoming rapidly out-dated. But let’s go even further. Is it
actually needed anymore?! If you can outsource the entire gamut of IT services,
from hosting through to DR, from networks to applications, do you really need
an IT team at all? To some extent it depends on appetite, but some ownership of
IT will surely need to remain – and that ownership must have enough specialist
knowledge to get the best from your technology suppliers. And we need to avoid
the ‘baby and the bathwater’ scenario i.e. we throw away the really valuable
stuff – perhaps elements of competitive advantage – just to pursue some kind of
minimalist ideal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But how do we get there? How do
we re-envision and re-engineer our in-house IT capability? How do we
re-establish our credibility and contribution in a hostile environment? We have
some ideas. We think we might need to adopt Agile development processes. We
know we should be more innovative. Some elements of our service are too
expensive, or too weak and of poor quality. We think we could outsource some of
that operational “stuff”, but have never taken the leap. And we know, for
certain, that we need to be seen by our business colleagues as a partner, and
not the Necessary Evil.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>The answer is to redesign the
IT Business Model</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are some fundamental
questions worth asking. In your business environment, what is IT ‘for’? What
value does it bring? Where does it contribute? Where is it an enabler – and
where a blocker? How important is technology; leading edge or not? What about mobile?
Is ‘good enough’, good enough, or do you have to be world class?... And a large
proportion of these questions will not be answered by IT folk, but by people in
the business, our customers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beneath these philosophical questions,
there is a wealth of detail to be uncovered and discovered. Luckily, frameworks
– and consultants! – abound to help you. Frameworks that talk about the journey
from Strategy to Operation, Direction to Execution; about how you build things,
support them, retire them; about suppliers and outsourcing… Breaking what IT
does down into its component parts – like a Lego house to its bricks – you will
arrive at, who knows, maybe 30 to70 elements. There will be a focus on
Customers, Administration (how you ‘run’ IT – and it should be like a business!),
Information Management, Services, Support, business solutions and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 – So, settle on a framework
and, if you need it, someone to help you through it. All of the big SIs and
Consultancies will have an offering in this space.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 – Spend some time planning the
activity and prepping the people who are going to contribute – some of the
Leads in your IT function, but more importantly the key players in your
business.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 – Work through the framework,
starting at the business engagement end. For each ‘brick’, most likely you will
need to recognise a) where you are (and you could be nowhere in that you just
don’t do ‘X’ right now!), b) where you need to be, and c) the challenges and
prerequisites of getting from one to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 – Once you have assessed all
the components in the framework, you will have a series individually coherent
but potentially disjointed models. The final activity will be to take these and
align them, and ensure they are complimentary. This will give you a new overall
operating model at which to aim.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 – Then comes the planning
process i.e. identifying what you need to do and when you need to do it in
order to make your new model a reality. And validate again the benefit of doing
so. The plan and benefits case is what you need to sell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But let’s be realistic here; this
process is complex and can take a long time to do well. If you are looking at
reviewing a traditional in-house IT function that covers all the bases, then
expect steps 1-5 to take three to six months. Implementation – if it involves
new outsourcing contracts, root and branch surgery of your organisation – could
take two years to put in place and be effective. For many, this timescale – and
the cost of the endeavour – will be too great, or at least off-putting. If you
have a pressing need to go faster in some areas, then I would suggest you still
execute steps 1 and 2 for the totality, but then have an iteration of the
remainder by ‘area’ e.g. Operations, Business Engagement, IT Administration,
Service Support etc. This will give you the advantage of seeing some results
earlier, but overall will probably take longer and may cost more. It may also
prove to be a more flexible approach. But whichever approach you choose, you
have to start with the big business-related questions up-front; these will give
you your boundaries within which to work. If you start by looking at the
support processes in isolation, you may optimise what you currently do – but
this will make little difference if what you are doing is profoundly inappropriate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a journey that will take funding,
time and commitment, but at the end of it you will find yourself with a
different pile of Lego bricks than before – and therefore a different house.
And hopefully one much more in tune with what your business actually needs. If
you fail to undertake the journey, then you may find that two things happen:
the first is that someone in the business might ‘do it to you’, and the second
is that there is a continuous and subtle leak of IT responsibility and
expertise away from your function which will lead to less effective, disjointed
and uncontrolled solutions provision to the business – and that will be a
bigger problem to solve!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced
in business-driven Information Technology, culminating in significant
achievements majoring on organisational and process change, and with a proven
track record in turning around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth
experience of change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier
engagement, and broad International exposure. Also the author of management
books on the topics of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of
e-business, and the IT organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-33779282850909493732012-10-02T16:38:00.001+01:002012-10-02T16:46:30.620+01:00What the Hell is Matrix Management?<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a common enough term these
days, but what does ‘Matrix Management’ actually mean? what is it trying to
achieve? and is it working?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you search on-line you can
find numerous definitions. Here are just three:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“A style of management where an individual has two reporting superiors
(bosses) - one functional and one operational.”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Multiple
command-and-control structure in which some employees have dual responsibilities
and dual bosses” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">“A
style of management in which one person works for more than one supervisor on a
riety of tasks”</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The common thread is obvious;
it’s the one-to-many relationship between an individual carrying out a series
of designated tasks and the two (or more!) people who need to get those things
done. The other key theme is that the Managers concerned will often have
different agendas – e.g. functional vs. operational – and/or responsibilities.
By definition, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> mean that a
proportion of the delegated tasks (and maybe up to 100%!) will not be common or
shared. Again, by definition, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i>
imply that some degree of conflict or ambiguity will be an everyday reality for
the employee charged with carrying out the tasks concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So why do it? What is it intended
to achieve? Well, many things. Here are some suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">It’s
a recognition of / response to increased complexity in business / IT</span></b>.
Perhaps especially in IT, the days of people having just one job with a single
focus have long gone. People’s roles have broadened, and in many cases they
have to know more or contribute to more things – and often these ‘things’ or
areas of expertise are explicitly owned by different individuals e.g. Bill owns
the Oracle Databases but Charlie owns everything to do with the Disaster
Recovery regime including those databases. Dave is the technical expert who has
to execute tasks for both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">It’s
a way of responding to multiple perspectives</span></b>. Less technical
perhaps, but there are examples where people are pulled in multiple directions:
they work for a specific country business unit, but have to contribute to a
global initiative or service. Or customers in a single business are perhaps
brand-based, and these brands have different requirements on the same resource.
Or in order to instil greater service excellence into a technical discipline,
people have to work with/for the service management guys as well as their
operational line manager. And so on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">It’s
a means to reduce headcount / control costs</span></b>. More for less. If we
can get our people focussed in two directions, meeting two requirements
simultaneously, then we could just be saving on headcount, cost etc. – and in
these difficult financial times, that’s clearly important.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, my concern is that matrix management can actually be
more of an excuse than a solution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look at what’s wrong with the
model from a practical perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will tend to create a lack of clarity and
confusion: what’s more important, task A or task B? whose agenda is the most
important one? does the operational boss trump the functional boss – or is it
the other way round? <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The potential for instilling ambiguity is high. Instinctively,
people struggle with ambiguity, especially if they can’t do anything about it.
