Before I Forget…

I am a systems engineer with an ardent belief in the systems/interdisciplinary approach to analyzing complexity.  I have a background and keen interest in information security, besides a more than casual interest in finance.

What’s On My Mind
Jun 2008 : Apple OS X
Apr 2008 : “Much of what Google does is rooted in its legendary IT infrastructure, but technology and strategy at Google are inseparable and mutually permeable—making it hard to say whether technology is the DNA of its strategy or the other way around.  Whichever it is, Google seems to embody the decades-old, rarely fulfilled vision of IT pundits that technology should do more than just support the business; it should engender strategic opportunity and be architected with that purpose in mind.” (HBR, Apr 2008). 
Mar 2008 : “Mr Spitzer’s spectacular fall from grace does not undermine the case for transparency on Wall Street…..But his downfall is a reminder of the limits of a one-man crusade compared with a consistent and clear law that does not depend on paragons for its enforcement.” This lesson (FT Editorial Comment - Mar 12) applies just as well to any initiative or change program, and is generally applicable as a principle of good governance.
Mar 2008 : As leadership moves away from a “command and control” model to a more “cultivate and coordinate” model, MIT Sloan’s Distributed Leadership Model (DLM) provides a great framework for understanding and integrating the four critical components of leadership : Sensemaking: making sense of the world around us, coming to understand the context in which we are operating ; Relating: developing key relationships within and across organizations ; Visioning: creating a compelling picture of the future ; Inventing: designing new ways of working together to realize the vision.
Jan 2008 : WOOHOO !! Passed the CFA Level 1 exam (Dec 2007, 39% pass rate). 1st attempt, self-study. Absolutely thrilled with myself right now.
Dec 2007 : Edmund Burke on security (quoted in the Cisco 2007 Annual Security Report) : “Better be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident security.” So damn true.
Oct 2007 : The hazardous mindset of gadget-monkeys. Quickest detox option : expose specimen to CFA Level 1 curriculum.
Aug 2007 : “Dispersion is defined as the variability around central tendency. The common theme in finance & investments is the tradeoff between reward and variability, where central tendency is the measure of reward and dispersion is a measure of risk.” This statement applies just as well to processes in any context, and is a very apt summary description of the meaning of Six-Sigma.
Jul 2007 : “We have to lower costs and get up to scale and those are the things technology is really good at - if we give it a chance.” Nate Lewis, CalTech (talking about solar power). This is a very useful perspective to measure the effectiveness of technology in any context.
Jun 2007 : Virtualization

Contact Points

Skype : mmadan
eMail : mmadanblog@yahoo.com
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