Gear 3:A High-Performance IT Culture
There’s no reason why most companies can’t develop a long-term IT road map tied to corporate goals.There’s also no reason that given sufficient discipline and resources,most can’t develop a unifying IT platform.But without a high-performance IT organization in place—one that looks very different from those found in most companies—a messy IT business will persist.
For years,corporations have treated IT people differently—a holdover from“glass house”data processing culture of 30 years ago.Treating IT as if it were a separate corporate entity sets up a vicious cycle.Allowed to work in their own tribes,IT folks feel less affiliation with the company than they do with their own projects.Like the soldiers building the bridge on the River Kwai,they grow so isolated that they forget what the war is about.By contrast,the people in a high-performance IT organization don’t feel different from other corporate citizens;in fact,they are
business-savvy leaders in their own right.They operate according to the same corporate values as everyone else and are measured by the same tough performance standards.
The story of the 1995 merger of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroads offers a case in point.The two railroads had two very distinct cultures,performance characteristics,and leadership styles.Burlington Northern’s culture was kind,collaborative,and soft on accountability.Santa Fe’s culture was tough and strictly hierarchical.Thrown together into a single,1,500-person organization,these two talented but antagonistic teams were told by CEO Rob Krebs that they had 24 months to complete a seamless merger of their separate IT systems.The goal was to develop the largest integrated,real-time rail information system in the world—one that would allow the new company to control traffic and cargo across 33,500 miles of track that covered 28 states and two Canadian provinces.From a technology standpoint,it was a challenge of immense proportions.
But once again,the issue wasn’t technology; it was about establishing a new and cohesive culture,with a clear-cut set of rules and a solid performance-management and feedback system.How,the leaders asked,would people react to the deadline pressure,and how would the teams work together to accomplish a Herculean mission?How would the overhaul of systems get done?How would talent be developed?
First on the agenda was the establishment of an accountable IT leadership team.An IT organization that has clear guidance,a shared mission,and high expectations can focus the developers and engineers around the work and correct performance problems.To do so,the IT managers must be hands-on people who are deeply involved in overseeing projects and teams.In setting up a leader-led organization,BNSF established three simple levels of hierarchy:the CIO,vice presidents,and directors.
Once the new leadership structure was in place,BNSF set the performance and bonus targets for expected leadership behavior—the same ones that applied across the company as a whole.These targets had three components: delivering results,leadership competencies, and the“new BNSF”cultural behaviors.A topperforming leader had to deliver on all three of these targets.None of the IT staff members had ever been evaluated in such a clear way before,and they responded extremely well to expectations and feedback.
Part of the secret of getting people out of the old way and into the new is to establish a rhythm—that is,to control the flow,timing, and pace of the work.Setting a calendar and adhering to it is,in most cases,the most visible means of signaling the transformation of the IT culture and new set of processes.At BNSF,quarterly updates,staff meetings,directors’ councils,project reviews,technical reviews,and IT board meetings all helped give the new team a sense of normality and routine—especially important for people who are undergoing a reorganization.The meetings helped transform the formerly frustrating and messy IT cultures.Instead of accepting disorganization and lack of participation as a given,people showed up on time and generally became more efficient in their jobs.
The new organization and performance system was time-consuming to put in place,of course.Most of the leaders grumbled about these demands and the intense time pressure of the work.This was especially true for those who never had to manage under a clear set of expectations.But over time,and especially with the early success of the project,healthy work patterns began to emerge,and a new culture was born.Within a few months,BNSF’s newly merged IT group became a high-performance organization—so much so that it beat the 24-month target by three months.The reorganization,combined with the savings realized from streamlining processes and facilities,allowed BNSF to achieve roughly$500 million worth of cost savings that it had committed to the Interstate Commerce Commission to obtain merger approval.Without the performance gear at high torque,BNSF could nothave attained its corporate goals.

