The Technocrat Paradox

Just a moment ago, I mildly upset my boss. As I walked into the office in the morning I passed him and two young ladies in a conference room where we waved me in to introduce them. They are from another business unit and I'd long known them but we've never met in person.

During the introduction he told them that we'd recently set up a new server room (not a data center, just a large wiring closet with communications equipment and some servers in it.) He said to the ladies that "Mick is very excited about it."

My look must have baffled him because the glance in response was obviously displeasure. I told them that I was pleased that we had a facility superior to the prior one. That's all.

For me, being excited about a wiring closet is like being excited about a home furnace. I'm glad my furnace works but I don't show it to new guests when I give them the nickle tour of the home.

What this little incident tells me is that even with the MBA, the years of experience in business, the track record of multiple ERP implementations and other large systems that drive the business, and my participation in our senior management councils, the business still sees us as pure technicians.

IT can make or break a business and I was hired specifically for my business skills. Yet still ... still, I'm viewed as a technician.

Check out this excellent post from Martha Heller for a more on-the-point comment about what she calls The CIO Paradox. In particular, read the comments thread.