Analytics, or Data Mining, or Data Sciences have been elusive targets in many I.T. organizations for sometime. Often defined by whoever is leading the focus/search, in each situation. Consensus in the marketplace , or the literature is even more elusive. The latest issue of Barron’s doesn’t settle that uncertainty. but surely allows some to feel they are in the “lead”…. or have the right to “teach”. I’m told Boston University will provide 5 courses next year, for CIO’s who want to understand more about this growing area of exploration. I intend to make it a personal quest to find more, hopefully definitively…who will lead the courses, how might they differ, what might be expected learning output, what is the curriculum and format…….hopefully enough to share with those interested
Always a struggle. Usually a tendency to change too much or too fast…to keep up with all the disrupting events, or new opportunities seemingly easily absorb-able in any organization. Poster 218 Geodesic Selection process [click here] is a framework for such consideration…Actually it’s an ongoing, every day management technique when running a LLF, since by design it shifts with the need and future of the actual participants. but in great moderation. AND I argue strongly, ONLY by a practiced, superbly alert, facilitator. Even these few facilitators must study the list, it’s implications, and the possible “magic” lost. Like
“Trust”, once lost, the “magic is very hard, perhaps impossible to regain!! Of the handful [ c. 4 of c. 250-300 I have run or helped run]. I have yet ever seen it “regained”. Only stopped. Thus the great care!!
Alan Alda’s new book [ yes, he’s from the TV show M*A*S*H], “If I Understood You, Would I have this Book in my Face – My adventures in the Art & Science of Relating and Communicating” ...especially the part just italicized, is fundamental today for all existing & aspiring I.T leaders. When he was acting [ now writing & teaching], he learned a lot about “Improv”,and shares that professional journey, its deep impact and broad applicability, for us all to benefit from. I’m on my 2nd careful read! Its relevance is essential, and often missing, in our currently fast changing set of I.T roles.Brace yourself for tons of insight, from voices not heard much in our profession. I will incorporate this in my Leadership Learning Forum Process. It adds clarity to needed shifts in every I.T. organization I am aware of!!
We were never famous for being particularly empathetic to line business executives consistently, even to customers or others out in the marketplace. But today having a capacity for this leadership characteristic helps relationship building, and allows trust to grow in ways that eases the disruptive potential of many new technologies engulfing some business efforts. Perhaps few of us have read or studied enough, about how/when/why empathy is useful in deploying the output of System Groups. StrengthsFinders, one of the very best personal profiling methodologies available today, can help substantially in my opinion. AND……. developing an ability to practice broad empathy, especially when it’s not a natural flow, is an absolute must for would be leaders of technology use for organizational purposes
This turns out to be a frequent dialogue for counsel, for many of us. Both developing it and recognizing it! It’s usually a mutual focus
I’ve been think/talking about this for years. Remembering my father’s experience, crafting my own…How? When? even Why? Interestingly, perhaps because of that talk/thought, others, both friends…and clients and network members, have been asking me for counsel in their own exploration of the topic. It’s surely not as black and white as it was in our father’s day. Many more options, permutations. Organizations seem to be focused on retaining some of the wisdom/insight which often [not always] accompanies long experience. And the next two generations, now in or seeking organizational power, are more open to dialogue ,once they discover its usefulness…..even generating opportunities for “round table discussions”,or dialogue with leaders who are partially or soon to be more fully retired.. [They’re safer?!?!?]. Skip the rationale, and it’s depth……….when it’s done authentically, huge value moves in both directions
Phenomenal to part of.
And it spreads
Answer in the “fullest sense”….. of your total input…. talk shows, magazines, newspapers, confidants, TV news, books, research papers etc., etc. This is more important than ever, with so many choices, “fake news”, endless opinions driven by deadlines, a requirement in most walks of life now, to “know more…understand well beyond your immediate chore list.
