Manager's Diary http://www.managersdiary.com Echoes from inside the Mind of a Manager Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:48:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en I Should Have Seen It Coming http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/18 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/18#comments Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:48:41 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/?p=18 It’s such a classic ploy. Those who have been through it could see it for what it was. I remained cautiously optimistic, at my own peril. Despite being the number one technical “producer” in the organization, I was of “negative value” to the new management regime. The reason for this is clear. If we were to fail, the new management would be blamed. If we were to succeed, I would be able to claim partial credit. I’m out, I’m at a new company, I’m no longer management, and this blog may go in a different direction now as a result.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/18/feed IT Restructuring Debacle http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/17 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/17#comments Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:26:51 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/17 So the company hired a new VP to restructure the entire IT department. Basically her job is to consolidate three companies’ IT departments into one cohesive organization which serves all three companies, while keeping the most important principals happy. So far the three department heads who suddenly find they’ll all be reporting to a new Director don’t seem like they’re happy about it. I’m one of them. I’m not too title-conscious, but I do have a need to protect both my salary and my career, and not to screw myself for the future, so I’m working with her to try to wrangle a three-letter position out of the deal. We shall see, we shall see. Meeting tomorrow at 11. I’m not super-optimistic, based on the history of the company, but I do like the new VP so far. So I’m going to be “slightly” optimistic until I’m shot down.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/17/feed Coinkydink http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/16 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/16#comments Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:04:00 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/16 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/16/feed Woohoo http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/15 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/15#comments Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:00:00 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/15 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/15/feed Rough week http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/14 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/14#comments Sat, 26 May 2007 13:53:04 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/14 Death in the family, lost 3 days to that. Tasked AB with installing the virtual environment for the new billing system, and then the new billing system, last Friday. It’s been a week now and I still don’t have it. This is insane. Perception among subordinates is that CC and GH are simply not pulling their weight, either by self-flexible-scheduling or by plain slacking.

Met with MCB again yesterday, provided draft memo outlining justifications and issues for new billing system, had some discussion regarding that. Need to determine methodology for usage-based billing in the new system, and a couple other things. Also provided memo outlining my ideas for using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) a la Akamai to deliver high-bandwidth events such as inclement weather and breaking news.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/14/feed Ongoing projects http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/12 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/12#comments Fri, 18 May 2007 13:09:33 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/12 My theory on network plan seems to be working, although I would rest much more easily when I’ve had another pair of qualified eyes looking at it. Just sent an email to CC asking when his friend can come by.

Received 30-day trial license for new billing software yesterday, directed DvV to prepare a server for it. Last I heard at day’s end yesterday, it was installed and waiting for IP addressing. Just sent an email to DvV asking whether that’s available for us to play with at this time.

Memo to MCB outlining justification for new billing software is at 3.5 pages and holding, pending cursory evaluation of new billing software to ensure that it answers our needs.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/12/feed Bonus situation rectified http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/11 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/11#comments Fri, 18 May 2007 13:06:10 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/11 As I suspected, a small oversight. This should be more organized, automated, or attended. They don’t realize what this type of financial disruption does to a man who’s feeding a family of four. I need a raise.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/11/feed I spoke too soon… http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/10 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/10#comments Thu, 17 May 2007 16:24:28 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/10 NB called out sick despite being specifically requested to close today. And CC decided to “work from home” today because his car needs work. Tomorrow too. And just when I thought we were all back on working schedules again.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/10/feed Sit-down with the new boss http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/9 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/9#comments Thu, 17 May 2007 16:22:49 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/9 I had a sit-down with MCB yesterday. If she’s as straightforward as she claims, things may be looking up. Perhaps I’m an optimist. I made a case for replacing billing and ticketing, to reduce much wasted effort in support, accounting and engineering. She seems to agree that it sounds like a no-brainer. And all of my team was in the office yesterday. Yay. A good day. Now if I could just get the correction, or a very good explanation, on the discrepancy in last quarter’s bonus, I might feel better. One of the critical issues I emailed DK about nearly two weeks ago. If it doesn’t show up this payday (tomorrow) and no explanation is forthcoming, well, I can’t predict my response.

]]> http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/9/feed The hard part… http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/8 http://www.managersdiary.com/diary/8#comments Wed, 16 May 2007 02:34:24 +0000 manager http://www.managersdiary.com/?p=8 of being a manager in my particular shoes is that I was never able to let go
of the technical part of my job. Not even half of it. I was expected to
move up to “Director-level” and assume those duties, which include
orchestrating the big picture, cracking the whip, and babysitting, while
continuing to troubleshoot the many, many issues that come up in this
business that my subordinates have thus far been unable to resolve on their
own, and frankly, probably have no desire to learn to do so.

So I’m wearing a few hats. I’m the boss of these guys. I’m supposed to be
architecting the master plan, although every major decision, especially
those involving money, must be signed off on by someone higher up in the
food chain. The bureaucracy is getting thick already, and if you could see
this food chain, you wouldn’t envy me. I try my best.

Meanwhile, I’m constantly being asked for assistance by the front-line guys
in solving problems I consider to be trivial. I don’t want to alienate
them, but sometimes I feel like asking some of them if they even have the
capacity to learn. I’ve gotten a bit better at delegating those, I
generally redirect them to someone who I know can solve it, knowing, of
course, that will come back to bite me in the next meeting when I ask why
the assignments aren’t getting done. “Because you told so-and-so to
escalate this to me, and I was pulled off my main tasks to do so.” Tell the
truth, bucko. If you hadn’t been pulled off your main tasks, would you be
focusing on finalizing your deliverables, or would you be browsing funny
videos on the net or instant-messaging your friends?

One day the big bosses will implement a strict we’re-watching-you policy,
and that will GREATLY change the momentum of your day. Don’t say I didn’t
warn you.

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