IT Management Practices: Involving the Team

I have an experience that I feel may be useful to share. Till date, I have worked on two excellent new product development projects and it has been a wonderful learning experience. However, each team had its challenges. Since I do not want to name the companies or the managers, let us say I am talking for company Alpha and company Beta.

Both companies are technically very strong. However, company Alpha had to put together a team to develop a rich Internet web application when RIA as a concept was pretty new. This initially led to ambiguity in terms of experience and possibilities, but the manager ran a tight ship and delegated responsibility. The whole team was encouraged to develop skills and participate very closely at every stage - including interviewing, requirement gathering and architecture. This ultimately led to technical skill development, team bonding, growth of all team members and decent execution of the project. The stress and responsibility were evenly divided, but there was no doubt on who was leading the pack. Leadership was inclusive and far-sighted.

Company Beta, on the other hand, had significant experience with web applications and RIA was relatively known by this time. So they could hire the people with right skills and there was less ambiguity to start with. But the structure was more hierarchical and the manager less keen on sharing "power" across the board, giving less influence to team members on requirement gathering, designing or interviewing. Of this, for me, the most difficult part was not being included in requirement gathering. Working with a requirement document may be the norm in big companies, but for entrepreneurial setups it is absolutely critical to be involve the team closely. This can save a lot of time down the line lost to bugs resulting from misunderstood requirements. Moreover, such involvement creates more urgency, creates an aura of responsibility and gives additional perspective to the whole process. This can be critical in long term.

Ultimately, both companies managed to launch a good product. Nevertheless, Alpha is playing for the long term - trying to nurture second rung of leadership - while Beta will increasingly get dependent on one row of leadership with a big vacuum below. In the long run, it may indeed make a difference between great and good, and would be another testimony to Jim Collins.

Iran's regime can learn from China and Libya

Iran is increasingly finding itself facing intense criticism and an unsupportive populace. The Revolutionary Guard have been firm and the Government's propaganda machine is in overdrive. Yet the tensions simmer.

In my opinion, if the current regime wishes to maintain its vice-like grip on power, it has two examples to copy.

The first is China. It survived Tianamese Square with decisive, brute force - the world opinion be damned. Nevertheless, the repression could not have been successful without a plan to either integrate or neutralize the aggrieved groups effectively. China's growing economic might and propaganda also helped.

Libya, on the other hand, made a U-turn on its policies and re-built its bridges with the western powers, including the "Great Satan". Its bargaining chips were, of course, oil and building the right public image for the leader. Colonel Gaddafi has carefully crafted a statesman like image using a mix of impossible sweet talks (like United States of Africa) and oil money. The logic is simple: nobody may cry for you if you are thought of to be Saddam Hussein-II. Nevertheless, behind the facade Libya remains as dictatorial as ever. In fact, riding on back of current economic crisis and oil money, they (along with Chinese and Middle Eastern funds) have gained a significant influence in the world market.

Iran's regime can do a bit of both if it really wants to achieve its ambition of retaining power and dominating the world stage. In fact, with its large oil reserves Iran can become an oil super-power displacing Saudi Arabia and Libya (in terms of influence). Iran should know that West doesn't give two hoots about democracy as long as it is profitable. After all, the West does deal with China, Libya and Saudi Arabia. And are Burma and North Korea less oppressed than Iraq? A pity they are not oil rich. Nuclear weapons et al will come if Iran can phase out its problems and take them one by one using diplomacy, money and stealth.

The Fibre of Stability

A recent article in FT about China and the conundrum that it presents to the democracies of the world got me thinking about quite a few things. A few days of serious thinking has yielded some interesting results.

People like to believe that historically capitalistic democratic societies have been the most successful, prosperous, stable, free and just ruling political systems in the world. Stability and prosperity have been the two most important selling points in the quest of exporting democracy. After all, communism never managed to deliver its promises, fascism was a disaster, theocracies have proved to be repressive, most erstwhile socialist countries were marching towards progress (until this recession) by adopting capitalism and monarchies are all but in name now. Democracy never had it better. That is, if we can forget Iraq.

The only exception to this rule is China. The way the Chinese economy is growing; by 2050 it will be double the size of that of a democratic USA. It is also a fairly stable country with an excellent infrastructure and a very shrewd, pragmatic & ruthless foreign policy. All the wishful thinking of China's demise remains that- a wishful thinking. What went wrong?

Nothing, if you ask me. I feel that it is too early to judge the "stability" of capitalistic democracies as they are pretty young. Generally, stability and prosperity can be achieved by any system (democratic or not) if it has:

• a strong & reliable succession mechanism agreed upon by populace(democratic or otherwise)
• a strong armed force & intelligence wing
• natural resources plenty enough to survive and scarce enough to not cause complacency (and not attract marauders looking for a quick buck at your expense)
• fair and fast law system
• strong infrastructure and encouragement for education
• power blocs (judiciary, armed forces, intelligence, legislature, Prime Minister, President, King) that are divided enough to be controllable and united enough to be useful
• open trade and clever, disguised protectionism
• enough propaganda to instil a feeling of nationhood
• ability to deal with adversaries decisively and intelligently
• and finally, full coffers

Ultimately, the discussion about leadership and politics is out of scope and I cannot possibly address all issues. My point, however, is that capitalistic democracies need to look beyond their self-righteousness if they wish to find an answer to the Chinese conundrum.

Cracking the GMAT

3 months, many sleepless nights, 82 essays and 30 practice tests. Worth it? Yes. Every bit of it. GMAT is not the only thing that you would need to make it to your dream business college, but it can help. At least I hope it does! My learnings from the GMAT for you. Of course these are my views and may not work for you. But I will be glad if they do!

1. I feel GMAT is a test of will rather than any special skill. The questions are not especially difficult after some practice, but it is challenging to maintain your focus at its highest level throughout the test. The only way to do make focus better is to take as many practice tests as you can. Besides the one you will get from your test material and GMAC, you can buy some from www.800score.com
2. If you have the discipline, there is no substitute for self-study. Buy all the material you can, but the best material that you will get is from GMAC itself. Kaplan and Princeton will not hurt either. But keep your hands off Barons, bad book. Will waste your time and confuse you.
3. I went overboard with 82 essays, but it does not hurt to at least brain-storm as many topics as you can with your friends
4. Nobody is going to come from the business school to meet you personally at the test venue; do yourself a favor and go in the most comfortable dress you can find.

Hope that helps. Cheers!