Does anyone notice you? Look in the mirror. If there is
no reflection you are a vampire. If there is and you work in IT,
welcome to the invisible world of Dracula management. Here are some
tips to get back onto the corporate radar.
First, you may be speaking a language no one understands. We
think that as long as we talk in business terms rather than techno
babble we will be alright. Do not forget that while many people
fail to understand technology, they do not understand business
either.
You need to know the "lingua franca" of those you speak to.
After all, Count Dracula came from Transylvania and fetched up on
the shores of Whitby speaking perfect English.
Many working relationships in business are long established. The
one between civil engineers and architects stretches back to before
the pyramids. Others are just as old. We have only been around for
50 years, so it is not surprising we are treated with the suspicion
of a stranger.
Dracula's challenge
Like Dracula, IT represents a challenge to the order of things,
especially if you are only seen in the virtual night - for example,
when systems are down and the nightmare begins of people trying to
survive without e-mail.
The Dracula manager should also be well turned out. Too many IT
folk dress in a manner that arouses curiosity. The Count's example
may be too formal for today's taste - so forget the cape - a dark
suit and white shirt will suffice.
Also, do not flaunt bogus decorations. Real professionals have
well-entrenched and certified bodies to authenticate their
credentials. As one executive said to me, "You are not engineers -
you are technicians."
For the Dracula manager, it is also essential to get any fresh
blood in the company on your side before the cynics warn them
off.
Transform yourself
One of Dracula's key capabilities is transformation - suave
count one minute, bat the next - so develop chameleon skills. Do
not be a geek when you talk to PR, and do be shrewd when you visit
finance.
Technology touches everyone. People are forced to have a
relationship with you, like it or not. So despite providing the
enterprise's life blood, you will be seen by most as sucking out
vast amounts of cash for expensive, often invisible,
expenditure.
Be wary of the luddites who abhor your very existence and see
you as the symbol of all ills. They are the ones who try to ward
you off with the corporate garlic of how wonderful it was before
you came along.
They will be sharpening the wooden stake or loading the silver
bullet and be just as happy to put it in your back as get you lying
down.
To survive in Dracula management you will need one more thing -
a crypt as cold as ice. The server room is a good spot for your
coffin as you will need somewhere to hide when, as the last law of
all projects states, they start looking for somebody to blame.
Michael Pincher is information systems and facilities
manager at Cross London Rail Links
More information:
Manage people, not technology
Talk to the CEO in a language he
understands
Have your say
Do you agree with Micheal Pincher? If you have an opinion about
this or any article on the Computer Weekly website, e-mail
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