And that can lead to them mentally disengaging; you lose their enthusiasm,
goodwill…<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If people become torn between tasks, bosses,
agendas, if they start to disengage, then they might proactively (if
unconsciously) adopt a position of refusing accountability. “How could I be
accountable and deliver this”, they might say, “because A, B, C was out of my
control. Bill said this and Charlie said that…” And so on.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We face over-working people. It doesn’t matter
one iota that we explicitly agreed that Bill would get 60% of Dave’s time and
Charlie 40% - both Bill and Charlie will either behave as if they have 100% of
Dave’s time and allocate work accordingly, or, if they do stick to the 60-40
split, they will expect their tasks to be completed first and will ignore and
negative effects on the other’s agenda. It’s not their problem…<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For all of these reasons (and more) it becomes
harder and harder for people to commit to achieving things. Bill and Charlie
might commit – and when they fail it’s clearly Dave’s fault(!) – but for Dave,
how can he commit when he’s being pulled in two different directions, and has
too much work to do anyway?!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If matrix management is being adopted to save
headcount and cost, might it actually end up being more expensive in the long
run as we face significant levels of missed deadlines (and longer deadlines,
anyway), unengaged and unproductive staff, or – and this could be the biggest
kicker! – a <u>dramatic reduction in quality of output</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The cynics among you might also
point out that all too often matrix management is driven by people who are NOT
in a matrix structure, so they don’t actually see or really understand the
effects adoption of this kind of ‘structure’ is having on those actually carrying
out the work. (Dave’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown and is looking to
leave the company, by the way..!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But let’s face it, matrix
management isn’t going away anytime soon. In order to meet the demands of
complexity, multiple perspectives, ‘more for less’, having multiple reporting
lines and workload streams will be a fact of life for some time to come. If
that’s really the case, then what do we need to do to improve the effectiveness
of working within this kind of structure? what do we need to be better at? Well
here are some ideas…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Resource
Management</span></b>. At the end of the day, the core capability that we need
to nail is how we manage our resources. It is anyway, but in a matrix situation
it needs to be razor sharp.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Delegation</span></b>.
When we allocate a task to someone, we need to be truly explicit in the
parameters of that task and what the desired deliverables are. Often we are too
vague about the required output with the result that we over-shoot initial
timescales.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Estimating</span></b>.
Both better resource management and improved delegation are intimately linked
with better estimating. “5-10 days” is no longer a good enough answer in a
pressured world where there is always something urgent next in the queue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Commitment</span></b>.
On two fronts. Firstly from the Bill / Charlie end in terms of making a
commitment that what they are asking for is actually what they really want –
and they know it! – <u>and</u> that they will stick to their 60-40 deal and any
agreed priorities. And secondly from the Dave end, who, having said “7 days” rather
than “5-10 days”, is actually committed to hitting that estimate (i.e.
accepting accountability).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Honesty
and Integrity</span></b>. All of these things only work if all parties are
completely straight with each other. Build any element on sand or using ‘smoke
and mirrors’, and the whole thing falls apart: “I said 7 days but I knew it
would be 12…”; “I agreed to 60%, but I knew I’d need 75%...” etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Listening
to Dave!</span></b> And we must listen to Dave, the power of the doing resource.
Most of the time they actually know what they are talking about – and far too
often we ignore their input assuming it is being given for reasons of
self-interest, self-protection and so forth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Clearly these things are all
intimately linked, and improving them will take time. But what can we practically
consider doing in order to help us along? As ever, no silver bullets, but
hopefully no blanks either!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Process undoubtedly plays a part, especially in
areas such as Resource Management (RM) and Estimating. How good are your
processes – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really?</i> – and where can
they be improved? And this may mean simplified, don’t forget!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Good communication and reporting is key, between
all parties concerned and along the entire journey of any task from estimate to
progress tracking. Bill needs to have sight of how Dave’s work is progressing
for Charlie, not because he has any direct interest in it, but because
potentially he will be affected by any over-run. And the communication has to
be effective. This doesn’t mean detailed, but rather something that is <u>actually</u>
read / listened to and understood.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you have a PMO (Project Management Office)
function of some kind, this could be where some of this responsibility sits.
They may already have a hand in resource management and reporting, so offer a
natural home for any improvements. If you don’t have a PMO – and can’t see the
need for or justify having one – then you will need to rely on your Project
Managers and Team Leaders buying into any service improvement package (in terms
of RM, process, comms and reporting).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps one of the most effective mechanisms to
shift culture in this area (which is, after all, what we are talking about) is
to change the reward mechanisms for your staff. Consider adopting some kind of ‘one
fail, all fail’ approach. There are various ways you can achieve this through
objectives or bonuses; for example, perhaps trying a scheme where part of Bill
and Dave’s bonus is based on Charlie being successful, and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Undoubtedly, there are many more
levers that can be pulled to make Matrix Management operationally more
effective, and turn it from a nice theory to something that actually works OK
in the real world. How much of this you choose to disclose to or hide from your
end customer will depend on your style and the ethos of your organisation. In
theory they shouldn’t really care as long as you are delivering what they want
and what you promise them – and making Matrix Management work just a little bit
better should repay any investment you make.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-*-</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the
IT organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-66212963298602738472012-09-25T09:08:00.001+01:002012-09-25T09:27:01.704+01:00The Constraints of Organisational Hierarchies<br />
<div style="border-color: currentColor currentColor rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 4pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s an old chestnut, isn’t it?
Whether we’re trying to retain existing people or hire new ones. In fact,
almost any time we want to do anything with our staff we bump into the
immovable object that is our organisational hierarchy. Of course this isn’t a unique
problem for us in Information Technology, but we do face the complexity of a
wide spread of functions – and some pretty deep technical skills that, at the
top end, often imply seniority even when our org charts might suggest
otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">More often than not, we tackle
our organisations in an essentially traditional way – and it’s this approach that
creates problems. Here are six of the constraints we impose on ourselves by
doing so:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">How we draw
organisations</span>.</b> We start with a pyramidal chart – one box at the top,
many at the bottom – each box joined to one or more others with ‘solid’ lines.
It is a rigid framework.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">How we think
about organisations</span></b>. When we look at our org chart, we want to put a
name in each box. We don’t think about what people actually do, we think about
which box they best belong in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">We fail to
reflect what is important within our business</span></b>. Very often we don’t
consider what IT means to the business we support. We ignore it. We put on our
blinkers and draw up our structure based on IT skills, processes, functions
alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Driven by
command & control need</span></b>. Knowing that everyone is ‘owned’ by
someone else is comforting. It means that our people can be controlled, told
what to do. To some extent it absolves us of ownership. Yet it constrains our
people too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Need to be
clear on responsibilities / accountabilities</span></b>. We kid ourselves with
pretty job descriptions and ‘roles and responsibilities’. We pretend. We tell
people they are responsible – or accountable – but never give them the freedom
(within our organisations) to actually do the job we need them to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">HR processes
demand ‘managers’</span></b>. And at least once a year (for annual reviews),
and increasingly more often than that, we need to comply with HR processes –
and HR processes reinforce the solid line, command & control approach of
traditional organisation design.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m sure much of this is
frustratingly familiar. Be great to sweep it away, wouldn’t it? But it’s
actually not that simple, not only because it’s difficult to do so, but because
we – including our staff too – help to perpetuate the model. Think about what
the majority of people want within an organisation and how they measure
themselves. Think about what people expect and what self-esteem looks like to
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">They want ‘seniority’. They want
to get as close to the top of the pyramid as possible. Some people would sweep
the car park or clean the toilets if it meant they could take another rung
towards the top. Then many want more money, better benefits, and this almost
always equates to the same thing – taking another step up the ladder. We take
the Peter Principle and guild it! Not only do we promote people who aren’t
managers and make them managers (it’s what they want, after all, and doing so
saves a retention headache for us!), we often accept that we are going to lose
their core skills in the process. The very thing that makes them valuable to us
and our business suddenly becomes of secondary consideration. “Bill was a great
Project Leader, but now he does a s*** job running a team – and we’re both
really happy about it…”. Doesn’t sound quite right, does it?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the heart of these problems is
the fundamental flaw that our organisations fail to recognise value. They are
not based on value. If Bill is a great Project Leader – and the role is an
important one – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then let’s pay him for
the value he brings by doing that job. If we get the benefits element of such
recognition sorted, of course, this may mean Bill doesn’t get to run a team –
and then we run into the fact that Bill hasn’t moved boxes on the chart. The
money’s great, he says, but…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So something needs to change. And
it’s not just for us, but for our people too. It’s a cultural shift.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Organisation
structures are inevitable</span></b>. Whether we like it or not, command and
control is a fact of corporate life and will not go away. On that basis, we
will continue to need to recognise a series of superior-subordinate
relationships in our working world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">How
we think about organisations; articulate, communicate, draw them</span></b>.
