Helluva glamorous business, this BI and data integration consulting. I've come to expect the fruit and brie plate in my upgraded hotel suite, the Kir Royales offered by attractive and often-shirtless waiters, and those 600 thread-count feather pillows on which I drift off to a restful 9-hour slumber, only to be awakened by the personal trainer admiring the curve of my femur. And the dancing! Oh, the dancing!

As if. I'm afraid that the job is just a tad bit more quotidian and my circadian rhythms a little less hearty. These days I feel damn lucky if I even get mint on my pillow, and I sleep much better if I don't imbibe before bed. Kir Royales be damned, I actually used to enjoy a cup of tea before bed. But no more, my friend. No more.

Nevertheless there are fulfilling moments. I just found out that one of my clients just scored a Big Job at an important company after his very first BI gig taught him a ton. And another encouraging tidbit: I'm finding executives who "get data" higher up in the organizational food chain than ever. Indeed, managers are engaged in the data dialog like never before, and IT has been driving those conversations.

Congratulations to the smart IT people who don't give up. Double-congrats to those who know which hill they should die on and which hill to save for another day. As General George S. Patton once said, "Successful generals make plans to fit circumstances, but do not try to create circumstances to fit plans." Data's time has come. Data isn't just an asset, it's a business enabler, and part of every initiative we've got. It's the golden thread interwoven throughout the tapestry of our businesses.

That would be a golden thread in a 600 thread-count tapestry, just in case you were wondering. Now excuse me while I eat this mint.

Technorati tags: data as asset, data governance, data management