Tough Management issue (need advice)

I appreciate the candidness of your reply. Let me qualify some of these statements to assist.

What was I doing before: IT Manager of a medium/large charity

Now...It sounds like your organization is trying to grow (maybe I misread an innuendo):

True

What have you done in terms of taking inventory of your current infrastructure and resources (people, systems, processes)?:

I have met face to face with every staff member individually and engaged in an open discussion and a team SWOT analysis. I have swept the subnets to establish the kit that's across the network and looked through the necessary directories tools to familiarise myself as much as I can. (I met with a lo of resistance when I asked if someone could take me through this) I went to an outlying business unit and met with staff and the management team to gather a user perspective.

How do you expect to bring a fresh new approach when it doesn't sound like you know what's been done in the organization in the past?

I agree here. Attempting to learn as much as possible through conversations and some of the steps described above.

If you don't learn how these things have progressed/evolved, you're liable to reinvent the wheel so to speak, not improve upon it. Also, how do they "feel" they've hit these blockages?

The Senior Team feel that they've been looking for 'clear answers on necessary business questions' and have been failing to receive 'even basic response'. My line manager told me that the organisation feels that 'technology is now holding the organisation back rather than enabling its development'. This statement needs qualification and I am working to achieve this.

"Their" (FTFY) opinions on strengths of the team aren't relevant. Everyone has an opinion. When you do it this way, you make it sound like they're interviewing for their jobs instead of improving how they do their jobs.

Thank you on the FTFY (oops). I understand the point here but I thin its really important to gain opinions on strengths. My angle here came from a non confrontational perspective with a view to building on previous success but your point is well taken and in empathising with the staff situation understand how this may have been perceived.

25 years experience might say otherwise. How do you back up your statement?

The organisation has had two independent reports commissioned of the IT function and both have used the exact terminology 'inadequate department leadership'. I agree with this assessment. No documentation, no performance appraisal or support mechanisms, no training plans, no proper DR for a system that supports literally hundreds of thousands of customers. Considering that it sounds like you only have this IT Manager as a report, how do you expect to be a director? This goes back to the growth at the beginning. You need to split his responsibilities with him and someone else. That might be hiring someone else or better yet, promote from within. I know some people might say clean house, but that might be too costly (if you factor time, which I consider more valuable than money).

Thank you and good point well taken. I will investigate this as an option.

/r/ITManagers Thread Parent