Still another aspect of managing your IT professionals is keeping them motivated. One recommended way of doing so is making certain they don't fall into the routine of doing the same thing all of the time. Give them challenging assignments that stretch their talents and knowledge. Make certain there is variety in their work so that it continues to be interesting.

Listen when one of your people speaks of some special direction they'd like to take with their career or project they'd like to try. When the opportunities arise, give them assignments that further their development of those interests. Notice how your people perform in different circumstances and where they show strengths. Use those strengths and develop them by providing more situations where the skills can be used. Not only will your department benefit from the new fund of knowledge, your people will feel you are tuned in with their needs and interests. The spark of enthusiasm can be contagious -- a good virus to have. Loyalty will also have a positive curve.

Now it's one thing to give new assignments and to vary them. But you're not doing anyone any favors if all that's assigned is first- or second-level projects. What people want is to feel they are growing and that they are being given opportunities that will challenge them to think outside the dots, develop their creativity. This is good. The other talent you want on your side is a group of problem solving pros who know the traditional paths and are innovators.

People grow bored when there's too much predictability. Some symptoms of boredom are apathy, absenteeism, crankiness, and slipshod work. In the IT department, these symptoms are the kiss of death. The other byproduct of excessive routine is lethargy. After a time, there will be little to no motivation to think things through; people will simply rely on what was done in the past without questioning the rationale. As innovations develop, so should your team's skills in tackling them.

This is a time to include a gentle reminder. Make certain that not only the assignments that are given to your people are varied. Also make certain the people are varied on the assignments. Women are just as valuable as team members as men. There is no problem-solving gene that is unique to one sex. Make certain men and women, alike, are provided the same developmental opportunities.

Likewise, tech knowledge is a universal science. It does not know ethnicity. Indeed, the Net is what it is because it is global. Make certain your pros not only have global access to varied opportunities but that your department looks as varied as the Net.