Old World

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or LinkedIn here http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

Do you ever feel you and your organisation are stuck in the old world? Now I don't quite mean that one of 'Pub Rock like Kilburn & the High Roads', or disco 'leg warmers' either. I mean you look around your organisation and wonder what floor the typing pool is on. not everyone has moved on, have they? There is still that odd enquiry coming into IT, about where someone can source one of those tiny cassette tapes for his office Dicta-Phone.

I once witnessed a training course, in which two members of staff refused to use keyboards. My very practical 'North Western' response was, "Have you a cash card?". To which the answer was, "Of course"! To which I said, "Well you must use a keyboard when you use the bank cashpoint then?".  They still didn't use the keyboard in training, but with relief they had left the organisation within a few more months. As I am a polite soul, I would never stoop to naming said characters, but you know who you are, and probably know similar characters you work with.

So, how on earth do we tackle such inertia in our organisations?

A lot of the time its not an IT problem, it's more of a managers managing staff type problem. Moving to a new world is a gradual and incremental process that needs the support of IT and managers to enforce the rules. In my world that should be carrots and sticks. Show people why they should take ownership as well as applying pressure when needed to enforce the rules.

There are so many clients I have worked with, where they have replaced solution after solution, without ever solving the actual problem. In that respect, replacing systems is worse, and more costly than actually sticking with an old solution. many organisations manage to be old-fashioned in a modern way, but that does not move them forward.

A big shout out is deserved to Derek Eaton, who shared some of his thoughts with me on this. Everyone associated with systems and processes need to find that extra energy, to overcome this. as I often relate to many of the exceptional people I work with. It's those unique people and characters that push me on to be still on site after 6.15pm or going that extra mile.

I never ever want to give up, but I know that everything will come to zero, if I cannot change a few hearts and minds along the way. Keep the faith everyone, keep trying to change the world. Derek, hopefully see you this year at the Orchard Conference at the free bar as a Wookiee, in the autumn. You never know they might do a 'Star Wars' themed dinner this time round. 

Related Post: When housing associations create Housing Group structures, how do you go about welding seperate systems together?

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


The Modern Lovers - Old World.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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