Given that inevitability as a starting point then, we need to change our
approach to organisation charts; how we think about them, articulate,
communicate, draw, promote and populate them. Hard to do? Certainly. But here
are a couple of possibilities. Don’t have one person per box; break that link.
And in terms of seniority, don’t have one Management Team (‘top layer’), but
have multiple management teams depending/focused on the area/function/thing
being managed; that way you can bring more relevant expertise into each MT <u>and</u>
allow more people to experience ‘management’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">The
roles / boxes within org charts</span></b>. Stop thinking about the boxes as
‘jobs’ and try to start thinking about them as the things people do – things
that are relevant to and add value to the overall business. Make your job
descriptions focused on outcomes and values rather than filled with meaningless
‘weasel words’. It will make performance management – good and bad – much more
relevant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Reward mechanisms</span></b>.
Change the reward mechanisms!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<u><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sweep
the organisation away!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></u></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">OK, sounds dandy, right? But in
the real world…? Well, come on!! And if this is your objection, you’re right.
The vast majority of us don’t have the freedom – or don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">think</i> we have the freedom – to be ‘radical’. We may not have the
money, the flexibility. Indeed, our people may not want it. And, let’s face it,
we already have org structures, job descriptions, HR processes, the annual
review process… We have our uncomfortable ‘comfort blanket’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Clearly, if you were starting
from scratch and setting up a new organisation with new rules and new people,
then you have a chance. But, having said that, don’t dismiss the opportunity by
just throwing it in the ‘too difficult’ category and going back to the
Neolithic ways we run our people structures today. Take a look. Think about it.
It might just be possible. What would you need to do..?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 – Start with a blank sheet of
paper; ignore your current org chart. This will be difficult for two reasons:
firstly, because your structure might be imprinted on your brain, and secondly
because you know your people, don’t you? And you know where they ‘fit’ and what
they do… But you do need that blank sheet of paper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 – Plan to divorce org framework
from benefit structure. Try to forget that traditionally the closer someone is
to the top of the page, the more money they earn. Think about the contents of
your reward structure – pay, car, bonus – as tools to be used, not things that
are pre-ordained.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 – Think about what the IT
function actually needs to do. And don’t think in terms of technical roles if
it all possible, but try and articulate what you need people to do/achieve in
more relevant business terms. For example, you need to make your systems
available across your branch organisation, rather than you need an Network
Engineer Grade 2 (you’ll make that connection later). By undertaking this step,
you may well uncover some roles you need that your current organisation does
not have – and what will that tell you?! [And from here on, I distinguish
between ‘jobs’ – the post a person holds – and the ‘roles’ that people perform
i.e. what they ‘do’. A ‘job’ may be a combination of ‘roles’, so ‘roles’ are
most likely not full-time; a ‘role’ may need to be carried out by multiple
people.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 – Once you have a profile of
the many roles you need performed – and you’ll have to be prepared for this
list to be longer than your current headcount! – then you’ll have to moderate
your list in terms of the numbers of people, on balance, you need to meet those
needs. So, using your judgement and experience, think hard about how many
people you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i></b> require – and what they need to do – to make your
systems available across your branch organisation or to man your Service Desk. Maybe
you’ve always had twelve people on the Service Desk in three teams of four, and
you know that works – but that may not be the right answer. It could be more or
less, depending on your review of what they actually need to be doing. Be
careful you don’t over-estimate the size of a role: does a person <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i></b>
spend 50% of their time preparing service reports..?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 – So, having been hard on
yourself, now you have a list of roles and approximate numbers of people you
need to perform those roles. You can begin to group roles into jobs. “If I got
someone to do this role 50% of their time and these two roles 25% of their
time… That actually looks like an interesting job!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">6 – With jobs defined, now you
can think about how they logically go together in an org structure. But
remember, this org structure is not the end goal; it is merely a mechanism to
allow the minimum command and control you need, to maintain HR processes etc.
It’s not how you will run your department. And if you have a job that you need
many people to do, then don’t draw one box for each job – not at this stage –
just one box maybe annotated to reflect multiple job holders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">7 – Now it gets tricky! You need
to think about the jobs you have defined – and their component parts, the roles
performed – in a variety of ways in order to come up with the rewards for
executing those roles and doing those jobs. So you might consider the following
requirements:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">managerial skill needed and people
responsibility (based on your new draft org)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">decision-making responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">value to business (ideally in ££ or some business
metric)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">uniqueness / scarcity of skills<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">market rates<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">business / technical knowledge<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Establish benefit ranges for each
role, and therefore for each job. This exercise might also allow you to refine
your jobs. For example, you have two roles that require company cars or
significant travel in order to be executed successfully – but you find you have
split them across two jobs. Can you combine them in a single job and therefore
save the expense of that second car or that travel?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">8 – At this stage – and we’re
well into the process now – we have yet to talk about your people i.e. those
who hold posts in your current structure. Well do so now. But not in the sense
of the jobs they are doing or the roles they perform, but in their own right;
what are they, as individuals, worth to you? There are some fundamental things
you should consider, for example: potential, attitude, criticality, productivity,
flexibility. Those attributes are worth something, and that something could be
concrete. You will have people who are invaluable, but in lower paid roles –
this is your chance to recognise that. Undoubtedly – and unfortunately – the reverse
will be true too!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">9 – So now you have your two
critical components: a new organisation more closely based upon what you need
to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doing</i>, hopefully with a more
value-based assessment of their worth to you; <u>and</u> a reflection of the
importance of the individuals in your organisation, independent of their
current post. Now all you need to do is to pull the two together! Here, of
course, is the greatest problem of all. Whether you can appoint people into
roles or need to advertise and go through a process will be driven by your
company policy, the size of the change you would need to make, the numbers of
redundancies or hires etc. And make no mistake, this is a big deal! So big a
deal in fact, that it may just not be possible. But even if you just undertake steps
1 to 8 privately (which you probably should as much as you can), the
organisation you come up with, the roles within it, and the rewards potentially
attached to your people and the jobs they do, will be far better than the one
you are faced with today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Try it. I doubt it will be a
waste of time. You <u>can</u> execute all the way through to step 8 – there is
nothing truly stopping you. If you did so, you would learn a lot about your
organisation and your people – and the service you deliver to your customers. Maybe
undertaking that final implementation piece is one step too far. But it may be
simply be that it is too big to tackle in one go – your organisational
elephant. If so, it may yet provide you with an aspirational place to strive for,
and that could allow you to put in place a plan that will – over time – get you
there, and maybe free you from the chains of your current organisation
structure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">8 – About the author / copyright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the
IT organisation.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third
parties for their personal and non-commercial use, but only if you acknowledge the
author and blog as the source of the material. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
author, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it
or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-30765437456690080972012-09-16T11:05:00.002+01:002012-09-25T09:09:24.596+01:00The Leadership Prism<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">There can be
little doubt that one of the most significant topics currently taxing the minds
of businesses, organisations, consultants and academics alike is that of
leadership. Although not a new subject – intellectual discussions and debates
around the leading of people have, in various fields, taken place for very many
years – the commercial world is now experiencing a major focus on “leadership”.
