Permit me to share a brief experience ('Client ABC') There was one time when all the senior executive staff including managers have been asked to propose on how to improve (value-add) the intranet usage as the company has been using intranet for years but do not know for what.
Then come this 'techie guy' who started to explain to the 'big boss' using all the ICT technical jargons on how to build an intranet portal. The boss was like : "Ok..yeah..yeah...so what's your point" and that guy kept 'blabbering' with all the 'alien colloquials'. He claimed that all the terminologies he's using is actually 'data' to justify his proposal. Actually he misunderstood what the boss meant.
Then came my turn to comment as a consultant. The boss asked me of where should be the starting point to have a real intranet portal respectively for every department.
I simply replied - in order to avoid 'reinventing the wheel' and since their company has been certified with ISO 9000, they can start by looking into their own procedures, manuals, plans, for process flow of each operation and ensure that these processes are displayed on the intranet portal (making use of the ready-available resources..not creating a new thing) Such information must be accessible to all according to their level of users (superusers, read only and 'blah-blah-blah') Then come out with FAQ for each set of processes. They can also go further by releasing some of the information on the net to gain confidence from investors as they are one of the public listed company.
One of many advantages about having these processes online is that when the 'senior officers' are not in the office perhaps due to some site or outstation assignments, the receptionist can do a quick response to queries based on the standard FAQ that is derived from the processes depending on what the queries are all about. It's a cool telemarketing for the receptionist as well (and good commission too)- cos' sometimes, the queries may come from prospective clients.
Did you know that this technique has been used successfully in Fortune 500 IT companies in the event of troubleshooting queries from the customer. You will notice that the 'technical' people (receptionist actually assuming the jobs of 'desk help' or 'customer service' )- will say "What's your problem sir, how may I help you?" Then you will notice momentary typing sound - looking for the answer in the FAQ and not long after that - confidently replied to you based on the FAQ or if they can't find the right solution, they will simply say "We'll get our people to attend to your problem" or "I'll pass the line to the right officer...hold on please"
The boss looked at this techie guy and said :
"Why can't you talk like him?"
Then this techie guy gazed at me with 'that kind of look' and started to ask me on how to go about - technically speaking. (I think you all know why..he's trying to 'get' me)
Before I could answer, the boss quickly answered on my behalf saying :
"The technical part is for YOU to worry about."
-----------------------------
Almerica's response - Posted: 29 August 2006 at 11:50pm and Nik Zafri's resonse - Posted: 30 August 2006 at 7:15pm
That's what we really all hate. Instead of being a man, acknowledge his weakness and learn from this encounter, such "vindictive" response is what reveals his "train of thoughts" and type of personality. These are the kinds that are ones who wouldn't mind sabotaging a project just to make themselves look good. May be just a small matter, but the way he responded shows the kind of person he is, a potential danger to any organization (don't give a damn if he has a folder filled with phDs or MBAs). Sometimes we can pick out their character from their immediate slight response such as that.
You'll find these kinds of people in any organization (surprisingly - big ones). But I just 'ignore' them. Let me tell you further, what happened to this guy (you're absolutely correct - he's a holder of MSc Computer Engineering - no offend Master/PhD holders...just don't take this guy as an example)
He did try to 'sabotage' the project but since the boss has been keeping an eye on him after that 'lousy' presentation and other 'past blunders' (before my time) - like spending a lot of company's money buying sophisticated gadgets, softwares, system, application etc. - his movements are limited and from the latest source, he is now being put in the 'freezer'.
Nik Zafri : The good part is that the project did won big awards - that much I can tell you and of course for the consultant...there was a big payout of bonus! Wanna know more? The project turned out to be an 'application' sold throughout the company branches and affiliates but of course..my agreement didn't include 'royalty'..but it's ok..the bonus was cool
Anyway you were absolutely right. Cut the jargon, stick to the language that people can understand and you will fare better than the so called "self - claimed" techies who think they are so far ahead compared to others. Using jargons to impress is nothing new. Normally these are low self esteem people who wants to be seen as somebody great.
Nik Zafri : Yeap...laymen term and getting straight to the point. I love the idea of having various 'Guides for Dummies' - the books are really popular!
---------------------
Almerica's Response - Posted: 31 August 2006 at 12:30am and Nik Zafri's Response - Posted: 31 August 2006
Haha! That's great my friend. Definitely deserve it more than Mr ICT in the freezer! Hmmm, the big payout sounds very exciting cos at least you get what you are worth and for the success you brought for them. Hey next time you have too many marketing consultancy work in KL to handle, call me, hahaha. Here in Pg when a consultant like us gives the clients some great ideas and concepts, many of them pay you less than what you ask for, use the idea and tell the whole world what a genius they were to come out with such innovative stuffs..... Heck they were some corporate branding excercise that we propose for our client here, that though may costs thousands less compared to the rates in KL they still get a toothache. Or they ask you to provide suggestions and ideas and they mess it up with some funny illogical concoctions of their own and then say it didn't work. Haha can;t win them all.
Nik Zafri - Eric, actually at some level, I feel greater satisfaction in having 'been chosen' to contribute towards project success. Of course there are some monetary matters to be considered as well. But you would feel the 'worthiness' of the amount being paid to you knowing the fact that you have done a good job.
