Stories by Thornton May

3 lessons for collaboration

Organizations won’t reap the rewards of powerful collaboration tools if they don’t make collaboration itself a strategic priority.

We’re undervaluing collaboration

In our interdependent age, everything depends on a series of collaborations, and yet collaboration remains largely unmeasured and unmanaged.

IT must map its way to visibility

We in IT need to lead. Within the enterprise, we need to be perceived as leaders. We need to articulate the value we bring to the table.  

With data analytics, no more Pontiac Azteks

In their introduction to Arc 2.1: Exit Strategies, "Escaping reality," editors Simon Ings and Sumit Paul-Choudhury tell us that "ninety-six percent of the cosmos is ineffable" -- incapable of being expressed or described in words. In addition to reminding us of the widely accepted scientific fact that 96% of our universe is made up by yet-to-be-explained dark matter and dark energy, their point -- I think -- is that it is in our imagination (our ability to make stuff up) that the future lies.

Women and the future of IT

The future of IT very much depends on our industry collectively being able to rebrand our discipline as a <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/article/2824365/careers/women-in-it-no-longer-a-nice-to-have.html">preferred place for women to work</a>. The attraction and retention of female IT executives is not just a "feminist" or "women's studies" issue. It's an IT industry issue -- an issue all of us have to understand and take action on.

Disruptive technology: Dead companies do tell tales

<a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2485655/personal-technology/no-second-reel--blockbuster-to-close-remaining-stores--end-dvd-service.html">Blockbuster</a>. <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2490305/smartphones/steven-j--vaughan-nichols--bye--nokia--nice-knowing-you.html">Nokia</a>. <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2470561/computer-hardware/can-ink-jet-save-kodak-.html">Kodak</a>. Most businesspeople know what they have in common. They are all companies whose footsteps you don't want to follow.

A strategy for strategy: Figuring out how to figure out what IT should do next

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesnt matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle -- when the sun comes up, youd better be running.

Banking's boring period

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, banks were among the most innovative of industries when it came to using IT to create competitive advantage. Observers of the financial services scene have begun to notice and comment on banking's boring period (1996-?). The question is, is this period of non innovation an anomaly or the new normal?

IT sweet spots: 2010

What do ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, Prussian Gen. Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher and Texas tycoon Ross Perot have to do with an examination of where the points of greatest success and impact -- the sweet spots -- of the IT profession will be in 2010? Very simply, these bigger-than-life historical figures tell us where and where not to look for answers.

Larger-than-life IT leadership

Why are leadership books so popular? Because leadership -- great leadership -- is rare today. Sadly, this is true nowhere more than in the IT industry.

Bigger-than-life IT leadership

Why are leadership books so popular? Because leadership -- great leadership -- is rare today. Sadly, this is true nowhere more than in the IT industry.

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