How To Communicate with Geeks

The passion in the (he)art

Pat Ferdinandi — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:59:55 +0000

What is Business Architecture? Even I, who has considered myself a business architect for over a decade is confused. I’m confused by the masses who define business architecture so differently from my own point of view. Those who, without realizing it, are defending an industrial, processes-minded, survival perspective.

I saw a change happening since 1995. The number of global individuals (many very talented) learned technology architecture within the confines of a business industry or more refined as a business application. As outsourcing grew, and the number of American IT jobs shrank, the masses of out of work IT folks flocked to the available jobs by defining themselves at Business Architects or Enterprise Architects. Some even got certifications for proof.

When the great recession hit in 2005 (yes, earlier than the official start), IT people were selling themselves as someone with broader knowledge and racing to the bottom on price. Supply and demand took over and those looking for Business Architects or Enterprise Architects…were actually looking for factory workers who understood architecture, could code, oh yeah, and understood business (the proof being an MBA). The small print on many job applications had as the last line “have good written and verbal skills.” There was no passion except to say what was needed to get the job. Certifications were for the sole purpose of getting the job.

When the official recession hit in 2008, the companies had a different perspective as well. Anything that could be outsourced was. After all, the processes clearly defined on how to do it. It was a commodity factory job sold to the lowest bidder.

Have what staff we have left do the work of 3 people; it clearly is an opportunity for those to obtain a broader knowledge on the process…before we outsource it.
Hey Business and Enterprise Architects…Don’t ask me about the future; I’m worried about NOW and surviving NOW. I do not want to look at vision…it’s too bleak. Please, tell me how I can cut costs. Visionaries need not apply. You are over qualified for what we need NOW…and may make me lose my job.

Here we are at the end of 2011. Because of the recent decade or two, we have:

People with jobs are so overworked they can’t think strategically.
The companies have built survival processes and not growth processes.
Architects have built battle walls around specific methods, methodology, frameworks within their own experience unwilling to compromise for fear of not being the flavor of the month to be hirable. The passion was about survival.

I’ve morphed over the last five years. I see the future, so eloquently described by Seth Godin, where:

process-oriented jobs will continue to be outsourced
creativity and art will solve big problems
temporary work for a specific project will surpass tenured employees
future-thinking companies will hire (globally) for passion and teach the needed skills
business collaboration will be outside the corporate boundaries working together to making a difference
you will be hired for your creativity, vision, and ability to communicate with those not like you.

Unfortunately, I’m in the “early adoption” phase of this way of thinking. What I used to consider my colleagues and clients still define Business and Enterprise architecture as IT-Centric.

Luckily, I’m not alone. I leave the great thinkers in the area of Enterprise Architecture to continue their great work. Just to name a few passionate thinkers who will prepare the roadway when the late majority catches on:

Tom Graves
Oscar Berg
Nigel Green

Where is this “over-qualified” business architect going?

I will continue to lurk and even prod their thinking from a slightly different business perspective. For great thinkers thrive on the challenge before us all…To prepare us for the post-industrial era of factory minded work…to prepare us for the passionate art of communicating with people not like themselves. To help companies of all sizes interact through the Holistic enterprise.

So here I am. Still with the passion I had in my early teens.

I love business. I love learning about business. I’m happiest when I learn something new and can work with others towards growing a business for the future. But I can no longer bang my head against the industrial-thinking of today’s corporate world. I can no longer work with people whose goal is to defend instead of grow.

I’m a strategic thinker and am applying my skills towards a different niche.

I’m cleaning up and closing the formal Strategic Business Decisions. This blog will be shut down in a week.

I’m starting a new business based upon my passion with the framework of where I see the future of business. It’s new…it’s exciting…and it’s helping businesses. See ya @ Viditude.

Where are we …

Pat Ferdinandi — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:05:13 +0000

We have stopped on a branch and are thinking about where we want to go next. Do we keep up the multiple blogs or do we combine all our blogs into one. We’ll let you know our flight plan as soon as we decide where to fly next.

Go Fishing with Kevin Thompson

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:57:22 +0000

A colleague and friend of mine, Kevin Thompson of Inspired Communications coaches individuals to find what inspires them … and … help them to identify what he or she is good at doing. Here is Kevin Thompson video to start YOU thinking:

His contact information is:

kevin@inspiredcommunicationsllc.com
732-778-7847

A motivational coach and keynote speaker who is right for you!

Are you over designing?

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:31:35 +0000

We mentioned when over design may be the purpose. It is still important for you to define the parameters or requirements or features to direct your technologist.

This video is the reverse of when over design goes awry. Be careful of the parameters and requirements to give to your technologist. Listen to your technologist when he or she challenges your requirements and parameters.

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:26:10 +0000

A great TED video. Simon Sinek suggests that we look at our business in the reverse manner. His Golden Circle…

Do you want to write a book?

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:18:50 +0000

Here is advice from Jodi Kaplan of KaplanCopy.com. She is an amazing copywriter and a true magician with words. For more tips, visit the Get Published tips lens.

What the heck is going on?

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:55:44 +0000

A major paradigm shift is occurring. The attendance-based-pay model for employees is going by the wayside. After all, if all anyone can do is a task, find the cheapest. The world is shifting to a more creative, artist approach. The more creative an employee is, the increased value this person is to the organization. This person is not paid for showing up or by doing a specific task but for creating value for the organization.

This has really shaken your IT departments. If all an IT department can do is a specific skill, outsource it to the cheapest freelancer. If, however, the IT department is a trusted partner in helping the business achieve more revenue (notice I did not say save money through cost cutting), the department should be paid as such.

If you do not trust your IT department, send them the new eBook: A Technologist’s Guide to the New World (Parrotology: Stop being a commodity). If the technologist doesn’t see the need and you don’t trust him or her … it’s time to find an alternative.

Do you need an enterprise architecture

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:54:32 +0000

Your business already has an architecture. The combination of everything from vision to detailed implementation. It just may not be documented. A good architect is worth the investment. A good architect will look at what you have, identify roadblocks that are preventing you from moving forward towards your vision, and suggest improvements to become a flexible organization for quicker reaction to the shift in your industry. It is not just understanding the business information and processes. A good architect will address the culture as well. In today’s turbulant times and with the culture shift from task based (industrial) to value based (creative) organizations, it is important NOW to uncover what is preventing you from being ahead of the curve.

Help your geek

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:52:55 +0000

Technologists look to gain credibility among other technologists. We’ve already discussed how their skills may be limited to the technology. This is where YOU can help them. Offer to help your favorite techie to gain acceptance in his or her own community. Offer to help him or her write articles (offer to edit) or leading magazines. Offer to help them prepare a presentation to their favorite organization. Business skills that you take for granted are needed by the technology community. Be helpful and your technologist will help you 10-fold!

Let them play…not manage

Pat Ferdinandi — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:50:08 +0000

Any opportunity you have to send a “thank you” note to business managers and technology managers about your technologist will be appreciated. Keep in mind, technologists want to play with the latest and greatest technology…not be involved with managing people. It is better to provide opportunities for a technologist to work on “sexy” projects that use or extend his or her technical skills (or show them off to other technologists) than to move up the corporate ladder that involves managing people. In your thank you note, recommend that your geek be selected for the next big project in the pipeline.