Tip 1: Automate, Not Populate
Our goal as IT Managers, technologist or professionals should not be to create jobs. The creation of jobs is a very worthy cause, don’t get me wrong, but it is not the primary focus of business and or technology initiatives. In order to really add value, you must think about how to reduce staff, not increase it. Outsourcing is another way to reduce staff, expense and increase profit. The primary rule of thumb is to ask “is this task, software, etc. primary to our core business?” If not, then think about outsourcing or automating it.
Read Tips 2 and 3
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This was written a few years back when I was the treasurer for the Atlanta chapter of SIM. I went to the SIM Leadership Summit in freezing Chicago. For those of you who don’t know what SIM is, it is the Society for Information Management. It is a group of people who care about what is happening in the IT community and designed to put thought leaders in touch with CIOs, managers and leaders. If you want to learn more information about SIM, go to http://www.simnet.org/. Be sure to look for a local chapter in your area. For my international readers, I apologize in advance that there are not any chapters outside of the U.S. We did however talk about starting these chapters in the future. If you are interested after reading the SIM website, please contact me with your interest.
Now to the real stuff!
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Please pardon the dust as I revamp the entire strategy around IT Octane and how it is going to help you as an IT manager keep your job in this economy and help your businesses thrive through strategy and leadership developpent.
Quick thought on strategy:
Strategy vs. Tactics
Strategy = A plan of action intended to accomplish a specific goal.
Tactics = An expedient for achieving a goal; a maneuver
One of my mentors mentioned to me a while ago that a strategist will kick the butt of a tactician any time, any day, any place. Why is that? Because a tactician although productive could be accomplishing the wrong things. If you look at the definitions, it requires a strategy for a tactic to become effective. A strategist works towards coming up with a plan that accomplishes the right things, then turns it over to a tactician, or changes hats to be a tactician.
How many of us are just doing things without a definite plan? It feels productive, but is it? If you are stressed out and continually feeling like you are getting nothing done is because you do not have a strategy.