As I approach my ten-year anniversary at 3-GIS I have spent some time reflecting on the journey. Many of you may not be aware of this, but I did not start my career supporting the Telecom industry. As a matter of fact, my first job was converting water and electric utility CAD and billing systems to GIS-enabled platforms. From there I worked on large Superfund remediation programs and permitting for trash incinerators which, strangely enough, led me to focus on transportation engineering and mining exploration. From there I had the honor of supporting our warfighters and intelligence communities by providing mapping and innovative GIS application solutions. While this career journey has been somewhat circuitous, I am truly thankful for the wisdom and experience that has been imparted to me along the way.
One of our co-founders recently noted that it is likely we will change our careers at least three times during the course of our professional life. Given the above, I think I may have passed this threshold some time ago. As Winston Churchill once said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
So, you are probably thinking, how is he going to relate this to Telecom and GIS? I believe the Telecom industry is entering a digital renaissance as it relates to managing assets, employees, and customers. While legacy processes and systems have done a phenomenal job moving the industry forward, the reality of those systems do not allow for innovation and thus the realization of process efficiencies that can be gained from the digitized workflows of the future. Even to this day, we see companies printing reams of papers and documenting their maps in the field with a red pencil with the hope that this information makes its way back to their system of record. Simply stated, the systems and workflows today don’t scale!
Here we go. For those of you that know me, you are well aware of my dislike of the word scale. Meriam-Webster has multiple definitions of scale. I often hear the word within the Telecom industry used as a transitive verb meaning “to reach the highest point of: SURMOUNT.” Essentially, go faster and higher. My soapbox on the subject tends to focus on an alternative definition, “to pattern, make, regulate, set, or estimate according to some rate or standard: ADJUST”. While the definitions are somewhat related, the nuance associated with SURMOUNT and ADJUST should be considered. As industry experts, we are often faced with challenging and complex problems and are expected to scale and surmount those problems no matter the cost or impact. I, on the other hand, believe success is ultimately rooted in our ability to adjust and as my friends in the Marine Corps often say, “Adapt. Overcome.”
Obviously, the ability of organizations to adapt and overcome is difficult. There are stakeholders across the organization with differing goals and objectives. Some of which may be personal in that they don’t have it in them to take on a new system, application, or process as they may be in the sunset of their career. For others, the idea alone of taking on a new system and working through organizational change management is daunting if not terrifying. If anything, my 3+ careers have taught me that anything is possible. As I have embraced new beginnings, I have shared in the reward of new accomplishments, efficiencies gained, greater job satisfaction, and increased value. If you are terrified of what is to come as the Telecom industry embraces new technology, consider my experience and the value of embracing the change and driving these new initiatives forward. If we were to walk across your doorstep, know that we are there to help you Adapt and Overcome.
