“In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.” –Buddha

How many times have you found that that your unwillingness to hear the truth has come back to bite you? I have learned that lesson more than once. Here are my top lessons for creating an environment of openness and honesty.

“IT in 2015 will bear little resemblance to its current state. Many activities will devolve to business units, be consolidated with other central functions such as HR and finance, or be externally sourced. Fewer than 25% of employees currently within IT will remain in that unit as the function is unbundled.” --Shvetank Shah and Matthew Charlet, Corporate Executive Board, Wall Street Journal June 20, 2012.

Last week I had a lengthy phone call with an IT executive at a large, Midwestern company who I have been working with for a few months. The company is in the process of assimilating a sizable acquisition and there is a significant item that, if not dealt with, will likely blow up in his face.  The problem he faces is that he can’t seem to sell the company’s CEO and other key executives on the need for addressing it as they are preoccupied with other things.  His question to me was “How can I be more effective in persuading these people?”

IT’s job is to minimize risk.

IT’s job is to maintain infrastructure.

IT’s job is to push back when the rest of the company asks for anything not directly related to the previous 2 goals. – Ian Lurie

"It's easy to come up with new ideas; the hard part is letting go of what worked for you two years ago, but will soon be out of date."

—   Roger von Oech

 You are never closer to your greatest failure than when you are at the moment of your greatest success. –Craig Winn

This quote, from a Businessweek article in 2000, is perhaps one of the best pieces of business wisdom ever imparted to me.  Success is as addictive as an opiate and potentially just as dangerous. 

pol·i·tics noun

1. the complex or aggregate of relationships of people in society, esp those relationships involving authority or power.

2. any activity concerned with the acquisition of power, gaining one's own ends, etc: company politics are frequently vicious.

- World English Dictionary

The line it is drawn/ The curse it is cast/ The slow one now/ Will later be fast/ As the present now/ Will later be past/ The order is rapidly fadin'/ And the first one now/ Will later be last/ For the times they are a-changin'.   -Bob Dylan

Maybe, just maybe, the job market is finally beginning to improve.  As I write this the headline on CNBC is that jobless claims last week were down by 13,000.  There is a less formal measure of improvement in the job market that I am personally beginning to observe.  Since the first of the year, for the first time in many months, I am beginning to get calls from some of my friends in the recruiting business who are looking for referrals.  I am also hearing from former colleagues and employees who are re-entering the job market and are seeking references and/or advice.&nb