December 27, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Strike Force
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/way0utwest
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
My Blog: www.voiceofthedba.com
December 28, 2010 at 3:01 am
Oh now this is a very interesting question because it actually discretely touches on quite a few different subjects such as, job enrichment, what skills would be required to be part of this A-Team, what are the different roles that Data Professionals could provide for within the team, why would a company even need such a team and many, many more....
What if we were to even consider the question from a slightly different angle say and to ask “why would you even want to be part of the A-Team”?
You make a great point Steve about how as Data Professionals the work we produce/deliver is often completed silently in the background and can go unnoticed by the majority, sometimes even the direct boss! I don’t want to go off topic here but I honestly believe that there are a lot of Data Professionals that are selling themselves short from a career development perspective and this is something I plan to look at and discuss through my Blog this coming year.
In my mind the A-Team is as much about making a big noise/impact/corporate statement, as it is about actually getting the job done. I wonder if perhaps the role of the typical Data Professional is currently more akin to the “Special Ops” type of team, performing covertly and with precision 🙂
December 28, 2010 at 4:53 am
Here's another way to look at it: I was in a position with a large company where there were (almost) always at least two people in each job function - We had at least two DBA's for each platform, multiple sysadmins, storage, network, developers, etc... Whenever we needed an "A-Team", one person from each team was simply pulled from their regular duties for the task. Over two years, I participated in seven teams. There were maybe 15 or so teams assembled during my tenure there.
I wonder if it may be less about having a particular skill set, maybe more about focus? When you know someone is taking care of keeping things running, then you're free to focus better on the problem at hand.
Thoughts?
December 28, 2010 at 5:49 am
I have been in IT departments in the past where these kind of specialized "RED" teams were created, and I can tell you that it caused a lot more overall division in the department than team cohesion. Because it tended to promote a "prima donna" atmosphere with certain individuals on those teams. As a result, it tended to create an "US" versus "THEM" situation within the department. Not good for overall moral and team building IMHO:-D
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
December 28, 2010 at 6:33 am
I've been at a couple large companies where an A-Team existed. The 'A-Team' was required 'to be in the loop' on 'significant' projects and events and they selected when they would 'swoop-in' to save the day.
They were avoided by the general sherpas who keep system running, updated, and enhanced on a daily basis.
The 'A-Team' members were the personal appointments of self-center, high ego, chest thumping managers who were technically incompetent (a business major from sales). As Travis and John identify the A-Team members were about grandstanding, prima donas who caused discord.
December 28, 2010 at 6:46 am
Perhaps the model should be less 'A Team' and more 'Mission Impossible': quietly working behind the scenes, most people might not even notice something is happening.
[Though there is a strong storyline side aspect to both these Hollywood concepts: the jobs get accomplished by people working outside the system with a substantial amount of rule breaking (or at least rule short-circuiting). Emulating that aspect seems to be the cowboy approach.]
...
-- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --
December 28, 2010 at 6:51 am
I know we all know we're computer geeks, but c'mon, this is just harsh:
"and then go home and get on with out lives"
maybe somewhere there's ONE of us who has a life? Anyone? :-P:hehe:
---------------------------------------------------------
How best to post your question[/url]
How to post performance problems[/url]
Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]
"stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."
December 28, 2010 at 7:08 am
I worked at a small company once, and the 3 of us in IT were the A-Team. Saved the day many many times and saved the company a great deal of money and sometimes helped bring in business as well since we helped the client do what others could not. All of us had to be Master-Of-All Traits, jack of none. 🙂 At some point I realized that wasn't very realistic. Yes, it was nice to save the day, but I wouldn't want to do it forever.
December 28, 2010 at 7:17 am
I've been working for a large company and I set up, what we used to call in the Navy, a "Tiger Team." It was meant not as a leadership team but as an emergency response team. We basically had two of everyone with the idea that when a major outage hit the Tiger Team was on watch & watch, meaning, twelve hours on, twelve hours off, til the outage was over. We've run training exercises for it, but we haven't had to actually activate it (knock wood).
This approach worked well in the Navy for serious outages.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
December 28, 2010 at 7:22 am
it tended to create an "US" versus "THEM" situation within the department. Not good for overall moral and team building IMHO:-D
Good point, I've seen this play out a number of times too.
December 28, 2010 at 7:59 am
While not part of a formalized "special team", I've been called in, or volunteered, or simply acted, in many emergencies.
The absolute best system I've seen, however, is when a carefully rationed (usually small, unless you're in an excessively unnecessarily bureaucratic department/company) amount of the "exceptions to rules within the bounds of the regulatory environment" attitude, and a _large_ portion of the "we'll do this _right_; document it well, and share with each other what's going on" attitude come together at the beginning... and no "saving the day" was ever required.
I would note that the "save the day" folks were more heavily rewarded and appreciated afterward; often more in proportion to the number of hours of (unpaid) overtime than to the actual change in results. I would also note that none of the projects with the above system required saving; indeed, the very few problems were quickly dealt with a minimum of (unpaid) overtime. Our clients were also happier than clients who were "saved".
Cleaning up after the "save the day" folks come through is often also a horrific mess.
Most times a company needs an "___-team", there have already been multiple failures (overselling, undersized team, underskilled team, bad management, too tight a timeframe, penny wise pound foolish decisions, a failure to maintain existing systems, a failure to have a fallback plan, etc.) on the project/system.
December 28, 2010 at 8:28 am
I think this specialized team is more than just an emergency response team. It sounds like it also applies to projects that need to get done quickly and at a high level. Many of us may work in the background but we all thrive on at least a little recognition for what we do. Being a part of this A-team every once in a while may be the method to get that tiny bit of recognition that people need.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
December 28, 2010 at 8:30 am
Nadrek (12/28/2010)
While not part of a formalized "special team", I've been called in, or volunteered, or simply acted, in many emergencies.
Yes, but that is known as being "on call", and most of us have had to do that sometime in our career. However, that is vastly different than what is being discussed in this thread.:-D
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
December 28, 2010 at 9:02 am
I've been part of an A-team (twice actually), although not really because I wanted all kinds of lime light, more because some managers found my insight valuable on all kinds of different projects.
I really don't like being part of the A-team. I hate being under pressure all the time. It's nice to be under pressure sometimes, get the job done, and get an atta-boy, but then I really need some down time just doing routine maintenance, etc. I find it's hard to be happy when I'm stressed out about work all the time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My SQL Server Blog
December 28, 2010 at 9:05 am
TravisDBA (12/28/2010)
Nadrek (12/28/2010)
While not part of a formalized "special team", I've been called in, or volunteered, or simply acted, in many emergencies.Yes, but that is known as being "on call", and most of us have had to do that sometime in our career. However, that is vastly different than what is being discussed in this thread.:-D
True; however, the circumstances which generate a need for such extraordinary actions are common between the two, and I was directing my post at the _need_ for such.
In a very large company, yes, a specialist team has a place; probabilities see to that. In a smaller company, I'd say the same resources are better off spent on the front end.
Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply