The Manage IT Newsletter - - Creating tools and processes that support success:

This issue looks at how ITO managers need to shape their tools and communications in order to more effectively support and leverage their workforce.

Happy New Year and welcome to the first 2005 issue of the "Manage IT Newsletter." This monthly publication is dedicated to helping ITO managers and their teams enjoy a richer career experience so they can reach their full potential while driving maximum value to their organizations.

Please share this newsletter with your network, friends and colleagues. If you are an IT executive or HR professional, pass a copy of this newsletter on to your IT managers. A FREE subscription is available by sending a blank email to:
ManageITNewsletter-on@zines.webvalence.com

If, at any time, you wish to be removed from this list, simply send a blank email to: ManageITNewsletter-off@zines.webvalence.com

With warmest regards, Joe Santana,
Co-author Manage IT
http://www.manageitbook.com ***************************In this Issue ****************************
* Focus Topic - Creating tools and processes that support success
* IT Management News & Trends
* Free Gift of the Month: Assessing your current state of employee support
* Closing Comments and Announcements
*********************************************************************

--------------------------- Focus Topic -----------------------------
Creating tools and processes that support success

Ask most overworked ITO workers today about how helpful they find the tools and/or communication provided the company and management are to them in getting their jobs done and you are bound to get either a sigh or sardonic smirk. "Most of the tools I am asked to use do not help me do my job at all. The majority of them in fact are hard to use and require extra effort on my part to work around them and get my job done," states one person of the many people I spoke with, who asked to remain anonymous. This statement actually echo's the sentiment of all the other respondents. The bottom line is that most ITO workers see the company tools as being required in order to provide reports for senior management and not as job aids. They also view most communication as being of a positioning nature and not providing the real feedback they need in order to perform well.

To Bill Jensen, author of Work 2.0, this assessment is not far from the mark. "Most company's do not provide their people with the tools and processes that truly help people to get their jobs done," states Jensen. Jensen also sees this as a big problem that is about to burst. In fact according to Jensen, "we are in the midst of a fundamental shift in which frontline workers realize that their talents, time, attention, knowledge, passion, energy and social networks are real currency in a tight economy." More and more workers want better returns on their personal assets of talent, passion and attention. These people, as Jensen aptly points out, want to work for companies that leverage their abilities to produce the most value for the company in the form of business results and for them as employees in the form of increased marketability. They look for tools, practices and experiences that are designed to be extremely supportive of their ability to use their talents and energies productively for the company and themselves. For these workers, competitive salaries, nice teammates, good culture and good benefits, are just "table stakes" according to Jensen. They don't want to work for a company that does not offer these, but by themselves these do not make a company or team a preferred place to work.

For the ITO space where increasing job confidence threatens to result in many empty cubicles, understanding and embracing this cultural shift may presents the single best opportunity for salvaging staff. According to the 2004 U.S. Job Recovery and Retention Survey released by CareerJournal.com and Society for Human Resource Management, 75% of all employees are searching for new employment opportunities. 35% said they were actively searching, 40% are passively searching, and almost 50% of employed respondents said they will intensify their job seeking efforts as the job market improves. Given the state of employee morale in most ITOs, they are probably the most ready to "vote with their feet" as soon as the opportunity presents itself. So how about if instead of competing for vital talent on the usual competitive salary, nice teammates, good culture, good benefits, training and so on, you compete on the basis of how the ITO in your company will support your employees optimal business success, while increasing their market value? So the question now is, where do you start? The answer is by determining if your current tools and environment are actually worker performance supportive.

For a list of questions you can use to assess where you and your team are relative to having job performance supportive tools get your copy of this months free tip sheet at http://www.joesantana.com/freenewsandtips.htm

In the following IT Management News and Trends section you will find a list of articles on some of the latest and expected future developments in staff development. Finally, as always in the "Announcement" section, you will find additional resources to support you and some of your key initiatives.

JS

-------------------- IT Management News and Trends -------------------
This month, we have some select articles that focus on IT morale, driving engagement and productivity.

One of my seven ITO people predictions for 2005 that talks about the shortcomings of current tools, communications and practices.
http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/strategies/archives/002618.asp

An article on the productivity benefits of partner HR and IT
http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/sbsm0411/feature_econometrics.shtml

This article focuses on the findings of a study conducted by MetaGroup that indicated that IT morale had hit an all time low last year
http://news.com.com/IT+morale+drops+to+all-time+low/2100-1022_3-5229367.html?tag=nefd.pop

This recent CIO magazine article goes deeper in exploring the reasons why IT morale is still so bad.

http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1397,1730289,00.asp

------------------- Free Gift of the Month ---------------------------
For your free copy of tips on questions you can use to assess where you and your team are relative to having job performance supportive tools go to http://www.joesantana.com/freenewsandtips.htm

----------------- Closing Thoughts and Announcements -----------------
WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT PROS AROUND THE WORLD THINK?
Join to the IT Professional World Wide network at http://itpww1-network.ryze.com (Membership is free).

FOR WEEKLY UPDATES, READ JOE'S WEB LOG
Updated two to three times per week, Joe's Web Log contains rapid insights into the news that affects the careers and jobs of IT professionals. To access visit http://www.joesantana.com/blog.html

WANT TO LEARN WHAT TO OUTSOURCE FOR TOP RETURN ON INVESTMENT?
Get your copy of the audio program titled "Doing more with less through IT Outsourcing," at http://store.mixonic.com/joesantana

WANT TO HELP YOUR FRIENDS LOOKING FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO FIGHT BURNOUT AND ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCE
Have them visit www.joesantana.com and sign up for the free TIPS DRIVING PEAK PERFORMANCE EMAIL SEMINAR. Delivered over seven days, this program is packed with advice that can immediately be put to use by a rookie or a veteran IT manager. (HR pros will also find it a rich source of ideas they can use to coach IT managers).

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT MANAGEMENT WITH JOE?
Visit www.ULiveandLearn.com and register for the IT Management webinar. This information packed program comes right to your desktop and offers you advice on one of your most important career decisions.

NEED HELP WITH EXECUTIVE COACHING, TRAINING, HIRING,
ASSESSMENT Contact EmployeeROI http://www.employeeroi.com 1-212-937-8413

I hope you enjoyed this issue of the IT Managers Newsletter and as always I look forward to continuing to serve you.