http://blogs.msdn.com/b/stcohen/archive/2004/02/21/77638.aspxTwo skills have served me well while gathering information about an enterprise. First, the lessons it has been my pleasure to have learned from my customers and the many, many, bright practioners I have been lucky enough to work with. Second, the abilityen-USTelligent Evolution Platform Developer Build (Build: 5.6.50428.7875)http://blogs.msdn.com/b/stcohen/archive/2004/02/21/77638.aspx#78471Mon, 23 Feb 2004 20:47:00 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:78471Stephen CohenThanks for the compliment. I do wonder if anyone is really reading these things or if I am just screaming into the virtual wind &quot;-) <br> <br>I do believe that architecture design sessions (both application and enterprise) are excellent times to pull off the rose colored glasses and see the world as it really is ... not just as we wish it to be. Its unfortunate that seeking root cause is historically an inquisitive individual pushing back against some number of seemingly declarative statements. <br> <br>Programmers are pack animals. They willingly follow the alpha dog and turn on the weak. Our job as enterprise architects is to be the alpha dog… a benevolent dictator. We lead at the pleasure of the team based on respect and capability, not by force. Only after we have established that relationship can we play the skeptical bad cop. <br><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=78471" width="1" height="1">http://blogs.msdn.com/b/stcohen/archive/2004/02/21/77638.aspx#78452Mon, 23 Feb 2004 20:16:00 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:78452Shawn SmithStephen, I really connected with your article. As a manager for an architecture group I find that through coaching I try to instill an inquisitive nature into my team. I ask them to listen, but to always question. Asking the tough questions nobody else in the room wants to raise falls to the architect more often then not.<div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=78452" width="1" height="1">