Dealing With an Authoritarian Management Style In IT?

A New Cog asks: "My software development group, including my manager, was moved recently under another bigger group with different style of management. The new objective for the group is to 'speak as one person', meaning that the reasons behind management decisions are well understood and technical information is well communicated. At first, it seemed to be a very good thing to do. In reality, it was just a disguised authoritarian method of imposing information censorship and making sure there is no opposition within. We used to cooperate openly with each other and people from other groups, exchanging opinions and ideas, but after few schooling sessions in front of the bigger group, everyone is now quietly doing what they are told. Now, there is less and less satisfaction from the work I do. Is this just a sign of maturing organization and transitional pain is a necessary side effect in order to have a better future, or is this a sign of things to come. I feel that no true creativity is going to happen in place where motivation and productivity are affected by frustration and threat of loosing one's job? I like my job, but what can I do now in order to keep my satisfaction with it?"

Comments

Adios, goodbye and see ya later!

[qualico]

Personally, whenever I've been in your situation, I self destruct.
Adios, goodbye, see ya later, so long and thanks for all the fish.

Life is too short to work in a job where you have to compromise whatever gives you joy.

Creativity is your most valuable asset and some company out there is not only going to recognize and encourage it, but reward it.

I'd have to say it's time for you to look for more fertile ground.

I'd note..

[Otter]

I don't want to give advice about your particular situation without knowing more about it, but -- presenting a single position to the outside and allowing internal debate aren't contradictory. When a decision is made to not do things your way, not publically undercutting the plan is professionalism, not censorship. It's when you can't question things internally that there's something badly broken.