June, 2008

Workplace Sensitivity - Dealing with Crazy People

At some point in time we all have a co-worker we don’t like. In my experience, the personality conflict usually revolves around work ethic. I have a difficult time accepting that some people do not work the same way as I do. Sometimes there’s a legitimate medical reason your co-worker seems to be having trouble - mental illness.

I have major depression with general anxiety disorder and have been medicated and stable for over 15 years. I get indignant and tend to think, “If I can handle it everyone else should be able to step up and handle it.” It is the frustration over not having any control of the situation coming out in me. I want my co-workers to be just as successful as I am in dealing with their illness.

Attention Deficit Disorder and depression are great at interrupting a person’s work flow. I know mental illness is a personal experience that is different for everyone but I can’t help but get angry when I see someone succumbing to their condition. My solution is to be open and honest about my condition in hope that I can be a resource for others. By understanding the issues an individual deals with we can get along better at work. Try to give your co-workers the support they need during tough times. It’s a favor that will most certainly be repaid.

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Top 100 Places to Work

Where would we be without Computerworld’s Top 100 Places to Work list? I look forward to reading this report every year. It divides out the criteria employees were surveyed on and even details the percentage of women in staff and management positions. The best part, perhaps, is the included links to all the employer websites. Go ahead, see if FedEx has any positions open in Alaska or Hawaii! You’ve always dreamed of moving somewhere far away, haven’t you?

Disclaimer: FedEx is mentioned simply because I live near Memphis, Tennessee, not because I’m affiliated with them in any way.

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Online Student Survival Guide

I chose an online school to earn my MBA. The freedom to log on when it suits my schedule and ability to accelerate my course work are something I can’t get at the local university.

Recently my university started a blog called Online Student Survival Guide. I avoid social networking so I failed to check out the site until now. What I found I believe will be of value to anyone considering earning their degree online. It was a big choice for me, and the school I attend is not well known, so I had to do a lot of research before I could trust them.

This guide will help you take the big step towards the decision to go to school. There’s a lot of IT folks without a degree and with HR departments looking at that requirement first, online education is a great way to fill that gap.

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Digital Image Piracy for Profit

At Etsy.com anyone can sell their hand made items for a 20¢ listing fee plus 3.5% site commission. The only stipulation beyond being hand made by the seller is that, “All listings on Etsy must be for a tangible object (note: a digital file is considered a tangible object)”. Digital files for sale range from wedding photo cds, custom graphics & website design, graphics collections, and embroidery patterns. It’s great for non-techy people to have access to digital services, but I’m concerned about the source of graphics for collections and embroidery patterns.

For longer than I remember I have owned software that will turn any digital picture into a needlework pattern. If I decide I cannot live without a needlepoint pillow of Sean and Brent all I do is copy their images off of the web site and I’m in business! Of course, I’m violating the copyright of the TechTarget network. When I decide to sell this pattern online, I’m violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. When Brent sees my listing and claims copyright infringement I can’t even use Fair Use as a defense. Fair Use of a work to create a Derivative Work mandates permission from the original owner of copyright.

I am not a digital copyright activist. I participated in the peer-to-peer music craze that Napster fueled. I am, however, really worried about the consequences these actions will bring. Embroidery patterns made from downloaded images of popular science fiction television shows are not legal without permission from the copyright holder. United States Federal law reads, “As a general matter, copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner.”

An Etsy seller stated in an item description, “This is not licensed product, I am not affiliated with the trademarks or companies nor am I the creator of these images. You are only paying for the work I have done.” This is a blatant confession of copyright infringement. The copyright owner can claim infringement because a derivative work was created without prior permission. Though Etsy posts a copyright policy and FAQ’s this seller may not know the risk she is taking by creating such products.

Etsy’s copyright policy allows the owner to claim copyright infringement. There is no prevention policy in place other than this statement and the help files. Should a business be liable for preventing the spread of copyright infringement through its platform?

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Come Out of your Shell

This blog entry on Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life really makes me uncomfortable. It’s all about creating “unshakable confidence”. When reading this, I feel like the Emperor with New Clothes and everyone sees through to my deepest insecurities. What’s wrong with me? I should feel better that other folks feel the same way I do. After all, I’m preaching how much we have in common as people working in IT.

The secret is - I don’t want to think about being vulnerable. I want to believe that I’m naturally comfortable with public speaking. I want to believe that I’m always ready to meet someone new or try something different. I believe I’m smart enough for the job. I believe my natural self is better than any well-thought-out presentation I can make of myself. Yes, I study for interviews. No, I don’t worry about making a first impression because I’ve already planned for it.

My impression of this article has absolutely nothing to do with you. I don’t even recommend reading it, unless it sounds interesting to you. My reaction is all about my personal insecurities locked up inside my own head. Keep this in mind the next time someone gives you their opinion on something, anything. Whether it be the car the boss drives or the proposed changes to the network remember - it has nothing to do with you. Make up your own mind and act accordingly. Personally, I choose to always leave the house clothed in the morning. I’m vulnerable enough if you take the time to look real close. Aren’t we all?

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Power to the P.I.T.

Who says a bunch of geeks can’t change the world? Once again, we’re breaking stereotypes and showing we know how to network with our peers. IT Knowledge Exchange has been deemed one of the 10 Great Media Web Sites for 2008. It’s difficult for me to imagine life without ITKE now that it has become a daily staple. I sure wish it was there when I was trying to manage a law firm’s IT by myself!

So get out there and answer some questions and don’t be afraid to post some of your own! We’re all in this together!

