IT in Business

Currently I think life is working on teaching me a life lesson. Although I don’t think I’m quite there yet, I’m getting close to figuring out what that lesson is. Over the past month, I’ve been shown that dramatic and powerful events can rock your life to the core. I’ve been shown that even with the best intentions and the best plans, sometimes your just at the mercy of the winds of life. I’ve also been shown this month, that the woman I married is not only one of the strongest person I’ve ever met but she’s always there, even when I have a mental break.

However, the current work situation has boiled over in the last couple of weeks.  For the past 2 years, my department at work has consisted of 3 people. Person1, Person2, and myself. To make a long story short, the 3 of us have our own areas of specialization and to some extent egos. Now, over the past 2 years these ego’s have been left with minimal supervision and an atmosphere of competition was allowed to brew.

For the record, I’m guilty of running my mouth and popping off about subjects, people, and management styles when I probably shouldn’t have. I’m sure in some peoples eyes I come off as an arrogant, egotistical asshole. I’ll own that. I’m guilty. Yes I have a bit of a swagger when it comes to IT work and but there is a lot I have yet to learn and experience, but at the same time I’ve experienced IT as it has grown up, at least in part.

For all my IT prowess, I have much to learn in the way of office politics. The events of the last 2 weeks have shown me that. For instance, the plan in development last week is irrelevant to the plan executed this week. The logic you use to solve problems in IT, can not be applied to the matters of personnel, management, or be used to judge whither or not management heard what you were trying to communicate about business, personnel, or your views on either.

The short story of the reason behind this post is, Person1 turned in his resignation. This left person2 and I. Management on the other hand was shocked to have Person1 leave. So in short all hell broke loose and each of us was interviewed by management to figure out what was going on, what they could do to keep Person1, and how to resolve the last 2 years of minimal supervision. Initially the plan was if Person1 left, I was to be promoted to a supervisor role while Person2 was given the technical lead position. Both of these positions were going to be created. However, at the end the supervisor position was given to Person1 to get him to stay and Person2 and I were given title promotions and small bump to keep us quite.

Unfortunately I thought it was slightly unfair to give Person2 this title bump. Why, you ask? Well the answer is simple…Person2 has half the experience and no formal education. To me, management gave it to him just to keep him happy. Ok…fine, one would think that I should land in the middle of Person1 and Person2. However, management once again pointed out that my thinking was illogical. Apparently what I should have been thinking, was they were kind of to give me a promotion and small bump in pay, at least according to them anyway.

Needless to say, I’m not real thrilled with how this event was handled. I came close to turning down this offer, however in the end it dawned on me it’s going into the holiday season and it’s not a good time to look for work. The economy isn’t all that great either. There’s also a couple of more classes to do that would help me before I went looking. Then there’s the direction of our lives that the wife and I were talking about. I think it’s time to sit and wait, plan, and then do something that we want. Not to be impulsive.

From a professional stand point, I learned a few lessons from this ordeal. 1) Management really doesn’t care – they just want you to work, often for the least amount of money possible. 2) Office politics are all about who you know, not what you know. 3) When it comes to politics vs productivity, the political aspect is all management is going to care about. 4) Be careful for what you wish for, you just might get it but not in the way you had imagined.

So the lesson to take away from this kids, is if you think anyone in management is your friend or you think you can trust someone at work, the answer to both is often not what you think.