Geek Gap: Why Business And Technology Professionals Don't Understand Each Other And Why They Need Each Other to Survive

by Bill Pfleging

Business managers (suits) and technology professionals (geeks) have become warring camps in too many companies. While both groups have no trouble following the lingo of their own specialties, when they have to communicate with each other, neither side fully understands ― or wants to understand ― the other. And that's a big problem in an increasingly technology-dependent business environment where success depends on the smooth integration of both business savvy and technological expertise.Bill Pfleging ― a respected computer and Web consultant ― and Minda Zetlin ― a veteran business writer ― explore, in this insightful, witty, and very instructive book, the culture clash that pervades nearly every business-technology interaction. The Geek Gap provides members of both camps a practical guide to working together effectively. Using many real-world examples, the authors vividly illustrate the consequences in time, money, careers, and even lives when these separate cultures fail to communicate. The authors provide practical solutions for building trust between business and computer professionals. The book is filled with tips aimed at geeks and suits to help each group understand the other, communicate in what amounts to a foreign language, and get what they need to do their jobs effectively. The authors profile companies and individual executives who have successfully bridged the gap by conducting events that bring the two groups together, switching jobs from one area to the other, creating whole new careers as "go-betweens," and much, much more.This is the first book to directly address issues of communication and understanding between business and technology people. The Geek Gap ― in identifying this problem and providing numerous practical and workable solutions ― is an indispensable guide for all.

Genres: Business

251 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2006

Reviews

[Amir Hossein Fassihi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many stories

There are a ton of stories about the Geek Gap in this book that describe the problems. The authors provide much valuable advice for each case. This could be an interesting read for technology managers and also the tech people who feel they have issues with the way the business is running.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting executives and IT folks to play well together

“Suits” versus “geeks” may sound like the plot of a lame science-fiction movie, but the conflict between suits (managers) and geeks (IT workers) is fact, not fiction. This war leads to the waste of huge sums of money on failed IT projects. Sometimes, the losses are even more devastating, such as the injury or death of people who rely on technology that fails to function correctly. The clash between suits and geeks is deeply rooted in history. Many assume that, like the weather, this conflict is a way of life and nothing can be done about it. But IT consultant Bill Pfleging (geek) and business writer Minda Zetlin (suit) disagree. They propose sensible solutions companies can use to reduce the antagonism between executives and technicians, and to help them work well together. getAbstract recommends this book to managers and technicians who must rely on each other without making sparks fly. Now you can communicate across the chasm.