For example, between 2003 and 2004 in excess of three thousand books will have
been published on various facets of the subject, with this body of work
supported by many more academic papers, treaties and theories.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But why is
this so? Why leadership and why now? As with almost anything related to the
topic, a simple unequivocal answer is unlikely to be found; however, we might
point to a number of influencing factors. Perhaps the evolution of “commerce”
generally into a dynamic, high-pressure environment where the gap (and time)
between success and failure is narrowing has moved businesses away from cosy,
family-led affairs where change took an age and security was everything.
Computerisation, the Internet, new methods of communications, engagement and so
forth have all accelerated the business life cycle. In the past, firms led by
inadequate leaders might survive for years without issue; in the twenty-first
century, this is clearly not the case.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One might
also point to something of a rise in the cult of – or preoccupation with –
leading businessmen. How often is Jack Welch, former CEO of the General
Electric (GE) empire held up as a beacon of leadership, then quoted and
misquoted? Our increasing fascination with other people – exemplified perhaps
in the inexorable rise of reality television – has seen a dramatic increase in
the numbers of biographies appearing in our bookstores. Whilst many of these
are of “celebrities” or sports stars only just out of nappies, the more mature
business icon has managed to muscle in on just a little of the action.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Inevitably,
leadership is a subject that will always be ripe for dissection and
re-assembly, for new slants, propositions, manifestations and so forth. Clearly
this is partly because it has its own fascination; partly because, as Bennis
(1999) says, “leadership remains an elusive concept”; and partly because
unlocking the secrets of leadership – finding that “silver bullet” – represents
for many some kind of organisational Holy Grail.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One of the
modern strands of theory in this area revolves around the notion that
leadership is not an attribute or responsibility confined to the very apex of
any resource structure, but that evidence of leadership can be seen – indeed,
should be seen – throughout all echelons of the organisation. The ideal of
“leading by example” has, for many, focussed largely on the purported “leading”
and less on the tangible “example”. A more worrying trend, however, is the
endemic lowering of the leadership high-bar; the systematic – and theoretical –
attempt to move the threshold where leadership actually starts within an
organisation.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us assume
that a business has someone at its head – the CEO, perhaps – and they have a
number of people who report to them as a management team. There may be a
further cascading of managers beneath them through to the bedrock of the organisation
at the “coal face”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzUjIHP0sJ0/UFWjm7P0YNI/AAAAAAAAALM/qiJ07kS1D_g/s1600/fig+1.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzUjIHP0sJ0/UFWjm7P0YNI/AAAAAAAAALM/qiJ07kS1D_g/s320/fig+1.1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><figure
1.1 – The Traditional Organisational Pyramid></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Although much
simplified, this basic model demonstrates clarity in structure and clear
delineation between “Leadership”, “Management” and “Execution”. The business
can, quite naturally, only have one “Leader” – but what do you do with a
significant pool of presumably talented managers in terms of career
development, and satisfying ambition and aspiration? For many organisations the
fashionable answer seems to be: “Turn them into Leaders”. Thus we find hoards
of senior and middle managers embarking on skeins of leadership training,
immersing them in theories and techniques, and giving them tools which – in the
harsh light of day – may be largely redundant or impossible for them to adopt
in their day-to-day role.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are
immediate issues in this approach from the perspective of the business itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kznkquk7y4U/UFWjmg6kHOI/AAAAAAAAALQ/h3Iqx5dTGcI/s1600/fig+1.2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kznkquk7y4U/UFWjmg6kHOI/AAAAAAAAALQ/h3Iqx5dTGcI/s320/fig+1.2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><figure
1.2 – The Revised Organisational Pyramid></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our simple
organisational pyramid has now been revised from a position where there was one
recognised “Leader” to a situation where many different people are either
adopting portions of this mantle or adding their own slant. Whilst for a very
few individuals this may be practical (if they run a significant sub-unit
within a larger whole), in doing so, it is absolutely inevitable that for the
new collective leadership team their roles, visions, beliefs, responsibilities,
accountabilities and individualities will result in an organisation where the
leadership of the business – in terms of style, direction, ethos etc. – may be
all over the place. Clarity is sacrificed and, if this needs to be
re-established and the new leaders “reined in” and told to work within a
prescriptive framework, then the collateral damage could be considerable.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Additionally,
as the model suggests, there are further fundamental considerations. For
example, promoting more people into leadership roles requires a true delegation
of power and authority if they are to have any chance of succeeding.
Additionally, if we now have Managers spending more time trying to be Leaders,
it is likely that they will delegate some of their management tasks down the
chain of command. The end result could be more “Managers” carrying out the same
range of management tasks, greater bureaucracy supporting the longer management
chain, and possibly the pool of “Execution” resource actually reducing with the
business suffering accordingly.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is
another argument against the modish proliferation of leadership training and
empowerment, and that is quite simply that being a good manager does not
necessarily make someone a good leader (nor someone who excels at execution, a
good Manager). In many respects this is an example of the well-established
“Peter Principle” (Dr. L. J. Peter & R. Hull, 1969); the notion that people
are, through being good at their job, eventually promoted into one for which
they are neither qualified nor competent enough to execute successfully. The
Manager-to-Leader transition is both more subtle and more significant, however:
more subtle in the sense of the complexities around what makes a good Leader
(with the individual themselves as the basic building block), and more
significant in the potentially negative impact on the entire operation that
having the wrong person “leading”.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My broad
premise is the argument that leadership is not the next automatic career step
for Managers, and that there is a fundamental difference between leadership and
management. There is a clear need to understand and establish of what these
differences consist, and to articulate them in such a way as to enable the
“reverse engineering” of leadership concepts into any organisation in the most
appropriate way and at the right level. By considering many essential
leadership attributes, we can to demonstrate that the demands of leadership are
radically different from those of management and require an entirely different
approach and style – a challenge to which many Managers simply cannot rise.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is almost
a philosophical point to our argument here; the notion that a fundamental
difference exists between leadership and management, and that this difference
is so basic that it predicates a clear delineation between the two disciplines.
Any such difference is difficult to articulate in a black-and-white way of
course, and as with so much in leadership theory, there is an element of
personal belief in terms of the stance one instinctively takes on the subject.
