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December 9, 1999

Your letters to my print column and this E-mail forum ask some serious questions about managing information technology in today's world. Since today's world is essentially absurd, my serious responses may sometimes sound a little whimsical, and my occasional whimsical ones, serious. In any case, if you want to participate, write to me at lovelace@home.com. I'll respond to those letters that I can. I reserve the right to edit for size and content. Just sign your E-mail the way you want it to appear online.

Dear Herb:
Well sir, I just read "But It Was Just A Dream" about Microsoft. I normally agree with your articles; often it's extremely enthusiastic agreement. And in general, you do offer one of the finest columns to be found in business journals today.

However, I must take serious exception to this one. Going so far as to say "audio browsers installed" and stopping there is absurd, sir. Now HERE is what would have happened after that:

1) Standard Oil would have invested in a few radio stations (Oh, like Hotmail.com, for instance). The "audio browsers" would, of course, receive ALL stations, but Standard Oil's stations would be preset on the radio's buttons.

2) Newer versions of the audio browser would be offered to take advantage of the "latest broadcasting technology," which for some strange reason made Standard Oil's stations crystal clear (and their commercials even more clear). Unfortunately, other stations now contained a bit of static and drifted off frequency occasionally. The new, improved Std'98 version also included (at no extra charge) a GPS unit and a computer chip with sensors that monitored what brand of gas/oil/coolant the vehicle was using, the exact location of the vehicle, and who was driving via fingerprint sensors on the steering wheel. The readings were reported back to Standard Oil's stations through the radio antenna at five-minute increments.

3) This development was loudly applauded by Standard Oil's public relations group for how wonderfully it provided "enhanced security for the driver." It was justified with logic that none could debate: What if a terrorist stole YOUR car and used it for terrorist things, and the cops couldn't track him? Or, what if your son borrowed YOUR car and put in cheap off-brand gas without us being able to monitor it for you? Would you really want to take the chance it could damage your vehicle?

There is more and I could go on, but you're probably bored by now. Have a good'un and watch your back, sir. By the way, I won't be able to be reached much longer at my Hotmail address. I'm moving to a different ISP, just because I'm tired of Microsoft telling me every time I log on to Hotmail that my browser (Netscape) isn't 100% compliant, and what I REALLY need to do is download Internet Explorer 5.0. Well, I'd rather switch than fight.

Bill On The Beach

Dear Bill:
I loved your extension of my audio browser scenario. Obviously, you have a creative mind and key strengths in the area of innovation. My guess is that there is a firm in Redmond, Washington that could use a person of your talent. The company is always touting its ability to innovate, and maybe if it broke down and bought Exxon or General Motors it could implement your plan. On the other hand, the firm would have to figure out what to tell a motorist when his or her audio browser randomly stops receiving stations every few trips with the unfortunate side effect of causing the vehicle to come to a dead stop in the middle of whatever highway being traversed at the moment.

Dear Herb:
I am just wondering how we could precisely define the different roles within the information technology organization. Can you define the functions of: Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer?

Thank you very much.

Regards,
Oliver

Dear Oliver:
There are many desirable attributes of Paris, from where you are writing, that could be adopted in the United States, and vice versa. One of them, however, is not the propensity to put the word "Chief" in front of every function in the information technology world. However, since you ask, here are the definitions as I understand them. Keep in mind that any apparent overlaps or imprecisions are testimony to my belief that we have designated too many chiefs and not enough workers.

Chief Information Officer:
The individual within a company responsible for moving its business strategy into an information technology direction while at the same time ensuring that the business plans of the company reflect the potential of what is possible with information technology.

Chief Technology Officer:
The individual within the information technology organization who is responsible for ensuring that there is a coherent and flexible technical infrastructure to achieve the existing and future requirements of the business plans of the company.

Chief Strategy Officer:
The individual within the information technology organization who is responsible for coordinating and integrating the applications and infrastructure plans of the company into an IT plan that supports achieving the results projected within the company's business plans.

