Effective technologists implement good technology; effective technology leaders enable others to do this. These are two very different roles. Most technology leaders usually start their careers as “line level” technologists. Over the course of my career, I have found three essential skills that technologists need to make this transition to become effective technology leaders…
Read more »
“Only two industries in the world call their customers ‘users.’ The illegal drug trade and the IT industry.” This joke highlights a condition that too many customers feel about how they are considered by developers of too many software and computer products. Companies can avoid being characterized by this joke if they always remember...
Read more »
In the technology industry, “PII” stands for “Personally Identifiable Information.” However, anyone who provides technology to customers should also think of it as standing for “Privacy Is Important.” Two important events this week—one regarding Google and one regarding Facebook—underscored the importance of this and served as reminders of how important protection of privacy is...
Read more »
To actively manage risk across your enterprise, you will need develop an organization-wide consistent method to seeking out and identify risk. This requires two critical steps: 1) develop a clear definition of risk enterprise-wide and 2) teach your staff to seek out and plan for all types of risk: positive, negative, internal and external....
Read more »
Before any organization can begin to actively manage risk, it must first change its culture to one that openly and freely discusses risk at all levels. This is not easy. It requires commitments from management and staff at all levels. However, it will pay off in many ways: higher trust, increased respect and better...
Read more »
Today is the first day of 2010. This year, as we exit a global recession our hopes for success are much larger than before—while our margins for success are tighter than they have been for many years. Use of Active Risk Management (ARM) can be vital helping us navigate these challenges…
Read more »
Skype is a great service. Last month, a consortium of investors bought Skype from eBay so they could run it as an independent business. However, before they can successfully re-commercialize Skype into the industry leader its technology allows, the new owners will first have to overcome a major fraud perception…
Read more »
Back in the "Days of Dial-up," thanks to great affiliate marketing, Christmas Day used to be the number one registration day for Internet (Web 1.0) leaders like AOL. What will Christmas hold this year for Social Media (and Web 2.0) leaders like Facebook and Twitter? Will the results be good--or will they indicate it...
Read more »
In response to the explosion of use of social media over the past 12 months, many leaders are developing formal Social Media Polices to guide their staff in approved use of these tools inside the enterprise. By using bottom-up design principles, leaders can create Social Media Policies that productively encourage creativity—without risking their enterprise's...
Read more »
