I launched InfoWorld’s IS Survival Guide — KJR’s direct forebear — in 1996. Back then I had four goals:
1. Every column had to have something original to say, or at least an original perspective.
2. It couldn’t be dull. After all, if I put readers to sleep they wouldn’t get anything out of it. Also, friends shouldn’t bore friends to tears.
3. Speaking of getting something out of it, every column should contain useful and practical ideas readers could use as soon as they finished reading.
4. I had to last at least one year without running out of material.
Nineteen years later it’s safe to say I at least achieved goal #4. How well the IS Survival Guide/KJR achieved the other three is for you to judge. Meanwhile, goal #4 is now to make it through an even 20 without violating the first three goals too badly. After that? Let’s get through year 20 first.
Which leads to asking a favor.
Writing a weekly column like this, where the primary distribution is email, is a lot like giving a webinar. There’s no immediate feedback that lets me know how I’m doing. Except for your posted comments and emails, it’s like talking to an empty room.
That’s the favor. I’m going to write at least one more year of these weekly mumblings. I’d appreciate your taking a bit of time to let me know if you continue to find it useful. Thanks.
* * *
There’s something of a pundit-class tradition, namely, to use the beginning of a new year as an opportunity to predict what will happen during the next twelve months.
I tried this a couple of times before deciding to leave prognostication to others. Not that their forecasts were more accurate than mine. But forecasting turned out to have three unfortunate consequences:
- It violates goal #3, because it’s a rare prediction that provides any useful guidance, even when it turns out to have been correct.
- It expands. Every year, tracking the progress of old predictions, and adding new ones took more and more space. I could see a time when making new forecasts and tracking old ones would expand to occupy the entire calendar … sort of like the holiday shopping season.
- It entrenches. When a forecast doesn’t play out, ego drives a pundit to solemnly declare that whatever was supposed to happen is just taking a bit longer than expected. The possibility that your friendly pundit might have simply been wrong? Unimaginable.
So no predictions for 2015.
Okay I lied. Here are three, issued with the standard KJR Warranty — if they don’t work out, gee, that is too bad.
Prediction #1: Every prediction that takes the form “In x years there will be two types of company — those that did y and those that are out of business,” will prove to be wrong.
In business, there are no panaceas and no pandemics. Good consultants are consistently annoying when it comes to their (our?) answering every question, “It depends.” It might be annoying, but it’s almost always the best answer.
Prediction #2: Every prediction that “x technology will completely replace y technology in z years” will also prove to be wrong. For heaven’s sake, some companies have mission-critical systems that rely on IMS. No matter how obsolete a technology is, the last holdout will take a devil of a long time to dump it.
Prediction #3: In 2015, somewhere in the industry press, you’ll read an article that says, “CIOs should be business people, not technology people.”
I predict this with the same confidence with which I forecast that sometime next year, unless you live in, for example, Death Valley, it will rain.
Forecasting the reappearance of the CIOs-must-be-business-people article is entirely parallel. I say “the article” because I’m pretty sure there’s just one. It appears, lasts just long enough to remind everyone of its existence, and vanishes again, only to be resurrected again when some IT pundit has a space to fill and nothing original to say.
And every time it reappears it’s just as profoundly stupid as it was in every previous incarnation.
I mean … I mean … I mean if an article appeared suggesting CFOs should be business people, not finance people; CMOs should be business people, not marketing people; or COOs should be business people, not operations people; would anyone take such utterly nonsensical false dichotomies seriously?
You won’t read that here.
Welcome to year 20 of Keep the Joint Running. Let me know whether what you do read here is useful.
We’re here Bob – just lurking.
Pertinent, fun, and useful advice. Choose any four.
Happy new year!
Nineteen years ago, governments and criminals were not rushing to turn the Internet into either a battlefield or the Wild West. Everyone was still grappling with the new technologies and trying to make money, or at least, make it (whatever it was) work.
Yes, you will see the solitary article espousing some outdated view. Nineteen years ago, most people believed in the efficient markets hypothesis which was nonsense then and is nonsense now. If you don’t believe that the efficient markets hypothesis is utter garbage, then why has the government been fining all the major banks for rigging the major markets such as LIBOR and FOREX. Rigged markets are anything, but efficient. I am not saying shoot or ignore the Cassandra in the room, oftentimes, the wise lone voice is correct and the herd is wrong, especially when money and egos are on the line. It is tough to discern the 10% of anything human that is worthwhile and not utter crap. The signal to noise ratio these days is pretty bad and it makes everyone’s job that much harder when the decision makers only hear the noise and not the signal.
