Certification – July 2019

Shaped by My Tech Career

People are any organization’s
most important resource

At the end of the day, people are
your most important resource and
always matter more than the project.
You can buy new hardware or soft-
ware, but highly qualified and moti-
vated team members aren’t so easily
replaced. Always be respectful of the
fact that each of us has a journey and
a life outside of the office and cultivate
an atmosphere where balance between
the two exists.
I was once part of a team where
one of our team members received the
unspeakable news that her husband
was not just sick, but had only a few
weeks to live. Of course, we all rallied
to cover her work. Unfortunately,
management had not cross-trained
anyone for one aspect of her position
and a crisis occurred which could not
readily be solved.
Management called her at home
and asked her to work on the problem.
She did and her husband died a few
hours later. The team never forgot or
recovered. The damage was incalcula-

ble. Your employees, peers, and team

members are all valuable individuals

and deserve your respect.

Be appreciative

There is power in the act of express-

ing sincere gratitude, appreciation,

and thanks to others. I believe that

most people, myself included, have

a deep desire to know that we matter

and that what we do makes a differ-

ence. Unfortunately, when it comes to

work, most people do not feel appre-

ciated.

According to the O.C. Tanner’s 2018

Global Culture Report, only 52 percent

of leaders acknowledge employee

contributions. More disappointing is

that only 32 percent of employees in-

dicate they receive some type of praise

or acknowledgement. Frankly, those

statistics are beyond sad.

One of the most profound things

I’ve learned working in IT is that ex-

pressing true and sincere appreciation

to others for their contributions is

transformative to you, the individual,

and the team. Expressing appreciation

builds loyalty, a sense of cohesiveness,

unity, trust, and a true sense of cama-

raderie. Always let others know how

their contribution to the team made a

difference.

I believe that

most people, myself

included, have a deep

desire to know that we

matter and that what

we do makes a differ-

ence. Unfortunately,

when it comes to

work, most people do

not feel appreciated.