IQ ratings are a measure of a person's capacity to learn something new, thus according to Ray Bernard writing in Security Technology and Design magazine ( www.simon-net.com), one could then say that a company's technical IQ is a company's capacity to learn something new about a technology that a company is involved in or depends upon.
No doubt, technology has and continues to have a major impact on the security industry and those who are slow to embrace new technology could find themselves lagging - the result of which could be detrimental to such businesses.
"Once a new technology is understood, the technology can be applied to advance your company's products or services. This increases your company's ability to compete effectively, and to expand and continue to be successful," adds Bernard.
Resistance to change
The introduction of new technology or product is often accompanied by a resistance to change which, according to Bernard, could be most dangerous to a company. "While I have never met a person who was actively engaged in trying to lower his or her own personal IQ, I have seen individuals engaged in practices that would lower their company's Technical IQ."
Some of the things that could affect a company's technical IQ and add to this resistance to change are:
* Reporting problems inaccurately, without solutions.
* Looking for someone to blame for problems, making people afraid to report problems or critical situations.
* Finding fault with a competitor's ideas or products.
* Capriciously setting fixed deadlines in an arbitrary or dictatorial manner.
* Ignoring the need for adequate reference materials.
* Keeping company, department or group staff in the dark.
Raising the technical IQ
In order to alleviate the problem and raising the technical IQ of a company, Bernard suggests adopting a more open approach to embracing new technology including:
* Encouraging people to confront problems, requesting solutions for problems and critical situations.
* Learning from a competitor's ideas or products.
* Encouraging suggestions and proposals for changes.
* Advancing your own technical knowledge and skills.
The power of technology
It is important to remember that it is people who apply technology. People are the key to utilising technology, and it is imperative that a company encourages its employees - technical and nontechnical to keep abreast of new technology.
In addition, this knowledge of technology must be properly focussed in alignment with the company's objectives in order for that knowledge to really advance the company in that way. "You can focus the power of any technology you use or work with, by aligning your efforts to the objectives of your team, your group, your department and your company overall," states Bernard.
The world of business, in particular the security industry, is a results-orientated world. A company's objectives, both long-term and short-term, must be accomplished for the company to survive. A high technical IQ in a company means that there is that much more ability to advance a company's objectives by the use of appropriate technology.
Till next month
Gerard Peter - Editor
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