Read: Surviving Strategy & Architecture, by Michael D. Stark

calendar 2025-11-26 · 4 min read  ·
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I am an IT Architect on the enterprise level, and yes, the job has its challanges. The work is utmost eclectic — dealing not only with technology issues, but with organisation, company politics, business administration, group dynamics, psychology. It does never get boring. On the other hand it can be exhausting, not being able to build up deep expertise in the fields one is involved, dealing with different people and different topics on a daily basis. Job hopping within the enterprise. Leading without the authority of the line mangement.

Keeping mentally balanced is required. What could be better suited for this goal than Asian philosophy?
This book provides an overview of many aspects of Asian philosphy, about half of it describe some basic concepts. So if anyone is very familiar with that already, it might be somewhat boring.
For me, only knowing some widely known things, it's very interesting, and the whole topic is very rich — so still much to learn.

Or more profane, the psychology of an enterprise architect and strategic internal consultant has to deal with, mostly.
There are lots of paragraphs that resonate:

Noisy when it matters: A superpower that surprises many is that introverts are very noisy and energetic about topics they know well and are passionate about. Their intensity at such times is hard for extroverts to match, particularly as it tends to be a surprise to extroverts.
(p. 175)

It's true. This kind of unexpected behaviour makes people often uneasy. People want other people predictable, like it is with IT Systems.

If you do want to stay in one place and let things evolve around you, it is safer if you don't get too high in the management hierarchy. (p. 207)

This is hilarious. Really — who has not to fight the lingering promotions our company imposes to us?
But it is true, if have seen people who seem to be natural picks of promotions. And it might be the case that Michael D. Stark is such a type, and therefore cannot see the bulk of employees struggling to get at least one significant promotion in their work life time.
Anyway, Stark demonstrates lots of general knowledge, writes about NFL management insights, Rugby tactics and aviation.

One of the core items in the book is how to deal with the attraction of goals. Aim at them, but do not enforce them. A real Zen-Thing I'd say.

And this is peak Zen:

Perhaps we connect business people to stories that resonate with them and naturally lead to the desired path. […] The feeling when you hear your narratives coming back to you from leadership is very special.
You need to resist any claim of ownership of the narrative; it is not about your ego; it is about being effective and doing the right thing for your company.
(page 228)

This is tough stuff, really.
I you are currently in such a postion, after having been annoying for years, your favourite narrative might have rooted in management. Indeed, thou shalt not claim ownership. Because you won't get it anyway. Demanding to neglect recognition of one's merits is hard. On the other hand it might be the right thing to do, not only for karma, but because the higher ranks win anyway.

It is a special stance of the author, conceding bare egoism to „business managers“, while demanding humbleness from the IT staff. I would not prefer either, but „IT“ is a business support capability like accounting or fleet management, still. Anyway, Stark's career, who claims to be a humble introvert is more than remarkable. But there are such types, surely, he might still have a strong personal presence, while still talking silently and pleasantly.

This all fits well with Asian Philosophy. But also related Western themes come into the play, like “Lean.” As a Peter “Drucker„ Fanboy I am delighted to see this quote:

“There is nothing so useless as doing eddiciently that
which should not be done at all.”
Peter F. Drucker

This could originate from Sun Tsu as well, right?

Essentially, this book is useful for you — if you don't do enterprise architecture and strategy by the book.