Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Making IT Visible to Management?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the because-the-it-phb-won't dept.

frustrated Dilbert asks: "We are a very small IT dept where the manager participates in the day-to-day operation of IT services. The problem is that he almost never talks to upper management and doesn't get involved in the business side until someone gives him a specific project to handle. The result is that IT is considered to be firefighters when things fail, and generally plumbers that fix stuff when other PHBs create new projects. We run all the mission-critical stuff in a line of business that can not work without technology. The IT PHB fails to see which sides of the business we need to support and which are second in line. I end up doing my stuff and a lot of his duties of picking up the direction of the business and making strategic decisions. The company is actually great to work for, but I was not hired (or paid) for teaching my boss to run his shop in addition to tech stuff. He simply wasn't made for it and got promoted into something he can't cope with. I'm getting really tired of having to do management and not get any credit and would love to have him replaced, but I hate having to rat on him too. How can I get a more organized workplace when my boss isn't capable of thinking ahead?"

3 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Manage your Manager by ozmanjusri · · Score: 3, Informative

    1. Google for "Manage your Manager" and read several random links.
    2. Decide to forget your place in the hierarchy and look to your place in the team.
    3. ??
    4. Profit.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  2. It's not ratting by QuantumFTL · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you're hired by a company, you're paid to do your job, and look out for the interests of the company. If your boss is really not what is in the best interest of the company, and it's making a problem, you need to bring that to attention (discretely). Its possible (though unlikely) that he could be moved to a position (demotion even) where his talents could be used well without putting the company out of risk.

    This sounds like a textbook case of the Peter Principle. Good luck dealing with it, but realize that if he doesn't have the guts to say he can't cope with his position, someone should, or you may not have somewhere to work for very long.

  3. The Practice of System and Network Administration by JerseyTom · · Score: 4, Informative

    I hate to plug my own book, but...
    1. Read the chapter titled, "Visibility and Perception"
    2. Read the "Managing Your Boss" section of the chapter titled, "Being Happy"
    3. Hand your boss a copy of the book and ask him to read "Visibility and Perception" and the chapter titled, "A Guide for Technical Managers"

    Your question is exactly why we wrote this book.