Imagine for a moment that you work as a consultant for one of the largest Information Technology Services Firms in the world, and you are dedicated to a client, who happens to be one of the largest telecommunications firms in the United States. To make things interesting, visualize an extremely competitive situation in which the other giant global Information Technology Services Firms are figuratively kicking each other in the private parts to get any scrap of cash falling from the Giant Telco’s coffers in exchange for “services,” which add “value” to Giant Telco’s operations and strategies.

In such a world, it might be that you sit frequently in meetings with various representatives of Giant Telco and numerous Global IT Services Firms and hash out “architecture” for “applications” and think about strategies for “directionally correct” solutions. Literally, hundreds of millions in revenue are at stake for every player.

The Global IT Services Firms would no doubt send some of their best and brightest individuals to such meetings in order to raise their stock in the estimation of the decision makers. At least, in our theoritcal Technology World imagined above, we’d think that to be the case.

Teleport back with me to reality, and let me ask you if I should be afraid.

Today, as I sat in such a meeting, allegedly one of the several “best and brightest” individuals representing my organization, the facilitator of the meeting began with the usual “round table introductions.” As the introductions circled the room, the task of a brief introduction fell upon one of my colleagues.

I’m not kidding you when I tell you that he couldn’t remember his name.

”....uhmmmm…...”

Everybody staring.

”..........uhh….......”

Finally, somebody reminded him of his name and role. He explained it off, saying he didn’t know if he should use his real name or not because some other individuals within the two companies (Giant Telco plus IT Services Firm total employees: over 150,000) had the same name. Whatever.

Should I be worried about him, about the future of my company, or both?