my new work is kind of funny, because I’m constantly referred to as an enterprise/corporate guy. I have worked for some very large organizations, but for the most part have been self-employed or employed by a company with less than one-hundred people.
I have, however, worked with a large number of behemoth-sized companies over the last twenty years. I understand how they work, and to a large extent why they work that way. that doesn’t mean I like how they function, nor want to work that way.
I sometimes act a little corporate, because I think some process is better than none, and that there are some great concepts/lessons/examples/people that come from those environments. those processes and lessons can be integrated into an open environment, it just has to be balanced such that it helps rather than hinders. it’s a very tough balancing act, but it can be done.
I got this shirt after finishing a stint at a canadian telco that sucked my soul and tried to kill me dead. while it didn’t succeed, it taught me some very important and painful lessons, and I never want to work in an environment like that as anything other than an agent of change (read "consultant") ever again. shareholder value over quality product, employees, and customers is something I can never get behind, because it builds nothing but resentment, and can break everything else apart in no time flat.
so it’s funny to me when people call me corporate or enterprise, because I always think of this shirt.
I really don’t think I look anything like the corporate zombie… I sure hope I don’t, anyways.