The Doppler Quarterly Fall 2018 | Page 59

Early detection of cloud blockers is critical. Pull back the covers and search for these seven signs of cloud kryptonite before they weaken your program. Like superheroes in movies, cloud programs can “save the day” in creative and dramatic ways. They can help companies redefine their brands, overhaul busi- ness processes and open new lines of communication inside and outside their four walls. Yet just like superheros, the cloud’s larger-than-life reputation can be neutral- ized by “cloud Kryptonite.” And unlike the movie version, cloud kryptonite comes in many forms. At its core, cloud kryptonite is a collection of disruptive forces that will drain power from a cloud program and render the organization vulnerable to failure. Here are seven forms of cloud kryptonite which organizations need to root out to keep their cloud programs from losing strength. 1. Lack of Trained People in the Organization A few years ago, organizations functioned just fine empowering a handful of IT people to run all the technology inside the company. IT leaders maintained the applications, and the rest of the staff called in those leaders if something went wrong. Today in cloud-enabled environments, IT departments operate an inside-out model, delivering services to the company at large. If employees do not under- stand how to use tools and services designed to transform the company’s busi- ness, they simply will not use them. This is where many cloud programs slip up. To fix the issue, organizations must make sure that the necessary knowledge gets dispersed throughout the enterprise. IT leaders cannot do it all them- selves. Companies should establish a few “training leaders” to evangelize the benefits of training, take the lead on communications, organize meetups and bring content to users. Department heads have to give these training leaders the backing they need — and then get out of the way. FALL 2018 | THE DOPPLER | 57