For those managers in whom expense is invested to make them “Leaders” – and for
the organisations that make those investments – one might expect a firm
rebuttal of the distinction. Indeed, any school of thought that promotes the
notion of leadership being everywhere within an organisation can surely take no
other view.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The assertion
made by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL, 2004) that “in
educational organisations there is an assumption that leaders of educational
change should be both leaders and managers” is a position that very many
industries, organisations and individuals would certainly take. Indeed, it
would be futile to argue against their associated argument that “no single
characteristic can distinguish leaders from non-leaders” (SEDL, 2004). However,
it is possible to build an argument in favour of differentiation based on what
Leaders and Managers actually “do”, what their responsibilities are, and how
they approach the problems they face.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Institute
of Management Excellence (IME, 2003) published a table which attempted – at a
relatively crude level – to differentiate between Leaders and Managers:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; margin: auto auto auto 24.1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green 1.5pt; mso-border-insideh: cell-none; mso-border-insidev: cell-none; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-yfti-tbllook: 160;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><tbody><span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: green rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid none; border-width: 1.5pt 0px 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Managers<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: green rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid none; border-width: 1.5pt 0px 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leaders<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Analytical<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Experimental<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Structured<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Visionary<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Controlled<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Flexible<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Deliberate<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfettered<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Orderly<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Creative<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Logical<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Intuitive<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Concentrate
on strategy<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nurture
culture<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Isolate<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Correlate<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Determine
scope of problems<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Search for
alternative solutions<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Correct
strategic weaknesses<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Build on
strategic strengths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wield
authority<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Apply
influence<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seek
uniformity<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pursue
unity<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Manage by
goals/objectives<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Manage by
interaction<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Employ
consistency<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Elicit
creativity<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reorganise<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Redevelop<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Refine<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Revolutionize<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) green; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 187pt;" valign="top" width="249"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Plan around<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) green; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 191pt;" valign="top" width="255"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Confront<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><table 1.3
– Leaders vs. Managers></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Clearly an
analysis such as this aims to polarise the notions of “Manager” and “Leader”,
and to pigeonhole each into diametrical opposition: Controlled vs. Flexible,
Logical vs. Intuitive. Debates could rage indefinitely around such a framework,
with Leaders demanding recognition for their consistency, and Managers’
asserting that they are indeed flexible. What is certainly less likely to be up
for debate is that the roles and responsibilities associated with “leadership”
and “management” are not the same, and that the effective execution of these
responsibilities will de facto demand skill-sets which may well be different
or, at the very least, divergent.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A man might
be regarded as a great footballer – but that is likely to be within the context
of the position he occupies within the Team (or organisation). Perhaps he is
the main striker, responsible for scoring more goals than anyone else during
the season. Put that player in the team as the goalkeeper; would he still be
regarded as a great footballer? Same man, same organisation; different
responsibilities and role – and different skill-set needed to execute
effectively. And just because an individual is a great footballer, whatever
position he occupies, does it logically follow that he will make a good team
captain?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To a certain
extent, definition is key. Bennis’ view (1999) that “leadership is the key to
realizing the full potential of intellectual capital” is all very well, but
where does this kick-in organisationally? Are we talking about just the guy at
the top of the pyramid? In very large multinationals or conglomerates, this
would clearly not make sense; effective leadership will be needed at the level
of individual territory, or business line. And what about within a
single-nation, single-product business or organisation? Is one Leader enough?
Should there be “leadership” at the head of each function – even if that
function employs just five people?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once again,
those seeking clear-cut definitions are going to be thwarted. Even useful
contributions to the debate such as Ready’s view (2004) that leaders “see the
enterprise as a whole and act for its greater good” is open to the challenge
that everyone within the organisation presumably works for the greater good of
the whole. Are they all then, by default, Leaders? </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As far as a
dictionary definition is concerned, a Leader is someone who “rules, guides, or
inspires others” (Collins, 1979). On the other hand, a Manager is “a person who
directs or manages an organisation, industry, shop etc.” (Collins, 1979), where
“to manage” is “to be in charge (of); administer”. There is a difference in
emphasis here which supports the premise upon which my argument is based. The
guidance and inspiration of leadership undoubtedly occupies a different plain
of activity from a manager’s focus on “administration”; the suggestion of
“rule” offers a higher degree of authority over simply “being in charge of”.
These differences are surely also borne out in the responsibilities and
accountabilities for each – the Manager’s objectives most often being task- or
project-focussed and originating at some point from a direction set by the
organisation’s Leader. It is interesting that the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory (SEDL, 2004) also make reference to the well-worn maxim
that “Managers do things right; Leaders do the right things”.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If we return
to the suggestion made earlier that to simply promote Managers into the role of
a Leader can generate examples of the Peter Principle, then we need to consider
how and why such failures might manifest themselves. Assuming that the
assertion that the roles – and therefore the skill-sets needed – are
significantly different, given the body of work carried out on leadership in
the recent past, finding supporting arguments should not be too difficult.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Research
undertaken by Kaplan and Kaiser (2003) suggested that, when Managers needed to
adopt leadership roles they showed a bias towards particular leadership styles,
for example preferring a forceful approach to a more enabling one. (There are,
of course, echoes here of the Institute of Management Excellence’s table shown
in the previous section.) Additionally, they concluded that “inadequate
performance is usually defined as displaying a lack of [seemingly
contradictory] qualities and skills”. There are two threads we might choose to
take from this statement: firstly, that effective leadership requires a complex
range of multidimensional skills, aptitudes and abilities on the part of the
Leader; and secondly, that many Managers fail to display or adopt that
multidimensional profile. There should be nothing surprising here, given the
nature of the generic leadership and management roles.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Further work,
by Conger and Nadier (2004) also suggested that “a … reason for failure by new
CEOs is their often narrow expertise and inability to set a proper context as a
leader”. This observation offers harmonic backing to the general notion of a
skills or abilities mismatch. The Chief Executive Officers to whom Conger and
Nadier refer would almost inevitably have been Managers for a large portion of
their careers, and have stepped up into leadership roles that have left them
exposed. This kind of promotion chain (the top rung of the ladder) is relevant
to all but the fewest commercial Leaders, the prime exceptions being those who
– like Richard Branson of the Virgin group – have built business themselves
from nothing, and have largely been “Leaders” for their entire careers.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is
important that we do not denigrate the abilities, attributes and contribution
of Managers. After all, there are many more Managers than Leaders by some
significant factor, and the success of businesses world-wide will be achieved
through the efforts and application of many millions of “Managers”. If we are
not say – and we are not – that Leaders possess more skills than Managers, are
more sophisticated, more intelligent and so forth, then how might we simply articulate
the fundamental difference between the two disciplines?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One approach
is to consider breadth, both in terms of the challenges faced and results
required. Let us consider Managers first. We have already suggested that by and
large Managers will operate within a framework that is laid down for them, and
be requested to apply their many and various skills to problems or tasks that
have been specifically defined. For example, if you wish to build a bridge or
install a new computer system a Project Manager would be employed to effect the
delivery. They would apply their knowledge, skills and experience to the task
within some kind of project management framework, produce plans and schedules,
monitor activities, and focus on the final objective. In this sense, the focus
is the key thing.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">In figure
1.4, this is demonstrated in terms of a “Management Lens”. The various skills
of the Manager go into a lens in such a way as to direct all of these energies
towards the end goal. Achievement of this goal – the “point of focus” – almost
inevitably demands a level of detail; a second observation about the management
profile. Of course, many senior managers will be tackling multiple points of
focus as they go about their daily business. This does not make them Leaders
however, particularly if they are replicating the same lens-like approach to
more than one objective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I4WcON3sVmE/UFWjm3c8J2I/AAAAAAAAALU/TUMQ5Jll-_Y/s1600/fig+1.4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I4WcON3sVmE/UFWjm3c8J2I/AAAAAAAAALU/TUMQ5Jll-_Y/s320/fig+1.4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"><figure
1.4 – The Management Lens><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the
point of view of leadership, the picture is very different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pWoghICZPUY/UFWjnc_TUvI/AAAAAAAAALo/iD1SqhXha5I/s1600/fig+1.5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pWoghICZPUY/UFWjnc_TUvI/AAAAAAAAALo/iD1SqhXha5I/s320/fig+1.5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"><figure
1.5 – The Leadership Prism><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here we would
argue that in order to address a particular challenge, a Leader needs to tackle
it in a completely different way. The Leader’s approach to resolution must be a
prismatic or multidimensional one, bringing a whole raft of non-detail centric
and divergent skills to bear upon the issue. These might include any
combination of tools such as vision setting, communication, employee
relationship management and so on. If the Leader’s instinct is to focus on the
specific task and low-levels of detail, then they will continue to operate at
the management level – the kinds of failings notes by Kaplan and Kaiser, Conger
and Nadier.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What do these
simple models suggest in terms of the underlying difference between leadership
and management? I would venture that the critical divergence might be
