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For IT Professionals - Five Things You Can Do To Be Less Of A Jackass

 

Attention Information Technology Professionals:

 

First things first, you’re probably acting like a jackass without even realizing it.

 

Don’t believe me?  IT is generally considered the least favorite department in an organization. You don’t wind up on that list because you’re NOT acting like a jackass.

So, now that we know you’re actions are, less than favorable…how can you be better? Here are 5 tips:

1. Technobabble.

 

Using a bunch of technobabble will land you on the jackass-list every time. No one cares how smart you are. You talking over someone’s head to prove how smart you are? Jackass! The last time you went to the doctor, did she launch a bunch of medical terminology at you or did she put it in easy-to-understand English? Chances are, she laid it out simply for you. 

 

 

 

 

If you can’t explain something simply? You don’t understand it well enough. So, if you are trying to talk over someone’s head it means you’re either not as smart as you think you are…or you’re a jackass.

2. Be Nice!

I don’t know why this one is so hard for the IT team. But be nice! I get it, users aren’t as smart as you. And they whine when stuff doesn’t work (and they probably broke it in the first place) and you were up way too late rolling out new patches…but does that give you permission to be a jackass? No! Be nice!

3. Put The Laptop Down.

Maybe this is just a pet peeve, but when I’m having a conversation with someone, the last thing I want them doing? Banging away on their laptop. I don’t care if you’re “taking notes” (PS-I call Bull$&!, you aren’t taking notes).

Bring a pen and notepad if you must, but if I’m talking to you? Have the courtesy to look me in the eye.

4. Mr. (or Ms.) Automatic.

Has there ever been a meeting involving something new where an IT person hasn’t automatically said “no?” Ever? IT is like the Department of NO!

User: “Can we do this?”
IT: “NO!”
User: …but you don’t even know what it is!
IT: “NO!”

Instead of the automatic “no,” find ways to say yes. Find ways to help users move their ideas to something that is both feasible (from a tech perspective) and still accomplishes their goals. Automatically saying no? Makes you a jackass.

5. Bloody Respond To Me!

Yes. You’re busy. But guess what? We’re all bloody busy! If I send you an email, I don’t expect an immediate response…but I do expect a response; and not a month later! If I leave a voicemail? Same rules apply! Ignoring a message doesn’t make something go away. I’ll either work around you or escalate to your boss. Does that make me a jackass? No. You left me no choice.

We’ve gotten a bad reputation in IT…and much of it is well-earned. We need to find ways to reduce our contribution time to tactical firefighting and focus more on strategy. We need to pull ourselves out of the weeds and spend more time with our customers (users!) and enabling them to succeed. 

If You Don't Like Change, Maybe Information Technology is not the Career for You

Information Technology is all about innovation and how technology can help streamline processes and workflows and make it easier to access the information you need to make decisions, learn or simply get the job done.  With the Internet of Things and Robotics, it has also become somewhat of a controversial field with the loss of some jobs and the closing of factories.  But yet, a lot of IT Professionals get stir crazy when they hear the word "Change" whether it affects them directly or the company they work for.

I have a quick story about a manager that had a 1-on-1 meeting with one of his employees recently.

The employee came into the manager's office looking a little stressed about the topics at an all department meeting.  The employee proceeds to ask questions about why the company was bringing in all of this "new"technology and how it will affect the job they were doing.   The employee also recalled the speaker talk about being agile when it comes to project management and then asked what does agile mean.   After a few more topics, the manager was thinking that their employee really has no clue with what is going on in today's ever-changing technology world.   It reminded them of the perception of older technology workers is that they are not interested in learning anything new and the old "this is how we always did it" is a mantra for "if it ain't broke, then don't change it".   I am sure some IT managers can relate to this.

Nothing is further from the truth that saying "This is How We Always Did It" when it comes to Information Technology.   An IT Professional has to adapt to change since what they learned five years ago may not be relevant today.   Companies and businesses change, organizations change and even that database software you have known for over 20 years is going to change.  If the word "Change" scares you, then maybe IT is not the career for you.   

At a lot of older large corporations, you may have a veteran IT staff of professionals that have put in quite a few years doing the same thing day in and day out and have no interest in learning anything new.  I personally have managed teams like this and challenged myself to see it from their perspective and sell the idea that change is good and that they should always be ready to adapt.  One way I have done that is simply mention to them how IT has changed the way we do things anything from how you do your banking, order food at your favorite restaurant or get directions in a town you are not familiar with.   People adapted to and embraced those changes so likewise our company and you as an IT Professional have to be ready for change or else the company and yourself may be out of business.

So put away those Oracle Database Tech Manuals or that Cold Fusion Web Design book and be ready for being in constant learning and adapting mode.  If not, your picture may be placed in the local Computer Museum!

Running An IT Organization Is Like Running A Business

With the changing dynamics of Information Technology today,  IT Professionals need to take a different approach to their work than in the past.  

In the past, if you were in IT, you were that geek with a tool belt that loved spending weekends taking their IBM computer apart and putting it back together.  The IT Geek also had their own "data center" in their garage, complete with a couple of networks, a SQL Server and a couple of Weblogic servers.

In a company setting, the IT group was looked at as a bunch of introverted, cranky people that sat in the basement of their company and considered a business process to be some kernel running on a UNIX server.   Most companies shoved their IT team under the Finance group, since all IT was is a cost to the company with no value and/or revenue to the bottom line.

Something happened to Information Technology around 5-10 years ago that became a commonplace for startups as well as established Fortune 500 companies.    IT departments became service departments, technology solved business problems and IT professionals became cool.   Cloud Computing was the norm, not a buzz work, organizations took ITIL seriously to help streamline business and technology processes.    Servers were now called Services.

I have been in IT for over 25 years now and have adapted to the changing dynamics to my profession.   In addition to my IT career, I have tapped into social media/internet marketing, entrepreneurship and business networking.   I went from IT Geek to a extroverted business professional and have no problem talking to people.   I am not your typical IT professional.

I started looking at my IT team as a "company" that provided technology services to my customers (other departments at my company).  Called it DeSocio Technology Services.  

I mentored my team to take the sales approach to solving technology issues.   A customer makes a request, the technician makes the initial call to acknowledge that they received the request, the technician assesses the issue and implements a solution.   For the next step, the technician would follow-up with the customer and assure that all questions and details are accounted for and then document the outcome of the request.    The team would continue to follow-up with their customers on a regular basis to build a working relationship, understand the business and be more proactive to technology needs.    A customer survey would be forwarded to the requester who would provide honest feedback about the IT Service that was provided.

Sounds like a sales approach, huh?   Well, it is.   The changing dynamic is that IT Professionals are constantly selling their services and knowledge but also have to have the personal approach in supporting their customers.   If they don't, they will be replaced.

Running an IT Organization is Like Running a Business.   I know since I do both.   If your IT group doesn't perform up to expectations, your group will be out of business and/or replaced.  That is a fact. 

So if you are in IT, get out of your basement, put the Dell Server aside, go to a networking event and become an extrovert.  It will take your career to the next level and you will understand why a sales approach is important in today's IT business world.