December 31, 2006
budgets, shmudgets
Sigurd thinks budgets aren’t as useful as a lot of people think:
Measurable results is the cornerstone of the command-and-control structure, the rallying cry for “good” management. But measurable has no meaning unless you have something to measure against, thus the budget — the naivety scene of the future.
Real life corrective measures using a fictitious map — what value does that have? None whatsoever of course.
Worse, it becomes a pacifier, an ersatz reality, naivety embodied.
I cannot wait to hear Dennis’ response. Heh.
Talking on the phone with Sigurd tonight, he tells me there’s a cultural shift going on with Thingamy. Away from IT people, more towards people who actually run businesses. The latter seem to have less trouble getting their heads around Thingamy than the former.
Creating apps and creating value are not the same thing. Imagine that.
[Disclosure: I have a small stake in Thingamy.]
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Away from IT people, more towards people who actually run businesses. The latter seem to have less trouble getting their heads around Thingamy than the former.
Reasonable. Most orgs ‘IT People’ are staff. Business guys are the leadership.
Staff exists to support existing business. Simply put most IT people are paid to keep existing gear running. We’re not paid to take chances. Whatever problems the existing solution has we at least know what’s going on.
Y’all don’t pay us to break things.
This is not universally true; some IT guys are also biz unit leaders. Small orgs we wear dual hats and we are, indeed, paid to take chances. But they don’t want us to loose email while we switch over to a new messaging paradigm.
So you can see where ‘IT’ guys can be a little schizo ..
I’ve got Sig’s post earmnarked to slap my readers around with when they wake up…somewtime between Jan 2 – 4.
I reckon Sig’s taking lessons from Rod Boothby (www.innovationcreators) and/or Jeff nolan (www.teqlo.com)
heh.
Peace and joy in 2007.
Brian, you’re right — and what I also find is a strong shift in large IT departments to get directly involved, or at least very close to strategic issues.
Quite natural as IT has become the backbone in most places. Thus IT folks are becoming rapidly business persons and that from the right entry-point, strategy! Me like that indeed!
Dennis — let the slapping commence, I’ll prepare my pencils and dust off my GROB (Get Rid Of Budgets) membership handbook.
Given the status of Budgets as a given, the truth, the inevitable I am bracing myself for vivid protests…