considered in the following areas:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; margin: auto auto auto 28.6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green 1.5pt; mso-border-insideh: cell-none; mso-border-insidev: cell-none; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-yfti-tbllook: 160;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><tbody><span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: green rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid none; border-width: 1.5pt 0px 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: green rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid none; border-width: 1.5pt 0px 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leadership<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: green rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid none; border-width: 1.5pt 0px 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid green .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid green 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Management<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scope<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Broad<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Narrow<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Focus<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scene-setting<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Goal-oriented<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Horizon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Vision<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Task<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Detail<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">High-level<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Low-level<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Framework<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Defining<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Executing
within<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) green; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 100.35pt;" valign="top" width="134"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Administration<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) green; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 133.65pt;" valign="top" width="178"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">An overhead<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) green; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">A necessity<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><table 1.6
– The Scope of Leadership and Management</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">However we
choose to articulate these roles – and however finely we attempt to make
concrete the delineation between them – there can be little doubt that “Leaders
and leadership are crucial but complex components of organisations” (SEDL,
2004).</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">References:</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘The
Leadership Advantage’, W. Bennis. ‘Leader to Leader #12’, Spring 1999</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘The Peter
Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong’, L.J.Peter & R.Hull. Souvenir Press,
August 1994<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Leadership
at the Enterprise Level’, D.A.Ready. MIT, Spring 2004<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Developing
Versatile Leadership’, R.E.Kaplan & R.B.Kaiser. MIT, Summer 2003<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Collins
English Dictionary’. Collins, 1979<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘When CEOs
Step Up to Fail’, J.A.Conger & D.A.Nadler. MIT, Spring 2004<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven Information
Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on organisational
and process change, and with a proven track record in turning around /
re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of change,
transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and broad
International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics of IT
strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the IT
organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents
in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-56042469646481080202012-09-13T14:46:00.000+01:002012-09-13T14:46:55.687+01:00True Customer Focus in IT Service Management<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">More and more we are talking about Service Management in IT
– but unfortunately in many cases we do so from far too narrow a perspective; from
a perspective driven by an IT view of the world. We think we are looking
through a window onto our customers’ experience, when we’re actually looking
into a mirror i.e. we don’t see a true <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">service</i>
view of what we offer, but rather a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">management</i>
view of ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps this is inevitable given the approaches that are prevalent
in our industry. We like frameworks and structures; things like ITIL and COBIT
get us excited. They give us a way to behave, a set of rules; they lean towards
there being a ‘right answer’. They allow us to produce numbers for measurement
and give us license to define processes. So we outline the Demand Process or
the Risk Process (note the capitalisation!), and we document it and publish it
– and then pat ourselves on the back for doing a good job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But are we?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Essentially, Yes. We are doing a decent job; these are, at
one level, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i> things to be
doing. Over time, they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> bring
benefit; we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> become more
effective and cost efficient. End of story…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, not quite. In part, the problem with this kind of
approach is where it applies our focus: attention driven by theory, not by what
is important. The expansion in the numbers of volumes for ITIL v3 vs. v2: more
detail, more granularity, more process, more frameworks, more theory – and
maybe less service. Our efforts – and again, they are laudable and correct on
one level – are primarily driven by IT, and the metrics by which we want to
measure ourselves. Isn’t it a noble desire to be able to say to our customers
that we’ve increased first time fix rates or decreased defect rates by 0.2%?
Yes – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> No…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the problems we face is that many of the benefits
that arise from frameworks like ITIL and COBIT (in addition to being seen as steeped
in ‘IT-speak’) is that they can be difficult to articulate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> take a long time to materialise. “This is IT ‘stuff’… You won’t
understand it… It will be brilliant in a year’s time… Trust me…”. At some
profound level, we could be ignoring the customer perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But now you scream, “what about customer surveys?”, “what
about satisfaction scores?”. Dare I suggest that here again, we’re actually
only measuring a customer’s view of our service based on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> rules, based on our perceptions as to how they should be seeing
what we do. Fundamentally, we set the survey questions – so they can only score
us based on the framework we provide them. Even though we have asked them for a
response, we’re still only measuring what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>
want to measure. We believe X or Y or Z is a significant metric – but is that
significant to us, or just that we believe it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> be significant to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i>?!
I’ve seen examples of major efforts having been made to improve answer rates on
a service desk – only for a senior business user to declare that they weren’t
bothered about that. Or hours spent producing detailed Service Level Agreements
(SLAs) that never get read, let alone signed off, because they don’t actually
mean anything to their intended audience! At some level, therefore, it doesn’t
matter how good the numbers look – or how pretty the graph is – the output
could be irrelevant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">On that basis, I suggest that we need a revised approach to
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Customer</i> in relation to IT
Service Management. We should focus on what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i>
want; consider how effective service provision is and how we articulate it in
ways that are meaningful to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i>, not
to IT.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many of you might suggest that this is where you are
already. Or that your current frameworks and processes are there already. That
you know your customers; that they are happy with their monthly service report
(and yes, they do read it!). But if you aren’t, or if you have a nagging suspicion
that you could do better, then think on. And start by forgetting about ITIL,
COBIT and all the processes you currently have in place..!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The customer view <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i>
be the starting point. Only by articulating IT service in a way the customer
understands and can relate to can you truly discover what’s important – and
more significantly, what you need to fix. The chances are that the components
our customers will want to talk about will all be things that we are familiar
with, and potentially already measure in some way or another. For example:
performance, service levels, cost, quality, reliability, pace, delivery, risk...
But the critical thing will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i>
they articulate that importance, and the relevance of the IT service to the
core of what’s important to them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s take a branch-based, retail operation. From the IT
perspective, we will most likely be measuring network uptime, perhaps some kind
of performance measures around application response. We will be able to quote
99.985% network availability. Whilst relevant to IT in terms of the performance
of our network provider, this measure is c<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ompletely
irrelevant to our customers</i>. They will be more interested in the 0.015%
downtime and the commercial implications of that: was it in opening hours? how
much business was lost / impacted by it? what did the outage cost us? To make
our service in this area effective – and the reporting of it more relevant – we
need to both measure and know the context of the downtime, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> have a means of articulating the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">business</i> metric (not IT metric) associated with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of this will be hard to achieve, and for a number of
reasons. Here are just three:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It forces
a different <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dialogue</i></b> with the business – and maybe the fact that it forces
the dialogue in the first place! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It makes us understand the business more – and
ensures that we use business <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">language</i></b> when talking about IT. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Getting to the business-relevant <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">metrics</i></b>
will be much harder than it was their IT ‘equivalents’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once we have this base, then we have a solid context for the
conversation about a 0.2% improvement in defect rates or first time fix rates.
In some cases, the answer to what becomes essentially a business problem might still
be a new IT process. Or it might be that some investment is needed. But at
least in these cases you go armed with what you have seen through the window
(i.e. the business cost) and not what is reflected in the mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The only way to get to this improved understanding about
what the IT service truly means is to sit down with the key <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">operational</i> people in your business –
and to take a blank piece of paper into the meetings with you! There will need
to be a series of sessions with all the key players in all the key areas of the
business. At the end of it you will have lots of opinion, many perceptions, and
hopefully some concrete things you can work with. When you map these back to
what you are currently doing, the gaps – and there will be some! – will be
revealed. Only then you can draft a plan of action to make your service
offering, its components, and the reporting of it, biased towards what’s
actually important to your customers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The benefits are obvious:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you deliver a service the customer actually wants
and can relate to<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you measure service provision in a way that is
meaningful to the customer (no more vacuous SLAs!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you improve the things that bring greatest
benefit to the customer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you have a better dialogue with the customer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and maybe you might find funding initiatives
easier!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, you still need ITIL, COBIT, process etc. – but you will
have a more relevant business perspective against which to operate your
framework. And you will know what really matters.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, some words of caution…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Expectation</b>.
