If you work in an environment of geeks, or have to manage them,
here's a must-read
article for you. It deals with many of the many negative
connotations a geek may have, and explains where certain behaviour comes
from and what to do to avoid it.
My favorite
quotes from this article, just because they are so very true:
"for IT groups respect is the currency of the realm"
"I think every good IT pro on the planet idolizes Dr. House (minus the addictions)"
"While everyone would like to work for a nice person who is always right, IT pros will prefer a jerk who is always right over a nice person who is always wrong"
"It's not about being right for the sake of being right but being right for the sake of saving a lot of time, effort, money and credibility"
"If you are dismissive of complaints, fail to recognize an illogical event or behave in deceptive ways, IT pros will likely stop complaining to you. You might mistake this as a behavioral improvement, when it's actually a show of disrespect. It means you are no longer worth talking to"
"Arbitrary or micro-management, illogical decisions, inconsistent policies, the creation of unnecessary work and exclusionary practices will elicit a quiet, subversive, almost vicious attitude from otherwise excellent IT staff."
"IT pros would prefer to make a good decision than to get credit for it. What will make them seek credit is the danger that a member of the group or management who is dangerous to the process might receive the credit for the work instead."
"if your IT group isn't at the table for the hiring process of their bosses and peers, this already does a disservice to the process"
"In IT, six months to a year is all that stands between respect and irrelevance."