Gear 3:A High-Performance IT Culture

以齿轮连起 3: 高表现资讯科技文化


There’s no reason why most companies can’t develop a long-term IT road map tied to corporate goals.There’s also no reason that given sufficient discipline and resources,most can’t develop a unifying IT platform.
没有理由大多数的公司为什么不能发展一个也被系到企业的 goals.there 的长期资讯科技路线图有没有理由给予的充份训练和资源,最不能发展一个统一资讯科技月台。

But without a high-performance IT organization in place—one that looks very different from those found in most companies—a messy IT business will persist.
但是没有一个高表现资讯科技组织适当地-非常不同于那些的一个在大多数的公司中发现-散乱的资讯科技生意将会坚持。






For years,corporations have treated IT people differently—a holdover from“glass house”data processing culture of 30 years ago.
好几年，公司已经不同地对待资讯科技人- 一个延期从 " 玻璃收容 " 数据处理文化在 30 年以前。

Treating IT as if it were a separate corporate entity sets up a vicious cycle.
注入资讯科技好像它在一个邪恶的周期上面是一个分开的企业实体组。

Allowed to work in their own tribes,IT folks feel less affiliation with the company than they do with their own projects.
允许在他们自己的种族中工作,资讯科技人们用公司感觉较少的加入胜于他们以他们自己的计画做。

Like the soldiers building the bridge on the River Kwai,they grow so isolated that they forget what the war is about.
喜欢建筑在河 Kwai 上的桥军人,他们变如此的隔离以致于他们忘记战争是什么。

By contrast,the people in a high-performance IT organization don’t feel different from other corporate citizens;in fact,they are

相反地，一个高表现资讯科技组织的人没不同于其他的企业市民；事实上，他们是


business-savvy leaders in their own right.
他们自己的权利生意- 理解能力的领袖。

They operate according to the same corporate values as everyone else and are measured by the same tough performance standards.
他们依照一样的操作企业的价值当其他人而且被相同强硬的表现标准测量。






The story of the 1995 merger of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroads offers a case in point.
Burlington 的 1995 合并的故事北方人和圣 Fe 铁路对于点提供一个情形。

The two railroads had two very distinct cultures,performance characteristics,and leadership styles.
二铁路有了二种非常清楚的文化，表现特性和领导风格。

Burlington Northern’s culture was kind,collaborative,and soft on accountability.
Burlington 北方人的文化是亲切的，协同合作的, 和软的在责任上。

Santa Fe’s culture was tough and strictly hierarchical.
圣 Fe's 的文化是强硬的和严格阶层。

Thrown together into a single,1,500-person organization,these two talented but antagonistic teams were told by CEO Rob Krebs that they had 24 months to complete a seamless merger of their separate IT systems.
进入一个独身者， 1,500个人的组织之内一起丢, 这些二才能但是反对的队被运行长告诉了抢夺他们有了 24个月完成他们的分开资讯科技系统的一个天衣无缝合并的 Krebs。

The goal was to develop the largest integrated,real-time rail information system in the world—one that would allow the new company to control traffic and cargo across 33,500 miles of track that covered 28 states and two Canadian provinces.
目标是发展在世界上被整合的最大，即时的栏杆数据系统-会允许新的公司控制横过 33,500 里的轨道交通和货物以复盖了 28 州和二个加拿大省的一个。

From a technology standpoint,it was a challenge of immense proportions.
从一个技术立场，它是极广大比例的挑战。






But once again,the issue wasn’t technology;
但是再一次，议题不是技术;

it was about establishing a new and cohesive culture,with a clear-cut set of rules and a solid performance-management and feedback system.How,the leaders asked,would people react to the deadline pressure,and how would the teams work together to accomplish a Herculean mission?
它是有关建立新的和前后一贯的文化,藉由一轮廓清晰组的规则和坚硬的表现- 管理和回应 system.How,领袖问, 会人对截止期限压力产生反应, 和如何会团队工作一起完成一个力大无比的任务?

How would the overhaul of systems get done?
系统的彻底检查会完成了如何?

How would talent be developed?
才能如何会被发展?






