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Greedy Corporate Minimalism...Will It Ever Stop?

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Leaders of IT departments have become increasingly financially conservative and risk averse in recent years. The cowardice behaviors of executive leadership has resulted in a lack of innovation and the contentment with misrepresented, bloated, and overhyped software solutions that does nothing to separate the organization from its competition. This trend is driven by a number of factors, pinching pennies in the use of offshore resources, the naive procurement of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) software, and the propaganda and associated pressure to conform to the alleged "best practices" from the influencers and other bad actors who stand to profit from these laggard business models. One of the major factors that has contributed to this trend is the use of offshore resources. Many IT leaders are opting to hire workers from other countries, under the guise of saving money on labor costs ba

How To Destroy The Culture Of An Innovative IT Shop

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It was a typical Wednesday morning when Kevin Turnipseed, a slippery smooth-talking salesman type, walked into the office of American Pipeline Inc., a well-established pipeline maintenance and monitoring company based out of Williston, North Dakota.  American Pipeline was a company that has been in business for around 85 years and was known to be the best employer in the oil patch as they had integrity, trust, and respect as part of their core competencies as it applies to attracting and retaining top talent.  Kevin had always been good at schmoozing his way into new positions and had heard about an opening for an entry-level tech lead at American Pipeline.  Kevin arrived early and made small talk with the receptionist, impressing her with his charm and charisma. When he was called in for his interview, he knew exactly what to say to win over the hiring manager. He talked about his passion for technology and his eagerness to learn and

The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective IT Project Managers

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective IT Project Managers are a set of principles that can help project managers improve their skills and achieve success in their roles. These habits include: Proactive: Project managers need to be proactive and take the initiative to identify and address potential issues or risks before they occur. Organized: Project managers should be organized and have a clear plan in place for managing tasks, deadlines, and resources. Communicative: Effective project managers are excellent communicators and make sure that all team members are informed and up to date on the project's progress. Adaptable: Project managers should be adaptable and able to respond to changing circumstances or requirements. Collaborative: Project managers should work closely with team members and stakeholders to ensure that everyone is