If you start down this road you will be setting expectations with your
customers about how you will talk to them, what they see etc. Failing to see it
through and deliver will not be an option.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Being
radical</b>. It could be that some of your most cherished metrics, reports and processes
are no longer needed and you need to throw them away. It could be that, in
order to deliver a service that is even more relevant to the business, you have
to do things that are philosophically uncomfortable to you – for example, less
rigorous change control to aid pace of delivery, or a conscious deviation from
documented IT ‘standards’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Organisational
impact</b>. You may find that there are some roles in your organisation that
you simply don’t need any more – or some that need bolstering or expanding. Be
prepared for that, because the more aligned you can get to your customers’ view
of IT – them looking back through the window in your direction! – the more
certainty there is that you will have to change the way you deliver and manage
elements of your service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">And lastly, in a world where IT is increasingly central but
somehow more marginalised, if you don’t step up to the plate and be seen to add
real, perceived business value, then your customers will find someone else who
will.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the
IT organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may print or download to a local hard disk
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you may copy the content to individual third
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-78425484023384239362012-09-11T08:57:00.000+01:002012-09-11T08:57:36.621+01:00Can you control IT from the 'Centre'?
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the challenges many companies face is how to maintain
appropriate control and governance over their IT functions. This is a
particular issue where companies are geographically diverse – both within and
across countries – or where they are composite entities i.e. they sell
different products and services under the same umbrella brand or corporate
ownership. Businesses spend significant sums on Information Technology – for
the majority between 1% and 3% of turnover – so it’s important that this is
spent wisely.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the top- and bottom-ends of the corporate scale, the
approach to control is potentially less of a practical issue. At the top-end, a
global conglomerate might actually be able to allow many of its constituent
parts the grace and favour of fiefdom; and at the bottom-end, the scale could
be so small that ensuring commonality and consistency may be the only practical
approach. In the mid-range the challenge is more acute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many organisations wishing to drive commonality and
consistency against the promise of lower IT costs – and potentially, ignoring resultant
negative business impacts that might dwarf the gains from uniform technologies
– typically would have in place a central or ‘core’ function to take ownership
of the IT operating model. Such a core function could define strategy,
standards, processes and approaches, and communicate these out with the full
expectation of compliance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">In theory this is fine, but it only really works if a number
of other factors are in place. There will be many, but for example:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">rigid and strict enforcement, with perhaps some
form of ‘penalty’ for failing to follow the dictated line;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fantastic</i></b> communication;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">unwavering commitment to the vision;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the explicit and clearly evidenced support of
‘the business’ – i.e. the IT function’s customers – who also toe the line, even
when it might want to do something different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some organisations might be achieving the IT control they
desire in this way, possibly through a subset of the things above. Some may
have chosen to tackle just a slice of their technological landscape (say in the
area of Financial Systems) in order to make the endeavour manageable. Some may
believe that they have a perfect mix of approaches, less draconian than
suggested above, that is doing exactly what they set out to. That’s great. But
is it true?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ‘Centre Out’ model of IT control in a large and diverse
entity (whatever ‘diverse’ might mean) potentially falls foul of a number of
critical weaknesses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Ivory Tower Syndrome. Component parts of the
dictated IT direction – strategy, solution sets, processes, organisational
structures etc. – could end up being based on a theoretical nirvana because the
core entity responsible for them is divorced from the day-to-day operational
reality of the business it serves. At a profound working level, it may actually
not understand what goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One size fits all. Almost by definition, the
ambition of the centre will tend towards a single model that could fail to
reflect on, acknowledge, and allow for local markets, cultures, lines of
business, trading ethos etc. This could manifest itself at a micro level – a
certain product is not available or certain organisational structures are not
culturally acceptable in a particular geography – to the macro scale. Whole
companies have been brought to their knees and gone under on the back of
pursuing ‘the big ERP dream’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who pays the wages? The problem of “not invented
here” will never go away. But there is a subtle further dimension to this if the
people responsible for IT are actually employed by the ‘local’ businesses they
serve i.e. they are not employed by the central function. The impact of “he who
pays the Piper calls the tune” cannot be underestimated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nodding acquiescence. Whilst people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">say</i> they support the central strategy,
they don’t really. Their loyalty is to the organisation that pays their wages,
in the geography where they grew up, allied to the business they know… And in
this context, for some cultures, ‘Yes’ doesn’t actually mean ‘Yes’ at all!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Manuals. Not a major factor, more a symptom. But
are there lots of manuals, processes and procedures that no-one reads or
follows – except for those who produced them?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Does any of this ring a bell? Decent central control is
actually <u>very hard</u> to achieve. But there must be a way of being (more)
successful. There must be other approaches that would be at least as effective
as the ‘Centre Out’ option – and hopefully more so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s start with an assumption that you do actually need a
central IT function of some kind in a ‘diverse’ business. And let’s also assume
that the ambition towards some degree of commonality or standardisation is a
good thing. But then let’s also start at where the real work is done, where the
true business impact of IT is actually felt. Is it possible that there could be
an ‘Outside In’ approach to controlling IT?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Driving from the margins has the immediate benefits of
tackling some of the major issues listed above: there will be no Ivory Tower; no
one size fits all where this doesn’t make sense; and it is more likely to
ensure buy-in. It <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i></b> invented here! If we can find a way to allow entity-wide
standards and strategies to be explicitly owned by business-facing IT units, if
‘components of control’ are owned by people ‘at the coal face’, is it not more
likely that we will arrive at a direction for IT that will be more relevant for
the entire business it serves?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">OK, but this is even harder! It could end up like herding
cats. Anarchy could reign. And it could! But to mitigate this, the more federal
approach demands a change in the role of the core IT group at the centre. It
needs to shift to coordination from control; it must referee and not manage;
and it becomes a place for arbitration, rather than one of dictate. If you can
achieve this ‘Outside In’ approach, the benefits are clear:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">broader buy-in<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">business-relevant IT, driven by business
imperatives, not artificial IT timescales<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">flexibility of approach<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">more cost effective; no big central teams<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">You could achieve 90% control over 70% of the entire
landscape, rather than 30% control over 100% of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">How it might work? The $64,000 question! Inevitably, it
depends. It depends on your business and the industry and markets it is in; on
the diversity – product, geography, culture – of your organisation; on the
size, composition and ‘spread’ of the IT team(s); on the philosophical approach
to insourcing vs. outsourcing, package solutions vs. home grown. There are many
factors to take into consideration – and if there were one simple answer,
everyone would be doing it already!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">You might start by articulating some of the ‘facts of life’
as they relate to your business and IT in your business – outsourcing, packages
etc. You might stand back from your current capability and see where you have
the skills and experience to be able to delegate specific areas of ownership to
individual local teams on behalf of the whole. You might want to start thinking
about models for governance going forward – how will you coordinate and
referee, rather than dictate and manage? You will certainly need to understand
if such a radical approach is acceptable and within the DNA of your company; it
simply may not be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But before all of that, you need to understand whether or
not you have a problem at all. There are some questions that you will need to
address – and honestly! And you may need to recognise that you are too close to
the action to be able to do that yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">if you are pursuing a ‘Centre Out’ control
approach, are you doing it for the right reasons – business reasons – and is it
fundamentally valid?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">where are you now? how much are you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trying</i></b>
to control? how much <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i></b> you controlling? and how <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well</i></b>
are you doing that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">what have you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i></b> delivered from the
centre that’s meaningful / valuable to the business (compared to what is being delivered
locally)? what have you produced that is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i></b> being used or referenced? And
what has it <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i></b> cost you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">do people really, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">truly</i></b> believe the vision?
