February 13, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Bring Solutions
February 14, 2013 at 2:26 am
In the graphic that illustrates this artlcle, you can save yourself the bother of working out the exact value of 2008 squared and then converting to mod 7, because the answer is the same as finding 2008 mod 7 ( which is 6) and then squaring it (36) and reducing to mod 7 again (1) ... does this count as "bringing a solution " ? 🙂
February 14, 2013 at 2:52 am
@archie No it counts as being a smartarse (actually I hadn't thought of your answer so it was mildly interesting).
On the editorial, indeed, if you are someone who offers a smorgasbord of potential solutions and a decent reason for choosing one, it gives your boss one thing less to consider, and makes you if not indispensable at least a useful asset. It's definitely a good way to proceed.
February 14, 2013 at 3:28 am
In my limited experience, anyone who spends their time looking for problems, I.e. engineers and I.T. Support personnel, are often accused of being negative by those in marketing and h.r. management areas.
February 14, 2013 at 4:33 am
Some years ago I was introduced to Robert Fritz (robertfritz.com). Hughly recommend him.
One perspective he gives is this:
Viewing ourselves as problem solvers is too small an aim. One aspect (minor) of this is that once we have solved all problems what then.
Let's consider instead what do we want to create.
That is is - but it is a major change of focus!
February 14, 2013 at 6:00 am
I find that it totally depends upon the culture. Some really value the proactive approach but others ask why have you spent time that they would have valued more elsewhere. I find the worst cultures are the ones that claim to be the former but are the latter. These are often the politically charged sweatshops which hire creative talent just to chain them up and then wonder why productivity goes out of the window. Ho hum.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
February 14, 2013 at 6:40 am
Interesting timing for this editorial. In two weeks, I'm switching jobs for the first time in nearly a decade. Along with the switch, my title is going from Database Administrator to Solutions Architect. When I looked back at my career to date (> 15 years), I realized "architecting" solutions is what I've been largely doing all along, the new title just makes it a bit more official.
February 14, 2013 at 7:24 am
Competition for jobs gets more intense all the time and the employees that look for problems and provide solutions without being asked will be the most valuable. They will stand out from their peers and are more likely to not only keep their jobs during down times, but will get asked to solve the interesting and challenging problems.
That is so true. Wherever one is, one should always strive to be the solution and not the problem. Follow that rule, and one will never be hungry from lack of employment.
I've met a lot of people who I considered to be smart and even talented, however, they were also totally useless on a good day and a disaster waiting to happen on a bad one. I'm talking here about drama queens, passive aggresive types who sabotage the efforts of other team members, blind risk takers, etc. Those guys should be weeded out of a team when spotted.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
February 14, 2013 at 7:33 am
Quite right, I deliver technology to solve business problems.
February 14, 2013 at 7:43 am
Please do reflect on this:
Let's be creators
not prbolem solvers.
This means not even considering that we are solution providers - because having a solution implies a problem has to be solved.
Rather what do we wnat to create.
Within a family stting what sort of family culture do we watn to create.
In an organisation, what are we creating?
Compare that to what are we trying to solve!
Solving something is a smaller viewpoint.
If an organisation is actually doing soemthing useful, that that is what we are a part of. We are part of the creation of that something. The myriad issues that need to be resolved are because of the requirement to create something that would otherwise not exist.
Let's see ourselves as part of a grander, more purposeful existence that just solving hundereds of problems. The problems are needing to be resolved because someone had an idea to bring into existence, to create a useful thing.