Whew! Glad that you did not ask me to add the definition of the role of the CKO (Chief Knowledge Officer). On the other hand, you have given me an idea. I would like to ask our readers to send me any other Chief titles that they have come across in their companies. Maybe we can list them as a service to executives interested in shaking up their companies with clever-sounding positions or even put them in a pamphlet to help consultants develop reorganization models for their clients.

Dear Herb:
I am a University student who wants to work in the IT industry. I have done some work with UNIX, and would love to go into the administration side of UNIX. What would you suggest I do to find out about internships. Whenever I call companies, no one ever knows, but I know they have them.

What can I do?

Jonathan B.

Dear Jonathan:
In order to get an intern job, avoid the human resources department like the plague. Talk to a person in the information technology department who has the need for your skills. If he or she sponsors you, the possibility that HR will be interested in talking to you increases dramatically.

Having just read the above paragraph, you are saying to yourself, "That sounds great, but how do I find a person interested in me? After all, if I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn't be writing to you, I'd be out getting the experience I want."

OK, that's a fair statement. So, I suggest that, specifically, you call the CIO of a company in your area. Speak to his or her assistant if you have to, and briefly explain what your skills are and what you want. You will be put in contact with someone in the company who can help you--or at least tell you that you�re wasting your time with them. Follow up with a letter, and then call back a few times to help move along the process if it looks at all promising. Remember, it is up to you to pursue the opportunity, not the prospective employer.

You should also consider offering your services to your university. It�s quite likely that you will be able to find a Unix administrator who will take you under his or her wing and teach you in return for you doing some of the drudge work. Keep in mind, though, that in any well-run computer shop you can�t expect to be given administration codes to the system unless you are very trusted by the organization.

Another avenue for you to pursue is working part-time as a volunteer in a non-profit organization, such as a hospital. Non-profits almost always welcome volunteers since they normally have a lot less money to spend than regular companies. Follow the same procedure: if they don't have a CIO, ask for the person in charge of information systems. It should not take you very long to be part of the group and begin learning what you need to know to achieve your goal. Once you develop a track record of accomplishment, you should have no problem moving to a corporate position, if you so desire.

Dear Herb:
Thank you for another well-written article, "Let The Task Force Decide."

My company implemented "Process Improvement Teams" about a year ago. It appears that they actually work, but not because our management cannot make a decision, as was implied by your article.

Our management actually operates on a few assumptions: 1) They (the managers) do not know everything. 2) Non-management employees know a whole lot more than they had previously been given credit.

By empowering employees (giving them time and resources) amazing things can, and will, happen. They might not come up with ideal or workable solution in all cases. However, our experience has already shown that the net results have been substantial improvements in productivity, cost reduction, and lead-time reduction.

I have to admit, at first, I was skeptical, based on previous experiences (read: failures) at other companies. I believe that the key to success is to give true empowerment. This means that there must not be political roadblocks, and the employees must not have any fear about making recommendations.

Gerry C.

Dear Gerry:
All too often, a company falls into one or both of the pitfalls of process-improvement teams. The first is the lack of management focus-setting. The second is an inability to resist over-controlling the team. In the situation I was describing in "Let The Task Force Decide," I saw an organization that could not make a decision because the executives were unable to agree on the fundamental objectives and priorities of a solution. As a result, they, more often than not, handed off the problem to a team without providing the necessary guidance and direction. It�s not possible for process teams to have true empowerment without having a set of senior executives who will provide direction, promptly and clearly, when asked by the team. It seems to me that your initial skepticism about teams based on your experiences at other companies says it all. I�m sure you and I know willing and able employees who quickly become soured on the whole idea of process-improvement teams because of a management unwilling or unable to use the talents of their employees effectively. It's a real shame and an indictment of management when it happens.

Herbert W. Lovelace is CIO at a multibillion-dollar international company. Herb practices his day job under an alias and has changed the names of colleagues to protect the guilty.