And if they say ‘yes’ when you ask them, don’t necessarily believe them! (This
may be where you need most help from outside…)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">what are the real, here-and-now business
drivers? and is your control strategy aiding or abetting achieving these?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the
IT organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may not, except with express written permission from the
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803867553203588954.post-90472961741560274492012-09-09T15:31:00.000+01:002012-09-19T15:24:35.145+01:00A New Approach to Portfolio Solution Provision?<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">You are probably familiar with the scenario. After a period
of strategy definition, soul searching and navel gazing, there you have it: the
programme of work that will lead to a step-change in the IT service you provide
your customers. Great! The only problem is that, well, it’s quite large and expensive,
and you don’t have the products, skills and people to deliver it. So you’re
going to need help – and fast! Especially as your neck is now on the block!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this point, assuming the programme isn’t so closely knit
and inter-related that it makes implementation of a major ERP solution a ‘no
brainer’, there are two routes that you might choose to take. The first is to
call in one of the major Systems’ Integrators (SI) who profess to be able to
tackle just about everything. And in a world where traditional IT boundaries of
expertise are being broken down, there are now more and more companies who play
in this space: “Cloud? No problem! Hosting? No problem! Business Process
consultancy? Six Sigma? Off-shore development? No problem!”. Life’s a treat!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The second route could be to break up your portfolio into its
component projects, create teams for each of those, and then send them out into
the world in the hunt for the illusive, mythical and vacuous ‘best of breed’
solution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both of these approaches are valid. How valid they are will
depend on the nature of the programme of work you need to undertake; the size
of the in-house IT organisation; your philosophy in relation to things like
outsourcing; the skills and knowledge you have at your disposal now – both IT
and business; whether you are breaking new ground; the size of your budget etc.
etc. The list of things that affect your route is enormous – which means that
there is probably no ‘right answer’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">And there might be no ‘right answer’ for other reasons. Take
the SI route. SIs are filled with knowledgeable, talented, committed people.
Time and again, they deliver a good end product to their clients. However, there
are potential challenges if you take this path:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>People & Skills</u></strong>. It turns out that the SI
doesn’t have all the people and skills that it actually needs to deliver to
you, so they go into the market themselves and potentially hire the same people
you might have been able to secure directly. They may also subcontract much of
the delivery, so the “Hosting? No problem!” scenario only works if the SI
themselves doesn’t actually do it. These two things alone imply that there
could be questions over the quality of service you get, and/or your control
over that service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Cost</u></strong>. SIs can be inherently expensive. Often
this is valid because you are paying for top-drawer people, but that’s not
always the case. And if they do go out and hire a contractor at £500 a day,
will they charge you that (plus a modest mark-up) or their standard £900 rate?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Existing relationships</u></strong>. It is possible that the
SI may have an ‘understanding’ with certain other IT organisations, despite
protestations of impartiality and bias. When they suggest a component to fit
your ‘best of breed’ goal, they may effectively be selecting from a shortlist
of one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Niche players</u></strong>. In the SI scenario, it is
entirely possible that perfectly adequate, low-cost, functional solutions that
would meet your needs perfectly well are never brought to the table – possibly
because the SI doesn’t know about them, if for no other reason.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So let’s avoid these potential issues and take control of it
ourselves, and follow the internal teams route. Well, I’m afraid that there are
a new set of pitfalls that could be awaiting you there too:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>People & Skills</u></strong>. You need the right numbers
of people with the right skills to tackle your portfolio. This probably means
you have to hire, and – as you know – recruiting people takes a lot of time and
effort. A lot of time and effort…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Knowledge</u></strong>. Even if you have the people you need,
many may have no experience of the kind of major undertaking you are
considering, so they’ll be learning on the fly. Additionally, if you get into
Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and all that implies, including the commercials,
do you have access to adequate contract and legal ‘nous’ to get you over the
line? Far too often there are people playing out of position here. We’ve
probably all done it, or seen it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Time</u></strong>. Without the kind of head start that an SI
can potentially give you, your programme of work could run and run. And who’s
to say that when you’re half way through, it is still the right thing to do?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Cost</u></strong>. Yes, the SI may be expensive, but when you
add up the costs of this route – recruiting new people, building skills, time –
your internal option could be pretty pricey too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, there are challenges – and there may be no ‘right
answer’. And for the other people who could help you, the plethora of small- to
medium-sized IT companies who have the solutions that might just be what you
need, in this binary world of SI vs. Internal portfolio delivery approaches,
they could be suffering. Not only might they not get a look in, but they could
be spending a significant amount of money not getting a look in! The relative cost
of getting new customers is likely to be high; they may need to make major
investments in sales and marketing activities to try and punch above their
weight. And in a crowded marketplace, getting their message across can be
difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is there an additional option therefore? I think there could
be. Call it Federated Solutions, or Composite Solutions. Call it what you like.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Think about Amazon. Amazon is no longer a bookseller; it’s a
trading hub. It has provided many thousands of small niche retailers access to
a global audience at very limited cost. You go to Amazon because you know you
can get just about anything there; but what percentage of the end product is now
provided by Amazon versus those who occupy spaces in their market place?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why couldn’t IT solution provision work in the same way?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could go to “Get-IT-Sol” with your requirement –
say for a new Business Intelligence (BI) solution – knowing that they had
access to a whole range of BI service providers, large and small, and that they
could facilitate some of that up-front filtering, selection process for you? Then,
having helped you short-cut the process, they could hand it back to the
internal IT team to run the project. Or say you needed some help with internal
governance and controls, or maybe COBIT-related processes. Wouldn’t it be nice
to get to specialists who have been there, do it, got the scars in the just the
way that’s relevant to you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, an SI will say that they can do all of this, and
many will be able to. But it will more likely be an end-to-end proposition,
under their jurisdiction and control. And of course you may say that you can do
it with your team. But take a look at some of the players in the Amazon
marketplace you’ve probably used personally in the past. How would you have
found them without Amazon – and how long would it have taken you?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">A facilitated composite approach, if available, could
provide an alternative route to simultaneously delivering a portfolio of IT
‘solutions’. If you consider some of the potential negatives of the SI and
Internal models, this option could offer mitigation in the areas of People,
Skills, Cost, Bias, Knowledge and Time. And for the smaller, niche players, it
provides them with a way to get access to a larger customer base at a lower
cost.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is this a new business model? Perhaps. But perhaps it is
more about creating a new channel for IT service and solution provision / identification
to complement those already in existence. Of course there would be major
challenges in setting up such a ‘federation’ with a long list of pitfalls to
avoid, but it could prove to be a winner not only for those who build and
operate the ‘marketplace’, but for its customers and suppliers too.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-*-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Ian Gouge is widely experienced in business-driven
Information Technology, culminating in significant achievements majoring on
organisational and process change, and with a proven track record in turning
around / re-engineering IT functions. He possesses in-depth experience of
change, transformation, IT delivery, customer and supplier engagement, and
broad International exposure. Also the author of management books on the topics
of IT strategy and project management, the impact on IT of e-business, and the
IT organisation.<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This material is copyright of Ian Gouge © 2012. All rights
reserved. Any similarity to actual IT or business organisations is entirely coincidental
and unintentional. <o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the
contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: <o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>You may not, except with express written permission from the
author, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it
or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957081162042253776noreply@blogger.com0