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Evidence that I am a Geek

I just figured out that this blog has nothing special to do with IT as in Information Technology. It only took me a few days from subscribing for that epiphany. Organize IT is just another of my finds from following interesting blog links. Now I feel like I should delete its feed just out of embarrassment.

How often do you fail to recognize the obvious? Do people use the cliché, “If it was a snake it would have bit you!” to describe your oversights? I can blame everything, but I know I just don’t plain get the simple things. This can be a big problem when dealing with folks outside the IT department. Sometimes I need to take a step back, try to turn my brain off, and listen with fresh ears. This is the same principle that leads me to (almost) always check the power and cable connections when diagnosing a hardware issue. I really have seen dead systems from staff kicking their power cords loose behind the desk. In fact, I’ve knocked my power off from an ill-placed roll of my chair.

Well, I guess that wraps up this reminder that we all have common ground. Most of us have the poise or prose to hide our fallacies. I think I do much better just to confess and move on.

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Career Testing Your Outlook

How often do you worry about the future of your career?

At some level, I worry all the time. When the opportunity presents itself I enjoy taking free personality tests and career assessments that propose to tell me what I should be doing for a living. When I was earning my first degree I took time off work to take the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test. There are 16 personality types based on being (I)ntroverted/(E)xtroverted, (S)ensing/(I)ntuition, (T)hinking/(F)eeling, and (J)udging/(P)erceiving. These measures correspond to your preferred world (I or E), how you take in information (S or I), make decisions (T or F), and the structure you use to deal with the outside world (J or P).

My MBTI personality type is INTP and ENTP. Why both? I have the unique score of 50% in the introverted and extroverted categories. This skyrockets my self esteem with justification for why I’m a “People Geek” yet shy away from group work. When I learned about organizational behavior in school, I was told my personality type was one of the highest in demand. So now what?

After reading this report on Women bailing from technology careers I had a better explanation for why I keep seeking career advice. I am insecure about my ability to make it in the “Good Ol’ Boy” world I find myself in. It has nothing to do with technical ability and everything to do with sacrificing my sense of self to do what is necessary to succeed in this culture. I patently refuse to play the game of climbing the career ladder and will rely on merit alone to propel my career. That’s what I’m worried about.

I’m navigating my career life by furthering my education and accepting that jobs beneath my aspirations will still meet my basic needs. I can succeed without being a project manager, independent consultant or CIO. With that confession made, it won’t stop me from trying. Even if I fail miserably, there’s always selling my crochet and crafts as a side business.

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Internet Addiction: Fact or Fiction?

Do you believe a person can become addicted to using the internet?

For me, the answer is self-evident. I’ve been there - hooked up to the internet like an IV lifeline feeding me whatever it took to stay alive. This wasn’t the present day of MySpace and WoW, but the old days of VAX machines, local bbs, and MUDs. I agree with Dr. Jerald J. Block, M.D.’s view that, “About 86% of Internet addiction cases have some other DSM-IV diagnosis present.” I do.

The internet was my way to self-medicate for depression. I experienced some of the same symptoms Kimberly S. Young observed in her study of Internet Addiction Disorder. Young cites a distinct difference in the type of internet programs addicted and non-addicted people use. 75% of the addicts spent most of their time in chat rooms, MUDs, newsgroups and bbs while 79% of the non-addicts spent their time on e-mail, www, and information protocols. I still pine for the days I spent on my favorite MUD and am proud of the fact that my character is immortalized in the code. The bbs I frequented introduced me to the reason I moved to Arkansas and indirectly, the love of my life.

How do I cope with Internet Addiction? Is it like alcoholism where total abstinence is called for? Well, obviously the internet is an inherent part of my career, so being chaste is not an option. However, I consciously abstain from these internet activities: instant messaging, social networking, mmorpgs (like WoW), and virtual worlds. In fact, I used a web search and copied the links for this article to avoid direct access to the sites. When warning signs show up, I back off the activity and spend some quality time on the couch in the world of the living.

Computer gaming is a great stress reliever after a hard day at work. I confess I am so easily sucked in to gaming on my computer it’s like hooking up the IV for old time’s sake. This is my #1 reason for not upgrading my home computer and having a lousy 15″ CRT monitor plugged in to a case that wouldn’t know a video card from a 1200 baud modem. It does have neon though.

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Shy? Try Social Networking!

My best friend is a Teacher and spends a lot of time on social networking and peer internet groups. Last night we went to a folk singer concert among an audience of mostly women. Teacher points to someone as they walk past and comments on their name, occupation, and interest in geocaching. Then she tries to remember the name of the person with her because she’s seen them in pictures together. This is when my red flag goes up and I ask where they know each other from. “Oh, we’ve never actually met. I’ve talked to her on MySpace.”

My natural reaction is to go and introduce ourselves by pointing out the common ground already established thanks to the internet. However, my best friend, the teacher who I rarely see in a shy moment, forbids me to do so. I was told if we bumped into them, it was okay not to ignore them and say hello. Fortunately I got my opportunity in the parking garage. As we were leaving I rolled down my window and introduced us to the utter bewilderment of my target. See, Teacher wasn’t the only shy one.

So what to take from this story? Don’t be afraid to put yourself at risk by greeting a stranger. A good first step is to seek out people in your area with like interests on a social networking site. Next time you’re picking up groceries you might just run into someone you know in the digital realm. Chances are they’re just as shy in person as you at meeting new people. So take that step to get past the awkward introductions. It’s worth the possible rewards.

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