|
A cardigan with a combover
|
| Written by Andrew Baker |
Why do technical staff often have no respect for IT management, and how do we improve the perception? I'm sure this is true for other domains, but my experience is in IT as is the focus of this site and the subject of today’s blog.
As an example, a friend of mine works for a company where the managers are referred to as cardigans. So how did this come to be? Well the manager - a public servant type - was looking for a new team leader. So following the well heeled principal of hiring in one's own image, he chose another public servant type. One staff member commented "I haven't seen such a well suited couple", adding they "match like a pair of cardigans" and the name stuck.
I think there are very few people in the technical space who can understand and feel comfortable with both technical ability and the people skills of management. The truly technical focus on the technology and often don't want the leadership positions. Those that don’t truly understand the technology often drift into management. This doesn’t mean all managers don’t understand the technology – my personal experience is that many do understand, and there are only a few who act like PHB's. Those who understand both sets of skills are far more effective managers.
The recent trend of hiring non IT folk as CIO perpetuates the problem. When it comes to having a strategy and a vision, having a business understanding is vital - but knowing how to both communicate and execute the vision to those implementing it is also crucial. This is where the rare few technical people who have the people skills combined with enterprise strategy and vision can really excel. As mentioned above, people hire in their own image so strategy and vision count more in gaining the job – but technical understanding gains the respect of the rank and file. Very few managers are capable of both!
My recommendation is to look into the skills of the existing management structure and build a succession plan focussing on those who deliver. Fast stream those who can manage both up and down, who have the business savvy combined with technical ability, and who have gained the respect of the team.
And the title of the blog? Well after a bad day at the office my friend was telling me about their frustration with the cardigan and said “and he has a comb over” and I had the title for this blog.
So what do you think? Are you experiences similar to mine or radically different?
- Why are so many IT managers thought of so derisively by their staff?
- Is it that management is looked at so condescendingly by techies that managers are tarred with the brush of disdain?
- Or is it just that there are so many dismal managers in the IT field?
Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
| [ Back ] |
