<rant> I'm sorry, but I have to finally step in here and add my $.02 worth. You state and I quote:
"Go talk to lawyers, doctors and architects...The difference is stark. In one, drug reps giving away free samples is seen as a huge problem, in IT it is not." What a crock of $H!T! It is COMMON practice, for drug reps to leave piles of free samples with every doctor they visit. Doctors are then able to let patients try different brands/different types or strengths of medicines in order to see what works for them, without what can sometimes be HUGE out-of-pocket expenses to the patient, for a product that doesn't work for them. It also keeps the doctors from having to fight with an HMO over paying for a prescription, until such time as they know for sure which one works. As Bill Cosby would say, "Grab a Coke and a smile" and go buy a clue somewhere. IT people can be viewed as a Professionals instead of "craftpeople", anytime they want by simply following a few simple rules: 1. Dress professionally. For guys, this means slacks, dress shoes and a button-down, collared shirt...maybe with a tie. It does NOT mean raggedy, holey jeans/shorts with stained T-shirts and sandals. For women, it means slacks, dresses or a professional length skirt nice blouse and dress shoes. It does NOT mean mini-skirts, flip-flops, short-shorts and blouses that expose all their cleavage. 2. Know your product, make an INFORMED decision and consider all your options, before opening your mouth in front of management or outside of your own IT group. Your status as a Professional will be greatly enhanced and your opinions will carry much more weight, if your work and your advice stand up to the test of time. 3. Don't go out partying / socializing in public with your management or subordinates. Keep work at work and your social life separate. There is nothing that will damage a person's professional reputation in the company they work for faster, than to go out and get drunk and rowdy with their boss and everyone else in the company. Some of the biggest problems in companies are caused when former co-workers get promoted up the management chain, they still go out partying together and then the subordinates expect special treatment from their "buddy". I have met almost every single one of the people that have taken the time to participate in this "discussion." Every single one of them in my opinion, displays the utmost in Professionalism and represents our industry VERY well. I could have a discussion about any IT-related topic I wanted to and this group of people would be the FIRST ones to propose changes to my configuration or propose alternate Non-MS related solutions to my problem. They do what it takes to get the job done. Most of them are my what I strive to emulate professionally, because they follow the rules I've outlined above (well, except for Andy. He does tend to get a tad bit rowdy now and then...but he's a lot of fun anyway. :0P ) and are respected by their peers because of it. I'd say that if you don't view yourself as a Professional, it's because of your attitude or because of a shortcoming of your own...not theirs. </rant> -----Original Message----- From: Greg Deckler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 10:30 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: Shortcuts to Outlook objects I'm not sure how this refutes anything along these lines. Going to a trade show and picking up a freebie is one thing. Accepting a title and accepting continued compensation is quite another. There is no relationship implied with the first, there is with the second. There are very specific things that denote a profession. One is having an independent governing body that defines and enforces the "rules" and ethics of the profession. The IT industry is a horrible failure in this regard. And, if you want to get specific, the only real professions that meet all of the definitions are military, medical, lawyers and to a lesser degree accounting and engineering. If you want to get technical, the military is the only profession that truly meets all of the requirements. In terms of their management of individuals in their profession, they are answerable to no one, have their own legal and ethical code of conduct and enforce those rules. This is why there is the justice system and the military's justice system. We work with lawyers all the time. We even host partner companies on our Exchange server for free. The lawyers that we work with FORCE us to bill them because they cannot ethically accept this service for free. It creates a conflict of interest for them. Our IT partners have no such ethical constraints. Go talk to lawyers, doctors and architects. Talk to them about their governing bodies, their ethics, etc. Talk to them about vendors in their industry. Getting things for free is viewed as bribery and a conflict of interest. Some of these industries are more lax than others. Look at the medical industry and how drug reps are viewed treated. Then compare that with IT's views on vendors. The difference is stark. In one, drug reps giving away free samples is seen as a huge problem, in IT it is not. > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Greg Deckler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 12:55 PM > > To: Exchange Discussions > > Subject: RE: Shortcuts to Outlook objects > > > > > > You're missing the point Ed. Any form of compensation is a conflict > > of interest. Period. > > Nice absolute statement there, but this isn't an absolute subject. > I've had a pink squeezie pig with a Motorola logo on my monitor for > six years now. Sometimes I bounce it against the wall to help me > think. But no-one accuses me of being a Motorola apologist, and I've > bought a sum total of $0 worth of Motorola kit in that time. > > As for that making us "tradespeople" and not "professionals," have a > look around your doctor's office next time you go there. > > > The discussion is not being advanced in any regard. The view > > that I have > > is that the IT industry's focus on vendors and tools will keep the IT > > industry from becoming a profession. > > What on earth is that supposed to mean? Is there a ISO9001 definition > of "profession" that "the IT industry" has failed to apply for? Some > people who work in the IT field can indeed be seen as tradespeople, > others as professionals - the guy who assembles PCs on the line versus > Michael Dell, for example. But if you try to tell a CTO with an MBA > that he's not in a "profession" s/he will most likely still be > laughing by the time the security people have carried you out of the > bulding. > > > > And, accepting any form of > > compensation is a fundamental conflict of interest. > > Sure it is. That's why Congresspeople, doctors, lawyers, or architects > aren't allowed to do it. Oops, they all are, aren't they? Just usually > there is a limit on it. > > > > In all of > > the posts, > > nothing refutes theses points. > > I hope I've rectified that. _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
