In meeting hundreds of CEOs and IT managers, I've seen top management struggle more with hiring and managing in IT than in any other area. I've thought that IT managers can be identified by common types, so I called John Moffatt, a highly experienced corporate IT consultant and the president of BetaData to get his thoughts about IT types. I also asked Steve Lynn, the VP of Communications and Government Relations at Tucson Electric Power. Both agreed strongly with me about IT types, and even identified a couple I'd overlooked.
Whether you are the head of your organization, in the IT Department, or just have to work with IT people, you will recognize a few of the types below. Knowing the characteristics may help you think about who you're dealing with and how to manage them.
The Pretender. Secretly incompetent. Hides behind geek speak. Can't explain IT in a way people understand. Projects take much longer to complete than anticipated. Ultimately, gets found out, but represents a genuine threat to the organization. One Pretender I warned a CEO about allowed the Website to be hacked, allowed vital files to be deleted when a second hack occurred and failed to set up a backup system, so thousands of computer files were permanently lost. If you suspect you've got a pretender (on the pay roll or under contract) get a second opinion and find out before it's too late.
Mr. /Ms. Indispensable. Keeps no documentation. Makes every project more complicated and unique than necessary. Secretive. Not willing to explain existing systems, share passwords, and more. Creates serious business continuity and security issues. Potentially as dangerous as the pretender - if he/she leaves, no one has a clue about what's going on.
The Theorist. Thinks and works from the 50,000 foot level. Has great, big ideas. Plans well. May outsource too much. Can't get tasks and projects completed. In a large organization, a theorist may be useful. In a very small organization, useless.
Mr./Ms. Self-Taught. Learns by doing. Task-oriented. Completes some projects. Struggles each time a need in a new area arises. Doesn't know what he/she doesn't know. Rarely plans, may struggle to manage. Organizations may try to save money with the Self-Taught, but limitations and liabilities come with this choice.
Mr./Ms. Details. Gets some projects completed, but doesn't plan or manage resources (human or money). Is surprised by new demands. Highly task oriented. Fails to prioritize. May work long hours and burn out.
The Resume Builder. Always planning for the next job, not according to the organization's needs as identified in its business plan. Spends the organization's money on training, seminars and special projects that build the resume. Tends to use acronyms to sound extra competent.
It's Not My Real Job. Got assigned IT because no one else would do it. Real job is in HR, Marketing or elsewhere. Management has to recognize the limitations of this approach and the low commitment that results.
The Super Hero. Always answers, "I can do that." Is highly productive. The "utility infielder" of IT. Works long hours (which nearly always pleases management). Takes on all manner of projects. Completes most. May be vital to a small organization. Even so, misses deadlines because the Super Hero actually could do it all, if only there were 30 hours in a day. Often burns out.
The Go-to-Guy. Great to have at any level. Good communicator across departments. Can explain IT issues in plain English, so people go to him/her for solutions. Knows how to get things done. Is sought out by other managers because of the ability to get projects completed. Excellent problem solver. Many organizations are lucky to have just one Go-to-Guy in IT, or in each department of IT.
The Eclectic. A Go-to-Guy to the second power. "The Eclectic" has a wide range of skills and experience, often in unrelated areas. Can explain complex IT issues in plain English to anyone. Can plan and manage both budgets and people. A great problem solver, and not just IT problems. Has worked outside IT, typically in more than one area - HR, Marketing, Accounting, etc. Proactive. Understands that the organization's business plan must drive the IT plan, and makes decisions accordingly. If you've got an Eclectic in your organization, count yourself as lucky and don't brag about it - he/she might get recruited away by someone else!
In a future column, I'll write recommendations about the IT types outlined here. Please, email me. Want to add a type? Share a story? Offer advice? What type do you have in your organization, and why is that good, or bad? Let me know.