Jedi Council Forums - 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader

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Author	Topic: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
Kai_Vandekar Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 6/14/07 3:47pm Subject: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	Ok, this made me laugh out loud...but scarily, it's not all that inaccurate. - Kai ----------------------------------------------------- 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn from Darth Vader HelpDeskSamurai(IT Support Manager) Posted 6/13/2007 Comments (4) \| Trackbacks (0) Yes, it's true, you can learn lessons about IT management from the Dark Lord of the Sith. This list is the result of a challenge someone made to me after I posted my two articles on lessons IT Managers can learn from the movie "300". I want to be very clear. In this article, I am not referring to "Akakin Skywalker" from the prequel movies. I'm referring to Darth "Oh my God, he just lifted that guy off the ground by his throat!" Vader. The greatest movie villain ever known. So, straight into it. Here are five lessons you can glean from Vader as you revel in the dark side of IT management. 1. Be clear when you direct your subordinates. Yell in a really deep, powerful voice to drive it home. (A New Hope, boarding the rebel ship at the beginning of the film.) From the very start of Episode IV, Vader is a man who is direct about what he wants. When he tells his commander to tear the rebel ship apart to find the plans, there is no mistaking what he wants. It's a pattern he continues throughout the saga. Nebulous, vague, non-committal; these words do not describe Vader. 2. Be willing to intervene personally if projects get too far behind. (Return of the Jedi, Vader arrives on the Death Star.) "You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule." With that one sentence, Darth Vader takes over the greatest engineering project ever attempted in the history of the galaxy, the second Death Star. No debating with the previous project manager about missed deliverables. No meetings about improving efficiencies. This project is going to get back on schedule, and the Force help you if you aren't part of the solution. 3. Promote from within. (Empire Strikes Back. Aboard the Executor after coming out of hyperspace near the Hoth System) Admiral Ozzel, say hello to the floor of the bridge. Team, say hello to your new Admiral, the former Captain Piett. Question: How motivated do you think Piett was? 4. Communicate important news to your superiors immediately, in person if you think it's important. (Return of the Jedi, as the rebels landed on Endor) Rebel fleet massing near Sullust? No big deal. Small rebel force landing on Endor? Ho-hum. Luke Skywalker is with them? Vader beating a path straight to the throne room to inform the Emperor. 5. Don't let yourself be pushed around during meetings. (A New Hope, meeting aboard the Death Star) During the meeting aboard the first Death Star, some egotistical upstart officer decided to give Vader a little guff. Bad move. Forget decorum, it was lesson time. Vader allows Grand Moff Tarkin to "call him off" (it was Tarkin's meeting, after all), but you can bet nobody else smarted off to Vader from that point on. Sometimes, you need to remind people what the pecking order is. Disclaimer; You shouldn't take this seriously. This is satire, of myself no less. I do not advocate any sort of violence toward your co-workers, or walking around your office with a cloak and mask, unless your workplace dress code explicitly allows for it. HDS -----signature----- Member of the Secret Cantina of Solitude Attachment is forbidden, so try "Rent-a-Padawan"! All of the aggravation, none of the commitment!
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Kai_Vandekar Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 6/20/07 4:38pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	Sniff Nobody even bothered to look at this? But...but...it's FUNNY! - Kai -----signature----- Member of the Secret Cantina of Solitude Attachment is forbidden, so try "Rent-a-Padawan"! All of the aggravation, none of the commitment!
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Master--Kenobi Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 6/20/07 5:08pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	Hey... I thought it was hysterical. -----signature----- "Hello, Beastie!"
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DarkLordSid Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 6/20/07 8:49pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	What could I say, words seem to pale in describing how dang funny this is. -----signature----- Smilin' Sid's Used Speeders and Appliances Buying anywhere else is just... Un-nat-ural "You WILL buy one of my speeders.. I have foreseen it" Proud sponsor of Order 66 Irony is not that thing you use on your shirts
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TionneHawk Title: Former CR Sacramento CA FF The Peacekeeper Registered: Apr '02	Date Posted: 6/20/07 8:57pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	I was laughing too hard to type! -----signature----- "Anakin, stop spinning!" Master K on Santa Cruz bumper cars Beware the Pedipalps of DOOM!!! Rogue 3 -inactive-
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Kai_Vandekar Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 6/21/07 3:23pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	DarkLordSid posted: What could I say, words seem to pale in describing how dang funny this is. Actually, I specifically posted it because Master K thought YOU might think it was hysterical. Apparently not. shrug Oh well. I thought it was funny. Whatever. - Kai -----signature----- Member of the Secret Cantina of Solitude Attachment is forbidden, so try "Rent-a-Padawan"! All of the aggravation, none of the commitment!
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DarkLordSid Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 6/21/07 4:23pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	Kai_Vandekar posted: DarkLordSid posted: What could I say, words seem to pale in describing how dang funny this is. Actually, I specifically posted it because Master K thought YOU might think it was hysterical. Apparently not. shrug Oh well. I thought it was funny. Whatever. - Kai ??? I DID think it was funny, still do in fact, really. -----signature----- Smilin' Sid's Used Speeders and Appliances Buying anywhere else is just... Un-nat-ural "You WILL buy one of my speeders.. I have foreseen it" Proud sponsor of Order 66 Irony is not that thing you use on your shirts
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DarkLordSid Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 6/21/07 8:24pm Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader - Date Edited: 6/21/07 8:26pm (1 edits total) Edited By: DarkLordSid
	Okay, I lied, it's not funny at all, mainly because our IT dept. DOES THIS ALREADY. The only difference is that they have a Jabba running the place. ME: "I need a new flat screen monitor" Jabba the Manager: Ho ho ho ho! opens the trap door and dumps me to the rancor See, not funny at ALL. :P -----signature----- Smilin' Sid's Used Speeders and Appliances Buying anywhere else is just... Un-nat-ural "You WILL buy one of my speeders.. I have foreseen it" Proud sponsor of Order 66 Irony is not that thing you use on your shirts
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Kai_Vandekar Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 6/22/07 10:56am Subject: RE: 5 Lessons IT Managers Should Learn From Darth Vader
	LMAO! And Sid, my apologies for the grumpy response. I took as sarcasm what you meant to be taken at face value, and then went off in a little snit about it. It was immature of me and not even grandiose and nasty enough to be (oooh) all Dark Sidey. Just kinda...pissy. So, I do apologize for it. - Kai, Failing Both Jedi and Sith 101 -----signature----- Member of the Secret Cantina of Solitude Attachment is forbidden, so try "Rent-a-Padawan"! All of the aggravation, none of the commitment!
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