We use the here and many technical folks are what we call "sensing" types: very detail-oriented, but not as good as seeing the big picture.

So in addition to presenting them a big-picture concept, I try to add something concrete. We encouraged our staff to write down what they've accomplished, how they achieved it and we use it to demonstrate how that fits in our list of "IT Values." Through learning this experience from others, the sensing-type staff has better understanding of how their work fits in a bigger picture. But sometimes when I'm talking with sensing-type people and they're not quite getting it, I need to rephrase what I'm talking about.

In the past, if you were management, the staff had to listen to you. But now--at least in our company--that's not true anymore. In management you have to listen more, and act differently with different folks, so actually...the days of management being tyrants are gone (laughs).