First on the agenda was the establishment of an accountable IT leadership team.
第一的在议程上是有责任的资讯科技领导队的建立。

An IT organization that has clear guidance,a shared mission,and high expectations can focus the developers and engineers around the work and correct performance problems.
一个有清楚的指导，一个被分享的任务和高的期待资讯科技组织能在工作和正确的表现问题的周围集中开发者和工程师。

To do so,the IT managers must be hands-on people who are deeply involved in overseeing projects and teams.
为了要这么做,资讯科技经理一定是深深地参与监督计画和队的亲自参与的人。

In setting up a leader-led organization,BNSF established three simple levels of hierarchy:the CIO,vice presidents,and directors.
在建立一个领袖引导的组织方面， BNSF 建立了三个简单程度的阶级组织:信息长，副总裁和指导者。






Once the new leadership structure was in place,BNSF set the performance and bonus targets for expected leadership behavior—the same ones that applied across the company as a whole.
曾经新的领导结构适当地,BNSF 为预期的领导行为设定表现和红利目标- 整体上而言横过公司应用的相同一些。

These targets had three components:
这些目标有了三个成份:

delivering results,leadership competencies, and the“new BNSF”cultural behaviors.
递送产生,领导能力 , 和 " 新的 BNSF" 文化的行为。

A topperforming leader had to deliver on all three of these targets.
一位 topperforming 领袖必须在这些目标中的所有三个上递送。

None of the IT staff members had ever been evaluated in such a clear way before,and they responded extremely well to expectations and feedback.
没有一个资讯科技职员以前曾经已经在一个如此清楚的方法中被评估，而且他们极端地很好地回应到期待和回应。






Part of the secret of getting people out of the old way and into the new is to establish a rhythm—that is,to control the flow,timing, and pace of the work.
把人赶出旧的方法秘密的部份而且进入新者之内要建立旋律-那是, 控制工作的流程，时间安排和速度。

Setting a calendar and adhering to it is,in most cases,the most visible means of signaling the transformation of the IT culture and new set of processes.
设定一个日历而且黏附在它在大部份的情形下,是向资讯科技文化的变形作信号而且作信号程序的新组最看得见方法。

At BNSF,quarterly updates,staff meetings,directors’ councils,project reviews,technical reviews,and IT board meetings all helped give the new team a sense of normality and routine—especially important for people who are undergoing a reorganization.
在 BNSF ，每季的更新,设置职员会议，指导者的会议，计画检讨，技术上的检讨，而且资讯科技全部搭乘会议帮助给新的队一个常态感和常式-对于正在遭受一个改组的人是尤其重要。

The meetings helped transform the formerly frustrating and messy IT cultures.
被帮助转换的会议那个从前挫败和散乱的资讯科技文化。

Instead of accepting disorganization and lack of participation as a given,people showed up on time and generally became more efficient in their jobs.
代替接受如给予的组织破坏和缺乏分享，人准时出现并且通常在他们的工作中变得更有效率的。






The new organization and performance system was time-consuming to put in place,of course.
新的组织和表现系统是耗时适当地放, 当然。

Most of the leaders grumbled about these demands and the intense time pressure of the work.
大部份的领袖有关这些要求和工作的强烈时间压力呻吟。

This was especially true for those who never had to manage under a clear set of expectations.
这尤其对那些从不必须在一清楚组的期待之下处理的人是真实的。

But over time,and especially with the early success of the project,healthy work patterns began to emerge,and a new culture was born.
但是随着时间的过去，而且尤其以计画的早成功，健康的工作式样开始浮现，而且新的文化出生。

Within a few months,BNSF’s newly merged IT group became a high-performance organization—so much so that it beat the 24-month target by three months.
在几个月之内， BNSF's 合并崭新的资讯科技团体变成一个高表现组织- 这么多以便它在三个月之前打 24 月目标。

The reorganization,combined with the savings realized from streamlining processes and facilities,allowed BNSF to achieve roughly$500 million worth of cost savings that it had committed to the Interstate Commerce Commission to obtain merger approval.
改组,和从使程序和设备成流线型被了解的储蓄结合,允许了 BNSF 概略地达成$它已经委托到州际的商业佣金获得合并赞成的节省费用的五亿价值。

Without the performance gear at high torque,BNSF could nothave attained its corporate goals.
没有表现在高的转力矩的齿轮, BNSF nothave 可以达到了它的企业目标吗。