Are You In The Clouds?

It’s just a few days after Valentine’s Day.  Stores are already decorated for the Easter Bunny.  Time seems to be disappearing at exponential rates.  February is more than half over. Whew!  Where am I? I’m in the clouds.  Yes I’m learning about and embracing cloud computing.  For those not sure what this is I suggest a visit to Wikipedia.  If you use Google Docs you’ve been a cloud.  From what I am reading and discussing with colleagues this can be a real game changer. How and for whom you might ask?  People employed in corporate technology departments. The advent of cloud computing is likely to eliminate or transform many technology department roles.  Some writers compare cloud computing to the energy grid.  It takes a moment to get my head around the concept of technology being similar to a utility, and being paid for in a similar fashion.

Our theme is always engaged organizations.  The shift from internal departments overseeing the technology infrastructure and needs of their companies to outsourcing it to large cloud management utilities is a paradigm shift.  Many who thought being in technology would have an added advantage protecting their jobs are beginning to experience the uncertainty many others in the work force have experienced.  Effectively managing the change and transition will be important in maintaining employee engagement.  An often-overlooked component is the strategic redesign of roles and identification of who should inhabit the new roles.  Requisite Organization advisors can play an important role here because RO provides the universal principles for designing roles and the managerial spines and business units within which they exist.