Some suggested guidelines: MULTIPLE – rely on more than several..push your search boundaries, as much as you can effectively…….. ROTATE – don’t get stuck in any channel, author, or viewpoint., w/o checking other views/sources……SETTLE on some respected /trusted “Readers” with different connections, who would easily discuss/explore together……ACCESS/EVALUATE periodically and carefully,for match up to your needs/ desires
Managing your input flow is one of every mature human’s most precious responsibilities!!
This book “How Today’s Market Leaders can beat Disruptive Competitors @ their own Game” is a must study, and branch out from, book, for everyone, in my opinion. If you’re a leader, or in technology , or surely in the increasingly wide intersection of those two professions, it’s mandatory to absorb and keep expanding your grasp of it’s views/ideas.
By Loucks, Macaulay, Noronha and Wade ISBN-10: 1-945010-01-0
It covers the technology Trends Converging Today, refernced in Poster 444 below, in the blog on June 10th. And a lot more!!. I’ll post several “book reports” from clients who are focused on it, in the section of this website, under the tab “Magic”, on the first page, and then under the tab “Book Summaries”….. in a few days [when we recover from “Father’s day- today!!!]
Can you do both?…and switch back and forth w/o losing your game? Few have that capacity naturally. Most of us need to work @ it/learn more about How?/Why?/When? Especially today in Information Technology. It’s not enough to be skilled at/fully understanding of, the disruptive technologies [Post 444 Tech Trends] happening in all professions. Neither is it enough to just attend the responsibilities of that level. Increasingly, competence is required in both.
Well….. how do you get there? As starters…carefully constructed reading/communication work habits early in your life…..relationships built on connections where you will be coached/mentored, actually “pushed”some…..with an overall personal attitude of humility laced with confidence and action….
Or don’t reach very far into any form of leadership!!
More soon. It’s a huge focus.
I just updated, actually changing very little, the full description of “My Work” as I head into my 85th year…doing more by phone,email or virtual arrangements, with clients I know well/who know me well!
Less Travel. Often more effective,!!
The basis for the 7th phase of my life!!!
Very fulfilling…. to all.
Last week I was honored @ the 50th anniversary of the Society of Information Management [SIM], in Dallas Fort Worth, 4/11-13/18. Of the 11 SIM founders I was the “kid”, but the only one with $ and staff. All the others were authors, government officials, full professors, etc., except my boss, who was also a founder, and simply said “Get this done”. So I ran SIM for three years in my budget with two very competent young female analysts, and he approved every thing we decided to do. Twenty five years later a program I designed and implemented in my own business, I re-designed and started for SIM. It was their first program of leadership development, which they multiplied and still do today, now called Regional Leadership Forum [RLF]. There are c. 7 RLF’s in chapter areas, that produce the lion’s share of SIM revenue. Now very many of the Chapter and National leaders are graduates of that program. The 50 & 25 anniversary celebration in DFW, was generously and tastefully done, including two other long standing friends/collaborators, Bart Bolton and Darwin John, both of whom were basic in bringing The Society plus RLF, to it’s impactful position today!! Importantly ready for the challenges of the Future, SIM members face, in every profession!!
I always [perhaps like many of us] assumed I understood and actually practiced thinking/being “strategic” in my leadership and management. Two client have been asked [ directed??] to be strategic, and we’ve been in conversations about what does that mean? what do/can others do? how does it mix in with operation or tactics that are soo pressing today.
A list: Post 445 Strategy Ponderables, developed as we explored options. Likely to increase
I’ve been commenting on this giant set of topics, and writing a blog now and then…even two in a row now[ see below]
Seems appropriate in my network …a new poster linked in….”word-smithed” a bit……. almost all counsel today, personal and organization, @ the senior levels leads within an hour or two, leads to some converging set of this list.
The list started as 12, grew to 15, then to 20……….it doesn’t matter what number you use today…it’s growing and impacting more work flows/people/products/teams…..needs to be understodd by many ……anticipated …and applied…continually…. they shapes the entire I.T. focus I believe, especially from the consumer/marketplace view…..
Will explore it directly with some of you
