On Managing Technical People: Whether it is in engineering, IT, or science, +Jeff Ello's astute observations apply. Executives & senior managers that recognise these realities do well. For those that don't, the total cost to the organisation, totalled to include the consequent failures, rework, delays, inefficiencies, reduced morale, & misdirected efforts, often amounts to a staggering tax on daily operations.
Three points from the article worth highlighting:
[1] "IT pros complain primarily about logic, and primarily to people they respect. If you are dismissive of complaints, fail to recognize an illogical event or behave in deceptive ways, IT pros will likely stop complaining to you. You might mistake this as a behavioral improvement, when it's actually a show of disrespect. It means you are no longer worth talking to, which leads to insubordination.
[2] "Good IT pros are not anti-bureaucracy, as many observers think. They are anti-stupidity. The difference is both subjective and subtle. Good IT pros, whether they are expected to or not, have to operate and make decisions with little supervision. So when the rules are loose and logical and supervision is results-oriented, supportive and helpful to the process, IT pros are loyal, open, engaged and downright sociable. Arbitrary or micro-management, illogical decisions, inconsistent policies, the creation of unnecessary work and exclusionary practices will elicit a quiet, subversive, almost vicious attitude from otherwise excellent IT staff. Interestingly, IT groups don't fall apart in this mode. From the outside, nothing looks to be wrong and the work still gets done. But internally, the IT group, or portions of it, may cut themselves off almost entirely from the intended management structure. They may work on big projects or steer the group entirely from the shadows while diverting the attention of supervisors to lesser topics. They believe they are protecting the organization, as well as their own credibility -- and they are often correct.
[3] "Executives expect expert advice from the top IT person, but they have no way of knowing when they aren't getting it. Therein lies the problem. IT pros know when this is happening, and they find that it is impossible not to draw attention to it."
#leadership #management