B
To offer a pun, let’s say the first twenty years of insight from KJR is half of the 20\20 foresight you have been giving us readers .
I discovered your column in Infoworld in the Library one SAT and have been following you since . Here’s to the next duodecade .
LS
Bob, I have been reading your commentary for more than 20 years — you had articles in Info World before then or perhaps I am getting forgetful. I have always enjoyed what you have written. Your work has always been engaging, interesting, and insightful! The humor has been appropriate and witty. The only concern I have is that I almost always agree with what you have postulated — you put it in an organized manner that makes it easy to understand. I have also use some of your insight to apply to other management situations and that is how I get the most use out of your writings. Cheers to another 20 years! Jack
Cher Monsieur Lewis,
Please, please keep KJR alive! And please, keep avoiding to succumb to the “goût du jour” opinions. Keep reminding us that we should act rationally (most of the time anyway). And keep NOT being a so-called pundit. Terrible people, those.
I love your writing style which is yet another reason I read you faithfully week after week. Even when weeks turn to longer periods.
Keep the Joint Running !
J-B
(UNIX consultant in Montreal, Canada)
There will be more than one article about IT folks needing to be business folks because it’s too important a topic. I just think IT people often forget how intimidating we are to everyone else, especially those with more power or authority in the organization than IT has. They may be kings or queens, but we are the wizards with a power over their futures, that most will never understand. But so long as we know that we have to translate what IT does into business reasons ALL OF THE TIME, then IT and the organizations it serves have a better chance to live long and prosper.
Keep up the good work.
Not only useful for my teaching but also interesting.
Here’s a couple for your management speak:
Management: There will be NO redundancies.
Translation: There will be redundancies.
Management: Employees are our most valuable asset.
Translation: Employees cost a lot and we can save money by getting rid of them.
Tim:
I love that management speak on employees:
Management: Employees are our most valuable asset.
Translation: Employees cost a lot and we can save money by getting rid of them
I worked at AT&T in the 80’s and they said and did exactly that !
I’ve been a reader since this column began. I’ve worked for seven different companies in all that time, and in every gig I’ve had, I’ve found something of value most weeks. I can’t say I’ve found something every week, but most of them. One thing I’ve always respected is how you’ve refused to use your bully pulpit (and I’m using bully in its earlier sense) to promote any particular political idea. I know you have strong opinions, but you have never let them interfere with your excellent writing. If I want political punditry, I’ll seek it out. Thank you for not succumbing to the temptation common to all too many pundits, which is to feel that because they have wisdom to offer in one area, they are qualified to offer it in unrelated areas. In short, “Bully!” 🙂
How is Prediction #3 different from what appeared 5, 10 and 15 years ago? Compare the job prospects for an MBA against any MS in information technology or computer science. The former fill management positions, the latter get specialist gigs if they are lucky.
Problem with Prediction #2 is that technology W pops up from nowhere and eats both x and y for lunch in z-2 years (given that z > 3).
Prediction #1 fails to recognize the third kind of company — the ones that started x-1 years ago without ever needing to do y because they changed the paradigm.
I have been with you since year one. I will be here in all those that follow, until there is no me. Congrats on getting this far.
If someone does not shine a glaring light on the BS being passed around by pundits, then those few of you that actually have something to say, that is actually useful, will never be read/heard. Here’s to you, and another 20 years.
Bob,
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years! I remember meeting you at some kind of tech-do before that. I’m retired now but you bring a fresh face to events that I still enjoy.
I still have a desk at home and use it. I have two plaques that I see daily. They still are good though I don’t know who originated them. Feel free to share them.
“Happiness is a positive cash flow.”
“Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.”
Happy New Year.
Dana
Dana Frank Persells
From the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama
Bob,
I’ve read you articles every week for several years. I’m an IT manager with access to a lot of material and I read your articles because they are consistently useful and well-reasoned. You also are good about staying within your knowledge domain; I wish others knew their own limitations.
