Why I Hate the I.T Guy Stereotype
I was at a meeting yesterday, another invited management consultant made a generalisation about how how I.T guys “great with technology, but bad at communication”. It wasn’t the forum I could have corrected him easily. I was a guest and it would have taken the meeting off topic.
My initial reaction was to jump over the desk and beat him around the head, but on reflection that would be wrong and no way to prove I was a good communicator.
I think all problems in life are communications problems and I am not perfect (just ask the woman in my life).
It wasn’t difficult to let this one go because as I sat in the meeting quietly cursing I knew the page views of this website would be passing the 250,000 mark for this year.
So in that respect I do a lot more communicating than I am given credit for. For example on this site you will find hours of screencasts showing you all about new technology.
Link: View all posts filed under Screencast
I also regularly give hints and tips about technology and small business sharing my knowledge and experience for free.
My point being communication can take many forms.
Another example would be when I search Google in the UK for Computer Consultant I am in the top 4 (this varies from month to month but to be in the top 10 out of 1.8million) Maybe I know more about communication than I let on..
Office2007 User Interface
September 27th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
You don’t have to prove anything to your blog readers, Colin. Your posts are written clearly and professionally (rants aside!) and as you say you’ve got lots of readers [lurkers].
The comment you disliked is based on stereotypes and possibly the man’s personal experience with IT guys so you shouldn’t take it as a personal jibe. He probably watches The IT Crowd (Channel 4) and thinks you sit at a desk all day responding to technical queries with “have you tried turning it off and on again?”
September 27th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Hi Gary
Yeah, I know, I sometimes I use this blog to tip the inside of my brain out.
However I feel life’s too short to edit out the prickly bits and as avid blog reader myself I like the blogs that have a whiff of car crash about them.
You do have a point and I have plans to run a pure small business I.T oriented blog, where I will be all grown up and less ranty.
On stereotypes: I am too scared to watch the IT crowd in case I find myself mirrored back. Who am I kidding, I have children now, I never get to watch TV anymore.
Colin
September 30th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
No, no, I like rants! Rants are good! It gets people thinking and some comments could show you’re not alone in your line of thought. (i.e. you’re not barking mad or you’re not the only person to think that Vista/Vostro/etc isn’t all that).
Actually I bought a slim Vostro and found it sensational value for £189 + VAT + a rip-off £60 shipping. I’d rather they whack on £45 to the base price and charge £15 for shipping, then it wouldn’t be so obviously that the reason they can sell it so cheaply is because they’re charging you through the nose for shipping.
September 30th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Hi Gary
So spill the beans on the Vostro. What’s it like?
The price was obviosuly a good point.
Whats the build quality like?
If you want to write up a review I would be happy to publish it or link to it.
I am especially keen to see what is under the hood, pics etc
Thanks
Colin