I was delighted recently to find a weekly blog named www.IsSurvivor.com. Bob Lewis writes in a clear and frank tone about what he often sees as not working correctly – especially in the world of information management. I would recommend this blog to everyone because his advice applies to all aspects of business – not just IT.
And I was delighted to recently read his book "Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21Century Information Technology." Despite the book's tagline, this is a book for everyone in business – not just IT people. As the author reminds readers over and again, IT is a really important, and integrated, part of the modern business. You can't consider it a stand-alone silo or you'll have really big problems. And I find myself thinking the same is true for all functions. The book is a great read as well. Not pompous (although the author has a mountain of experience to draw upon), very matter-of-fact, and incisive when cutting into multiple myths that detract from performance of functional groups as well as the corporation overall.
One thing all readers should love is the book's focus on getting work out the door. Mr. Lewis points out, with great examples, that if you aren't competent you can't be strategic. I was reminded of so many people I've worked with over the years who lacked prodigiously in competence yet seemed to maintain their positions by taking "the strategic view." Far too often we see in consulting firms the partner that's good at relationships, but couldn't actually do the work if his life depended upon it. In the end, when those without competency are in charge, problems happen. A simple rule – like the many Mr. Lewis gives us – that we so often ignore.
Business, and IT even moreso, are very new fields of academia. Unlike math, English, botany or geology, we've been studying business only a short time. Yet, the die-hard followers of early theories are surprising. Given the lack of any labs to test these theories, and the very visible number of failures these theories incur, the willingness to turn an idea into dogma (in incredibly short time) and then remain tied to that dogma should intrigue all investors and business leaders. Mr. Lewis shows himself a great Disruptor as he wastes no time taking an axe to many dogmas, exposing them as myths, as he works his way through the sea of bad approaches he finds functional heads utilizing. Best practices, process optimization, workforce optimization, applying metrics regardless of experience or ties to goals, development methodologies and documentation practices are just a few of the dogma he successfully analyzes, finds wanting, and discards in favor of better approaches that don't find enough use. (Read the book to get the magic answers.)
I spent my own time in IT working for vendor companies, as a CIO, and for several years as a partner in the giant IT services firm Computer Sciences Corporation. Item by item I found Mr. Lewis spot-on with his assessment of most IT firms, and IT practitioners. Not that folks can't get it right – but that for the most part their assumptions about what would work are so misguided that they have no hope of success. Only by rethinking the approach can the business do better. Which, after all, is the goal of all functional groups – to improve the sales and profits of the company.
But like I said earlier, I recommend Mr. Lewis's blog, and his book, for every CEO, executive, manager or front-line employee who works with IT – so that means everyone. His ideas will help improve the performance of any organization and its functions – not just IT. And for IT folks it offers a world of insight to why things in the past were often so hard, and how they can be much better going forward. You'll gain good insight for doing better planning, using Disruptions effectively instead of following outdated practices that simply don't work, and finding White Space where you can rapidly improve the success of your organization. His recommendations make sense, and you'll find them incredibly practical for improving performance today