Any resource (Books, Podcasts, etc.) recommendations on going from thinking like a System Admin to an IT Director

I am being encouraged to spend less time “in the weeds”, delegating those tasks, and instead focus more time during the week on system wide planning and processes.

I’m hunting for any resources that can help me get into that mind set.

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My book, of course! :wink:
http://store.churchlawtodaystore.com/chitstandso.html

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Just got your book on kindle. :slight_smile:

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Are you looking more for technical/operations resources, or leadership resources? Both of those components play a part in the mindset you’re describing. Great topic!

If you are not familiar with the Manager Tools podcasts (they are free!), take a look: https://www.manager-tools.com/

My boss recommended these, and they are excellent, covering all aspects of management, including delegation.

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Both really. As you said, they play parts in the mindset!

The resources that come to mind for me are:

Thomas Limoncelli’s book “The Practice of System and Network Administration” which is just a straightforward guide on every aspect of being a SA. It reminds me to see the big picture and is a great reference. I bought the digital version only: Our books - Tom Limoncelli's EverythingSysadmin Blog

For leadership, I’ve been into Michael Lopp’s (Rands) site www.randsinrepose.com. He also has a book “Managing Humans” which looks very good but I haven’t read it yet.

I’m also just jumping into Radical Candor by Kim Scott. There is some great info on their site, including this one: https://www.radicalcandor.com/blog/lessons-new-managers/. Her book is next on my list.

Hope that helps!

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@MBSnick’s book Church IT: Strategies and Solutions (mentioned above) is definitely worth the read. My boss gave it to me when I started doing Church I.T. back in August 2016, getting ready to give it another read as a refresher.

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One resource to consider is to purchase an annual subscription from Pluralsight. Pluralsight is a technology learning platform with a large repository of topics that cover the fundamentals of IT, Leadership and Development, etc. As an IT Director, I would recommend you focus on your Professional Development that includes Management, Leadership, and Business Analysis. All of these categories will help you in your new role to explain technology, their importance, and roles when you plan on upgrading or purchasing new Tech.

In all of my years working as a professional in the realm of Information Technology, I highly recommend you get as much training on understanding things from the perspective of finances and business strategy. Lastly, don’t underestimate the need for soft skills. Very helpful when asked to stand before a group of people and explain why you need more finances to address a problem or simply adopting new technology.

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Thank you! Picked up a copy of “The Practice of System and Network Administration” and I love a good heavy book especially when it’s on a topic I really want to dig into!

Great book, I picked it up within the first 3 weeks of starting and reference it often. @MBSnick

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Thank you, @JonathanLaMaster! And @itdavidcarroll!
Nick

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