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Tips for the Aspiring IT Jedi Knight

• By: Garry Feldman
• Date: December 9, 2015

A new era of Star Wars is upon us. While the previous two incarnations of the series had our favorite green Jedi Master, it is a long shot to see Yoda in the new movies. Just because he isn’t with us now doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from his wisdom. All aspiring IT Jedi can find wisdom and knowledge in the things that Master Yoda has to say. So listen up young Padawan, the master is about to teach you the ways of the force.

“Patience you must have, my Young Padawan.”

A rushed implementation is a botched implementation. Any IT effort needs careful planning and execution to get right. If you try to rush due to schedule pressures, budget pressures or staffing issues then your implementation is going to suffer.

Luke did not heed Yoda’s advice and ended up losing his hand for it. He rushed off to save his friends, choosing the quick and easy path like Vader, instead of having patience and letting the force unfold as it should. Avoid Luke’s mistakes by making sure to take time and careful planning with all of your IT implementation efforts so you don’t end up severing a sever.

“You must unlearn what you have learned.”

There is one phrase that should strike fear in the hearts of any IT Jedi: “We have always done it that way.” Many an IT department has struggled with old equipment, inadequate software packages or shoddy implementations simply because that is the way that it had always been done in the past.

The IT industry is fast-paced and moves quickly. Getting mired in the past and sticking with any technology simply because it is “the way we have always done it” is a sure path to failure. Much like Luke had to learn to think differently about the universe in order to find his power in the force, IT departments need to unlearn their old ways and look to future technologies that will help them usher in a new and more prosperous era for their very own New Republic.

“Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.”

How do you approach your problems? Do you let your point of view cloud the truth of the matter? Realizing that your point of view is part of the problem can help you think outside of the box to come up with new and innovative solutions.

In this case, Yoda was talking about Obi Wan not telling Luke the total truth about Vader, but there is still a lesson to be learned here. Much of what you may think is fact can be clouded by the way you are approaching the problem. Step back and remove your point of view, or at least realize it, and you will find innovation right around the corner.

Every Jedi needs friends fighting by his or her side, let US Computer Connection be your allies.