Then come this 'techie guy' who started to explain to the 'big boss' using all the ICT technical jargons on how to build an intranet portal. The boss was like : "Ok..yeah..yeah...so what's your point" and that guy kept 'blabbering' with all the 'alien colloquials'. He claimed that all the terminologies he's using is actually 'data' to justify his proposal. Actually he misunderstood what the boss meant.
Then came my turn to comment as a consultant. The boss asked me of where should be the starting point to have a real intranet portal respectively for every department.
I simply replied - in order to avoid 'reinventing the wheel' and since their company has been certified with ISO 9000, they can start by looking into their own procedures, manuals, plans, for process flow of each operation and ensure that these processes are displayed on the intranet portal (making use of the ready-available resources..not creating a new thing) Such information must be accessible to all according to their level of users (superusers, read only and 'blah-blah-blah') Then come out with FAQ for each set of processes. They can also go further by releasing some of the information on the net to gain confidence from investors as they are one of the public listed company.
One of many advantages about having these processes online is that when the 'senior officers' are not in the office perhaps due to some site or outstation assignments, the receptionist can do a quick response to queries based on the standard FAQ that is derived from the processes depending on what the queries are all about. It's a cool telemarketing for the receptionist as well (and good commission too)- cos' sometimes, the queries may come from prospective clients.
Did you know that this technique has been used successfully in Fortune 500 IT companies in the event of troubleshooting queries from the customer. You will notice that the 'technical' people (receptionist actually assuming the jobs of 'desk help' or 'customer service' )- will say "What's your problem sir, how may I help you?" Then you will notice momentary typing sound - looking for the answer in the FAQ and not long after that - confidently replied to you based on the FAQ or if they can't find the right solution, they will simply say "We'll get our people to attend to your problem" or "I'll pass the line to the right officer...hold on please"
The boss looked at this techie guy and said :
"Why can't you talk like him?"
Then this techie guy gazed at me with 'that kind of look' and started to ask me on how to go about - technically speaking. (I think you all know why..he's trying to 'get' me)
Before I could answer, the boss quickly answered on my behalf saying :
"The technical part is for YOU to worry about."
-----------------------------
Almerica's response - Posted: 29 August 2006 at 11:50pm and Nik Zafri's resonse - Posted: 30 August 2006 at 7:15pm
That's what we really all hate. Instead of being a man, acknowledge his weakness and learn from this encounter, such "vindictive" response is what reveals his "train of thoughts" and type of personality. These are the kinds that are ones who wouldn't mind sabotaging a project just to make themselves look good. May be just a small matter, but the way he responded shows the kind of person he is, a potential danger to any organization (don't give a damn if he has a folder filled with phDs or MBAs). Sometimes we can pick out their character from their immediate slight response such as that.
You'll find these kinds of people in any organization (surprisingly - big ones). But I just 'ignore' them. Let me tell you further, what happened to this guy (you're absolutely correct - he's a holder of MSc Computer Engineering - no offend Master/PhD holders...just don't take this guy as an example)
He did try to 'sabotage' the project but since the boss has been keeping an eye on him after that 'lousy' presentation and other 'past blunders' (before my time) - like spending a lot of company's money buying sophisticated gadgets, softwares, system, application etc. - his movements are limited and from the latest source, he is now being put in the 'freezer'.
Nik Zafri : The good part is that the project did won big awards - that much I can tell you and of course for the consultant...there was a big payout of bonus! Wanna know more? The project turned out to be an 'application' sold throughout the company branches and affiliates but of course..my agreement didn't include 'royalty'..but it's ok..the bonus was cool
Anyway you were absolutely right. Cut the jargon, stick to the language that people can understand and you will fare better than the so called "self - claimed" techies who think they are so far ahead compared to others. Using jargons to impress is nothing new. Normally these are low self esteem people who wants to be seen as somebody great.
Nik Zafri : Yeap...laymen term and getting straight to the point. I love the idea of having various 'Guides for Dummies' - the books are really popular!
---------------------
Almerica's Response - Posted: 31 August 2006 at 12:30am and Nik Zafri's Response - Posted: 31 August 2006
Haha! That's great my friend. Definitely deserve it more than Mr ICT in the freezer! Hmmm, the big payout sounds very exciting cos at least you get what you are worth and for the success you brought for them. Hey next time you have too many marketing consultancy work in KL to handle, call me, hahaha. Here in Pg when a consultant like us gives the clients some great ideas and concepts, many of them pay you less than what you ask for, use the idea and tell the whole world what a genius they were to come out with such innovative stuffs..... Heck they were some corporate branding excercise that we propose for our client here, that though may costs thousands less compared to the rates in KL they still get a toothache. Or they ask you to provide suggestions and ideas and they mess it up with some funny illogical concoctions of their own and then say it didn't work. Haha can;t win them all.
Nik Zafri - Eric, actually at some level, I feel greater satisfaction in having 'been chosen' to contribute towards project success. Of course there are some monetary matters to be considered as well. But you would feel the 'worthiness' of the amount being paid to you knowing the fact that you have done a good job.
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