New broom sweeps clean: are you a talent technology fixer or fitter?

Do you see 2012 as the time to get rid of that ageing HR system or are you going to fix it instead?

As we come into 2012 there will be a number of people in new jobs who see technology as one of their challenges ahead. But so often I hear the rallying of the troops towards killing off the existing technology system to be replaced by something shiny and new. I can see the attraction of doing this as it can be quite motivating at first for those that have endured a system that "does not work." But as someone who has been called in to review existing systems, I often see that the current system is not really at fault whereas the current set-up is. 

When I left education I did a mechanical apprenticeship and worked on large commercial vehicles where we would be called out on emergencies to get vehicles working. It would have been easier to call in a tow truck and order a new engine rather than lie under a dripping vehicle at 3am in the freezing cold but I'm not sure we would have kept our jobs for long with that approach.

In the same way, it may seem a lot easier to replace than repair technology but I'd guess 2012 will not allow such luxuries i.e. budgets for spending large sums of money so hopefully we will see a lot more people having to justify their expertise. In my view, too many claim the need for a new system when in a new job yet in reality, not enough have the skills to fix what they have.

On your back in snow, under a dripping salt gritter, gets your mind focused on the task I can tell you. 2012 will expose a few more if the economy stays as predicted.