Leading Strategy

As Green as They Say They Are... Just nod and applaud... while the buzzwords getting thin

Thus marks the end of an era of being as (Green, ITIL v3, SarBox Compliant) as they say they are... No longer can we in IT feel comfortable taking a buzz culture word and pasting it in our pitches to justify our existence. Governance, maturity and business demands clarity, sensibility and rational process. 
"Global Warming"= bad connotation, escalating costs, out of control heat/power, etc...
"Green" = good connotation, creating profits, controls and cooler environmental benefits.
"ITIL v3" compliant= good connotation, it's the newest ITIL and if it's new, it MUST be 1 or 2 better than the starter version of ITIL right?
Identify Business Continuity, where Business Services that are"Mission Critical"= is an important connotation that something is valuable to the enterprise, and can't break.  Plan for availability the business requires, with disaster recovery tests to make sure the "cant break" conditions, dont break, and are resilient, even in disaster. 
"Money" is both an asset/benefit, and a cost/risk-- business has the connotation of balancing cost and demand for all involved! If "green" is a good and desirable value to conserve- be that green money, costs of doing business, environmental savings, etc.. then isn't being a good steward of such resources a practical attribute even when it's not distilled into a buzz word? When is the right time to be a partner to the customers we serve? Anytime we serve them! So if we look at our capabilities from a continuous process improvement that matters, point of view, the ability to manage cost, performance, and resources effectively is at the heart of our business. It is not a selling point to get a sudden conscience-- it's good to get a conscience, but better to embrace an awareness of why we label something.
Clearly articulate your measurement and progress value, in business terms.  Folks that felt content to put the latest buzz words and IT culture into their presentations and market-speak to look hip, had better be able to substantiate it's 'hipness' in business value. Consumers of IT Process are getting wise to "IT-speak", no longer able to hide behind our own complexity, organization, or acronyms. Consumers of IT have gotten wise to ask "what exactly is IN this secret sauce" and what's it done for me lately?
Clearly define a changing model and the reasons for the change, to help the cultural change to be embraced.  IF you are proposing now a reduction of server space to reduce my 'carbon footprint', what have we been doing before this was an issue? Technology with the introduction of projects in controlled environments, six sigma, ITIL, COBIT, CMM, Sarbanes Oxley Controls, and a host of thousands of other initiatives, at the end of the day, should be thinking a little less conditioned to adopt a buzz word to create the illusion of a benefit.
And so it comes down to goodness being good for goodness sake. Those who realize the value and implications beyond the sales cycle and living directly in the service cycle of really sensing the business need, and really delivering the results that are good-- for profitability, for buyer, consumer, and the earth we live upon.
Dawn C Khan :   LinkedIn   |   Twitter  | 

Post a Comment

0 Comments