Keep up the good work. Some of us are listening. 😉
I have enjoyed reading your columns for many years. Please don’t stop. The thing that I find most worthwhile about your columns is that your ideas apply to much more than just the IT world.
I always look forward to your series. I don’t always agree but you always spark some thinking.
Keep them coming and we’ll try to keep the joint running.
I find your columns excellent every week Bob – and have for the entire 19 years. Sometimes that 19 years seems like a week and sometimes (today for example) it feels like 115 years.
The “CIOs must be business people” is farcical – although it is also farcical they should be ONLY technical – as it is for all the CxOs – no matter the job (nurse, engineer, teacher, accountant, dog catcher) there is an element of business-person required. I don’t want to hear “I’m ONLY a programmer” or “I’m ONLY a nurse” –
I know I’m preaching to the choir – but the ONLY mentality certainly exists.
keep up the good work!
Happy New Year Bob! – I look forward to reading your weekly writing. And, that is quite a testament as competition for one’s time and attention is unyielding. Your opinions are often astonishingly obvious, yet always salient. Keep it up and know that you have hordes of followers.
Bob, please do keep going with KJR. I’ve introduced several peers and direct reports to it. Often we’ll have a good debate about something you’ve written. We don’t always end up agreeing with your conclusion, but the debate/discussion is well worth the time. Thanks and keep it up!
I’ve enjoyed reading your column all these years. Heck, I’ve even bought some of your books (and read some of them, too!)
Email newletters/columns come and go, but yours is one of the few I’ve keep and look forward to reading.
I don’t comment much because I usually agree with you and don’t have much to add. I guess I could just say “ditto”, but I think that’s already been taken.
I always read your emails, if not immediatly useful, at least thought provoking, and a bit of sanity in the midst of the continuing human comedy here at work.
I don’t know that I’ve been reading for 20 years but it certainly has been a long time, dating back to the paper only version.
Good luck with your 20th year.
I’ve been a consistent reader since the InfoWorld days. I just don’t post replies very often.
I do greatly appreciate your perspective each week, though, and wish you a very happy and prosperous 20th year!
Hi Bob – I am one of the regular lurkers; and enjoy the articles you write! I have also read two of your books – so Keep the Joint running!
Still here, still reading. I do occasionally comment. I don’t read every column, as there are a few I don’t find relevant to me, but I do find 90% relevant.
Bob, keep them coming? I think I’ve been reading since you started. Your voice is one of the few sane ones out there, when it comes to IT. I frequently link to your writing on my internal blog in an effort to inject some sense in a sometimes senseless business.
No, no, no
The room is not as empty as it might appear.
I find you comments always helpful and informative.
Bob:
I read your column as an RSS feed and have enjoyed your insights and humor for years.
Please keep it going for at least another year and maybe even 20 ?!
Dave
I’ve been reading since the paper-only days also – when I would sometimes clip your columns and save them. I appreciate your insightful and sensible commentary, and I say so too infrequently. Thank you and please keep writing.
Bob:
I have been a loyal reader since your start in InfoWorld. Please keep up the good work — your emails are generally the best thing in my inbox.
Rich
Another long time reader of both your columns and books. I’ll keep reading as long as you keep writing.
Like many here, long time reader and fan. While I have moved out of a direct IT role, your weekly newsletter continues to provide invaluable advice with humor for even non-IT manager types such as myself.
You are undoubtedly the top IT (Ichthyologist/Technologist) guru to span 2 centuries. Keep it coming!
The top ichthyologist/technologist guru to span 2 centuries? Wow! I beat out a lot of stiff competition to get that award!
As others have said – we’re here Bob and finding the KJR posts very useful, thought provoking (and entertaining on occasion!)
2015 – the year when industries and governments finally accept that IoT is more complex than they thought and driven / hampered by as many (more ?) non-technical things as technical !
Bob,
Another fan here to ask/beg/require you to help us Keep the Joint Running. I don’t know how long I have been reading your column, but I do know you are the ONLY column that goes directly to my inbox. The rest get relegated to the “Read Later” (meaning never) because they sounded good to start, but quickly became just another “talking head”.
I own almost all of your books, in fact several copies because I like to loan and they don’t always return to me. I realized this morning that there is one missing and I will remedy that situation soon. I find myself using your comments in many of my own writings so that I look smart (and giving you credit so that my audience knows I’m not really that smart). The books are references that get pulled down often.