February 14, 2013 at 7:46 am
I completely agree with Gary, it depends on the culture, particularly if you work for the government. They look at this a whole different way. For example, once I found a major problem with a system that I found totally on my own investigation. When i brought this up to my superiors in a meeting, the first question I was asked was "Who requested you to do this, and what is the ticket number?" I then replied "No one requested it, I found it through proactive research." One manager then replied "That is not the way we do things here. There must be a request from someone for all work done and a work order attached to it, since all of our hours have to be billed to someone or some department. We just can't go out and find problems on our own. The goverment sector does not work that way." I then replied "Oh, then that explains why the government is in the current shape it is in" That remark was met with complete silence. I was flabbergasted but after thinking about it awhile, that is exactly how our government works nowadays. Inefficiency at its best. It's no wonder the country today is broke and upside down. Look at the philosphy of the bozos that are running the show! 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
February 14, 2013 at 7:55 am
TravisDBA (2/14/2013)
I completely agree with Gary, it depends on the culture, particularly if you work for the government. They look at this a whole different way. For example, once I found a major problem with a system that I found totally on my own investigation. When i brought this up to my superiors in a meeting, the first question I was asked was "Who requested you to do this, and what is the ticket number?" I then replied "No one requested it, I found it through proactive research." One manager then replied "That is not the way we do things here. There must be a request from someone for all work done and a work order attached to it, since all of our hours have to be billed to someone or some department. We just can't go out and find problems on our own. The goverment sector does not work that way." I then replied "Oh, then that explains why the government is in the current shape it is in" That remark was met with complete silence. I was flabbergasted but after thinking about it awhile, that is exactly how our government works nowadays. Inefficiency at its best. It's no wonder the country today is broke and upside down. Look at the philosphy of the bozos that are running the show! 😀
LOL! The only way to change governement's mind about anything is in the voting booth.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
February 14, 2013 at 8:00 am
Nice article. For years now I've considered myself a creative problem solver who happens to work in the IT space.
February 14, 2013 at 8:18 am
Eric M Russell (2/14/2013)
TravisDBA (2/14/2013)
I completely agree with Gary, it depends on the culture, particularly if you work for the government. They look at this a whole different way. For example, once I found a major problem with a system that I found totally on my own investigation. When i brought this up to my superiors in a meeting, the first question I was asked was "Who requested you to do this, and what is the ticket number?" I then replied "No one requested it, I found it through proactive research." One manager then replied "That is not the way we do things here. There must be a request from someone for all work done and a work order attached to it, since all of our hours have to be billed to someone or some department. We just can't go out and find problems on our own. The goverment sector does not work that way." I then replied "Oh, then that explains why the government is in the current shape it is in" That remark was met with complete silence. I was flabbergasted but after thinking about it awhile, that is exactly how our government works nowadays. Inefficiency at its best. It's no wonder the country today is broke and upside down. Look at the philosphy of the bozos that are running the show! 😀LOL! The only way to change governement's mind about anything is in the voting booth.
I only wish that were true. No exclamation marks. No smilies.
Unfortunately for a change to occur from the voting booth it requires that there be options on the ballot paper that would instigate change. Here in the UK I remain unconvinced.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
February 14, 2013 at 9:58 am
john.martin 5194 (2/14/2013)
Please do reflect on this:Let's be creators
not prbolem solvers.
John,
Reflected and rejected! Not that I reject being creative, if you have read the post of the past you will find I have supported the creative side of this industry for over four decades. But I would also reject that we should be problem solvers and not creators.
In this industry we have to be both. I think what Steve was getting to was that we supply the creative solution to simple and complex problems and that skill is imperative to success, and is highly sought after as a job skill. And I agree with him completely.
You know this but I have to say it to make the point. You can create an excellent system that is highly creative and really slick on the backend with the best processing and database structure. And you can employ the latest bells and whistles in such a creative way that other skilled technicians marvel at the entire thing. But if the intended user looks at it and asks what does it do? And they cannot use it, you have been creative and have solved nothing. Your creation lays idle.
Many in the past have echoed the idea that we are scientists and as such we analyze, visualize, speculate, prove, and apply. In short we are applying the science of IT to processes and problems to make solutions possible or easier.
In this there is a huge demand for creativity, but there must be the ability to visualize, understand, and solve business problems or the work is only imperical, and theoretical.
Einstein use to be able to visualize the flows of data and processes as waves of light in a multi-dimential universe. And he would play those waves like music in his mind until he found harmony, thus a solution. This type of abstract reasoning and problem solving is crucial to our industry but we also have to be able to visualize what others have done before us and how they were thinking to be able to find the problems they missed and to build on their efforts.
So I reject the idea of one and not the other. We have to have the creative and the problem solving.
Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!
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