Perception is Reality

Technology is a service provider to its business at most companies, and its important to get feedback on that service. Its not always easy to do. Either the business doesn't want to tell you the bad stuff, or when they do, you and your team have a hard time hearing it.

I have a saying that helps frame this:- "Perception is Reality". If the business thinks we are providing bad service, then we are, regardless of what we might believe to be the facts. This is a lesson companies know to be true with consumers, yet IT organizations struggle, I believe because they are so enamored with the facts (mainly because we are engineers).

This saying also works in that it shifts focus from whether a team or individual is "wrong" or "bad", and moves focus to the type of service they are providing. A team can be good and provide bad service (and visa versa, although much less common IMO).

Technology teams that focus on service will succeed.