I really appreciate you BOOOOOOOOOOM!! Uh Oh, I think that was Bob’s head exploding from all the praise we have been giving him. I hope not as he is a beam of fresh light (to mix metaphors) in a world of darkness.
THANKS for all that you do and please keep it up!
Jim
Bob, I have been reading your column for probably 15 years. I retired five years ago and still find it useful, either for applying your advice to real life or recommending/forwarding columns to others (employed and retired). What I appreciate most are the columns that provide a framework for thinking through issues and the ones that cal attention to various emperor’s lack of attire.
Thank you for your years of interesting, helpful, and thought provoking insights. The fact that I have been reading this for what my mind tells me is decades is proof that you hold my interest with ease. (Many other newsletters have been auto-forwarded to folders that are rarely accessed. Yours is always read.) There is nothing I want you to change, but if/when you do change things, I will continue to read. A sincere thank you for sharing your ideas.
Been there since the early days, Bob and still enjoying. I am a general management guy, not an IT guy so I get lost in the jargon from time to time. But the business observations/lessons/guidance always translate to my world.
Thanks!
“would anyone take such utterly nonsensical false dichotomies seriously”. I read and share your column regularly because you bring just that perspective…which is so easily lost among the managers who spend too much time reading and not enough time doing
Bob,
I retired in July after 30 years of doing IT support, but still like to keep up on events in IT. Your column has been a highlight of my email world, and my husband and I enjoy reading it. Please keep writing. We love your style.
Caryl
Bob, I have been reading your columns and newsletters (and books!) for my entire career in IT and Infosec. Your perspective on the role IT plays in the business have influenced the way I do my job and the way people view me as a partner. I look forward to every issue! Thank you for your insightful and entertaining content.
Longtime reader; first time commenter.
I regularly share (whole intact) emails with colleagues, former colleagues, and bosses. Have learned much from you ober the years. Bought several of the books, and yes, read them. Also buy books to give to departing colleagues as a farewells l gift!
Bob,
As a reader since the first days, I still look forward to, and learn from, your weekly columns. There’s no one else I read so regularly.
BBJ
Unfailingly felicitous.
Keep the columns coming.
I’ve been listening for 20 years Bob. I really appreciate your insight and wisdom. I loved the “CIO should be business people” comment. As usual you find a direct way to get through the BS – err I mean complex critical thinking – that we in IT have to deal with. Cheers.
Bob
I’ve enjoyed your columns for most of those 20 years, and I complained to InfoWorld when they cut you loose. I’m not a manager and don’t want to be, so I’m not in a position to put much of your advice into action. But it’s fun to imagine what it might be like to work for someone who has a clue.
A resounding YES, I quite look forward to seeing each issue of “Keep the Joint Running” arrive in my inbox. It’s both informative and fun. And, perhaps surprisingly given my thick skull, actually manages to plant a few good ideas here and there. As the title says….Keep the Joint Running! Happy 20th!
Bob,
Your experience and insight serve as the gold standard to me when I analyze and evaluate others’ opinions on something you discussed. Keep the great work coming. Thanks.
— ” let me know if you continue to find it useful.” —
Yes, very helpful, insightful, fun to read.
I have commented before how I am always pleased to learn that the topics you present are wide-spread and not limited to the places I have been.
Bob, you are the only pundit/columnist/expert I have ever subscribed to. I have been reading your columns for a very long time, maybe not the entire 19 years, but a long time. I appreciate your explanation of new trends (meeting the old trends) and explaining them, and how to use them to succeed. Keep up the good work. If you hang it up after a another year, I understand, but you will be missed.
Is it useful? A resounding YES!!
I have a fairly extensive list of notes taken from your articles over the years, that have URL pointers back to the full article for reference. Whenever I wonder what would be best for a manager to do in this situation, or how one should go about doing something, my first thought is to go see what you have to say on the subject.
Ever since a co-worker let me read his copy of InfoWorld back in about 1992, I have been an avid subscriber and reader. When I let other magazine subscriptions lapse, I always made sure to keep my #1 priority, InfoWorld. You became one of the highlights of each issue, and I followed you to this site. Keep up the good work!