12 | 2002
| It's Management's Fault Burnout is the direct result of short-sighted and insensitive behavior by managers, and the costs in productivity, quality, morale, and turnover are substantial. The problem won't go away unless management changes its approach. Stop Whining and Just Say "No!" Expecting organizations to lighten up on stress and pressure is unrealistic, especially in today's economy. Burnout won't stop unless IT professionals spend the time and energy assessing their own needs, priorities, and limitations -- and then taking the initiative to manage their own lives. | "Burnout is still a topic that most senior managers would rather not confront, but it has become so prevalent and severe that some IT organizations have become almost completely dysfunctional. " -- Ed Yourdon, Guest Editor Opening Statement Ed Yourdon Hitting the Buttons: Effective and Lost-Cost Techniques for Preventing Burnout Rob Thomsett Leading Out of IT Burnout Lou Russell Be Aware and Be Prepared: Dealing with Burnout in the IT Profession N.N. Ramanathan Are You Too Burned Out to Get Fired Up? How to Begin to Get Your Life Back Doug DeCarlo Removing "Extra Crispy" from Your Menu Christopher Duncan A Personal Growth Approach to Preventing IT Burnout Eugene Kaluzniacky | |
Next IssuePreventing "Garbage In, Garbage Out": IT's Role in Improving Data QualityGuest Editor: Tom Redman Most IT professionals don't think too much about data quality. After all, data are the customer's responsibility. But poor data quality can sabotage even the most well-thought-out project -- not to mention make the international headlines. IT is in a bind: it doesn't create a lot of data, but it bears the brunt of the blame for projects that fail because the data are bad. Next month, Cutter Consortium Senior Consultant Tom Redman and several data quality experts try to get a handle on how IT can address the daunting task of improving data quality. What can IT professionals do to ensure that customer-provided data are of high quality, and how can they assess and manage the risks posed by poor data quality? As companies interconnect and share data with customers, who is responsible for data quality then? We'll debate these and other thorny questions in our quest to help senior IT managers navigate the data quality thicket. Don't miss the practical data-quality advice in next month's issue -- your next project may depend on it! [ Back to Top ] | ||
While the IT profession has had its share of glamour and respect, it has also subjected its practitioners to significant amounts of stress, overtime, and a number of other demotivating practices that have sometimes led to the phenomenon of "burnout." This month, Cutter IT Journal Editor Emeritus Ed Yourdon and several distinguished contributors turn their attention to IT burnout. Can IT professionals head off the high absentee rates, low productivity, decreased morale, and higher turnover rates that characterize IT burnout? Or is IT burnout a natural phenomenon that can be used to eliminate "deadwood" from the organization? Don't miss this month's emotionally charged issue!
