As most readers who frequent this blog know, I am active on a number of lists and forums.
Today I was reading an appeal from a consultant with a Big Name Company.
Our poster, who, it turns out misspelled "consultant" and "architect" on his bio, asked the group for exercise scenarios.
Now this person claims to have been around the IT block for a number of years and worked with companies whose names most of us recognize.
There is nothing in his recent job titles to indicate any experience with business continuity but he does claim "IT Disaster Recovery" experience.
Today, the consultant is a "lead technology architect."
The questions I have to ask are:
- WHY does his organization put a person in a position for which he obviously is not qualified?
WHY does the person turn to the groups rather than his consultant peers in his company? Is no one qualified?
WHY, if this person has been "around-the-block" enough times, does he need help coming up with scenarios; he's not asking for exercise plans, just ideas. What, after all, can possibly go wrong, go wrong, go . . .
I have known of companies who promote a journeyman IT staffer to a business continuity function sans any knowledge of business continuity on the victim's part - and I use "victim" deliberately since the person is being thrown to the wolves. Of course in those conditions, everyone in the organization is being thrown to the wolves.
I'm more than willing to help newbies, especially if the newbie makes an effort on his or her own behalf.
Most "senior practitioners" feel likewise.
But my peers and I take umbrage - usually with our morning coffee - when a person represented as an expert (consultants are, after all, supposed to be experts, that's why they get the Big Bucks) has to appeal to the masses for some really basic information.
Worse, the poster should have a multitude of resources available within the organization; again, it is a Big Name company. If not, then I have some names of people the Big Name company should engage if it intends to market risk management, even if only IT disaster recovery; these true experts can mentor others to develop a well-trained cadre of competent consultants.
If I wrote it, you m,ay quote it
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