Articles by Mike.Sisco
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Drain the swamp: an IT management model
Focus on eliminating the sources of problems in IT, rather than simply reacting to them.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Bite the head of a frog: a management model
Unusual-sounding, yes, but an essential model for IT management principles.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
How much is client service worth?
3 examples of companies that will show how you should never underestimate the value of client service in IT.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Focus and get more done with a simple To Do List
A simple To Do List can filter the noise and distraction you encounter so you can focus on important priorities and get more done. IT managers deal with considerable pressure from new and changing priorities that occur in today's dynamic work environment. These distractions will negatively impact your team's performance unless you do something to help you and your team stay focused on the important issues.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Calculate the Cost of Downtime
IT projects, especially infrastructure projects can be challenging to get approved. Discuss the "cost of downtime" in your proposal so senior management can visualize and understand the risk implications, and you will get many more of your projects approved.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Boost staff morale with an annual IT kickoff meeting
Jump start your year with an annual IT kickoff meeting. Follow a few simple steps to make it a truly memorable event and boost the morale of your IT staff.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Business value is key to IT success
For IT managers to succeed, they have to stop delivering technology and focus on the importance of delivering business value. The technology is important for sure, but what gets attention and creates real success for an IT manager is when you do things that helps the company succeed. Business value is key! In this article we define "business value" to be five very specific things, something every IT manager needs to be aware of and focused to as they go about supporting their company.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Understand supply and demand to manage client expectations
One of the keys to success as an IT manager is being able to manage your client’s expectations. To manage your client’s expectations, you need to know some things about the concept of “supply and demand” and how it applies within an IT support organization. This article will give you a foundation to use and example to measure programming staff productivity.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
Your project war stories make great teaching tools
Personal stories gain attention and are memorable; use your stories about projects (and mistakes during them) to coach and teach your employees. This "war story" about a raised floor is a reminder that we need to fully understand what someone is telling us before taking action.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders
IT managers may need to change their work behavior to succeed
IT employee work behavior tendencies are amazingly consistent. In three of four major aspects it is the same for 90% of your IT employees regardless of their position or responsibility. Bottom line: IT attracts a certain type of personality. What works well for us in technical expert roles can become major obstacles in an IT manager role. It's important for every IT manager to understand these traits and the implications they have for IT technical employees and managers.
Practical Management Tips for IT Leaders