Transforming IT Culture: How to Use Social Intelligence, Human Factors and Collaboration to Create an IT Department That Outperforms

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Writing a book is a significant undertaking, one even bigger than I imagined when I decided to finish Transforming IT Culture, given that I had started this manuscript way back in 2004. Along the way, I have had encouragement from many folks who worked for me, all of whom thought a book on the human factors of productivity was more necessary than ever. I am thankful to all of them for their support.

As I look back over this journey, many, many people come to mind. Speaking with others has enriched my knowledge and led me to great books and information sources, and their probing questions sharpened my understanding. That said, a few folks need to be specifically mentioned.

Dan Roberts, president of Ouellette & Associates Consulting, Inc., has been a great help, encouraging me to finish my book and referring me to my acquisitions editor at John Wiley & Sons. He will always stand out as someone truly genuine, who is also thoughtfully focused on the human side of IT.

Dr. Arthur Langer of Columbia University, who wrote the Foreword to this book, stands out as an individual who is making a difference in so many people’s lives. Aside from being a brilliant educator, he has been both a friend and mentor. Through his nonprofit, Workforce Opportunity Services, Art provides scholarships to bright, disadvantaged kids who are in danger of being left behind; he helps them get a degree in computer science and a career in IT by placing them in corporations hungry for entry-level ...