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  • #2272294

    Difficult CIO?

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    by andrewv ·

    Hi Folks
    I’m not a CIO but I read the columns here religiously.

    I need some help with a problem: How do I get on with my new CIO? Lets call him Tim.

    Tim came to us from our holding company. Very insecure, intensely sensitive about what people say and think about him, unable to support or back his staff, assigns projects and tasks to my subordinates without telling me, hates confrontation and debate, insensitive, indecisive, forgetful, puts subordinates down, reminds us of our rightful places, a keen political player, harbours a grudge.

    And my attributes? Perhaps tempremental, straight talker, not interested in politics at all, concerned with our departments morale, get the job done, like healthy debate, concede and acknowledge a good point, kick hard against something that is not value adding. Ive been with our company for 11 years and NEVER had a problem with anyone until Tim drifted in.

    Basically, we are fire and ice, and it’s tearing our department apart. We cant meet without arguing. We have a tense, silent truce.

    Any constructive ideas?

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    • #3271122

      This may not be what you want to hear

      by j.lupo ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      but these are the type of people that need the most mentoring. How they become CIO’s or CEO’s or any executive management is beyond my current understanding. Their role is suppose to be one of leadership.

      My suggestion, and I have been in this position before, is to have a 1-on-1 with him and keep it VERY professional. Ask for his/her expectations from you and your group. Get that in writing if you can. You also are going to have to learn how to play politics even if you don’t want to. This is the type of person you have to coach from the shadows.

      You need to protect yourself by getting everything in writing. Since “Tim” is new, sooner or later performance will show that “Tim” is an issue to the company. With documentation it is “Tim” that will grow into the position or end of leaving.

      Patience and keeping emotion out of everything is critical at this stage. “Tim” may even be intimidated because you have been there 11 years and may feel you want his job. So, he may be very defensive about being the “new guy”.

      Good Luck.

      • #3154957

        From President of Software Company

        by tgraham ·

        In reply to This may not be what you want to hear

        I am the President and Chief Operating Officer of a Software Company and from your description I would say that both of you need a bit of education about the ways of commercial enterprises. True, insecurity on the job from people in positions of leadership can be not only major distractions but can lead to lost market share while the two of you try to figure out who’s on first. What needs to happen is that you both need to come to consensus regarding WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE COMPANY and adjust your behavior accordingly. Your CIO’s FRAME OF REFERENCE or perspective could be a problem, however, your statement that y ou don’t like politics shows a naivete that could be your undoing even if you’re right.

        I would confront your co-worker and try to execute a CONTRACT with him/her to come to an understanding regarding how we’re going to work together. These situations sometimies requires a third party to mediate, me, being you, I would not let the current situation fester because you both could lose not only credibilitywith the rest ofthe team, you could lose your job if you don’t fix your conflict creatively.

        • #3268800

          I am guessing you are responding to andrewv

          by j.lupo ·

          In reply to From President of Software Company

          and not me. Hard to tell since your reply was attached to mine.

          Your suggestions are true, but the issue has to be dealt with between the CIO and the manager first. Usually a one-on-one that is professional and that is for setting the working relationship must happen first. If a manager does not know what the expectations of the CIO are, then they can’t start the foundation of building a vision of what’s good for the company.

          It is important to keep all emotion out of these communications. As to politics, whether you believe in them or not we all play them. Indicating that one does not play politics is still doing so. Choosing not to play is a role. I learned that lesson the hard way.

          The important thing is to understand the environment and always keep your frame of reference on what is good business. However, in today’s job market, we have to look out for ourselves too. Unfortuantely, I have seen too many dedicated people hurt by their companies after years of service. For example, at one company, their government contract was complete and they let everyone go including people who were only a week to a few days from retirement.

          So, it is hard to maintain our own values and morals when we experience that kind of treatment from companies. Each of us (myself included) have to decide how we want to live our lives. We have to find that balance. I work because I love what I do, I want to add value to the organization, and I want to enjoy my life outside of work. I do not live to work, I work to live.

        • #3141941

          What’s Good For the Company…

          by mquigley ·

          In reply to From President of Software Company

          may not be what’s on the CIO’s mind. Sure, that’s what should be on the CIO’s mind, but no offense, a lot of people are only looking out for what’s good for them. This guy Tim sounds a lot like a CIO I know (not at my org) and it’s something new (and negative) from one day to the next. As long as projects are getting done (in the eyes of the CEO) it doesn’t matter what happens below the CIO…not pretty.

          I think it’s naive to say the CIO in this case has the company’s best intentions at heart when demoralizing his employees.

      • #3270691

        How Tim became CIO?

        by rashekar ·

        In reply to This may not be what you want to hear

        Well, there are some people who’ll easy come up to the level of CEO/CIO just by doing what their Boss wants. These type of people normally are Boss pleasers but are Dictators to their sub-ordinates down the line. As you’ve mentioned, the best to way to deal with such people is to discuss 1 to 1 about his expectations and act accordingly.

        Cheers,

        Shekar

        • #3271218

          Office Politics: The Black Hole of the Universe

          by too old for it ·

          In reply to How Tim became CIO?

          I think we can all agree that office / corporate politics is a total waste of time, effort and resources. Why otherwide intelligent CEO’s allow it to fester is beyond me.

          That said, a 1-on-1 is a good thing, tho I doubt you will hear something truthful like “I got where I am today by being a professional @ss-kisser, taking personal credit for everything my staff has done, and kicking to the curb anyone of value to the company who might have been a threat to me.”

        • #3142059

          Which is why you have to be

          by j.lupo ·

          In reply to Office Politics: The Black Hole of the Universe

          very careful in the 1-on-1. Keeping it professional and trying to find out how the new “boss in town” wants things to proceed is what is important. Then document everything that happens and do your best to stay true to your beliefs.

          I still think that even the “shmucks” can be rehabilitated given enough time and patience. No all of them, but I think it is always worth a try.

      • #3270685

        Uncompromising Position

        by nickwt ·

        In reply to This may not be what you want to hear

        Best thing to do is take him out drinking one night and get him drunk. Take a camera with you and place him in uncompromising positions and show him the photos the next day.

        You’ll find that things will ease up for you.

        Otherwise, to be sensible, do as mentioned.

        1) Learn to play politics.
        2) Keep and note of all his decisions/leads and do them with vigour. If indeed the man is incompetent it will show and as you are doing his bidding it wouldn’t hurt to be ‘over enthusiastic’ in doing his pointless tasks.
        Never be confrontational and loose your cool. Always hold your composure as its sign of maturity and will be noted by the necessary people. Be professional at all times.
        And..always remember that people like that will always be their own undoing.
        New managers also feel that they ‘have to’ make their mark so allow a settling in period and indeed treat him like a new army officer and be his knowledgable sargeant and help him to make an understanding of his new environment. It will help both of you in the end.

        Else go back to my first solution;)

        • #3141927

          I like Door #2

          by too old to be it ·

          In reply to Uncompromising Position

          Hey, doing the stuff the new guy wants “with vigor” is not only a great idea, but fun. But please do stay within the confines of not doing any real damage to the company. I took my lead from a new manager twice in my recent career. The first was a real learning experience. He changed things around from the old comfortable routine, and by golly, they worked, and I really learned a lot. However, this is not to say that I loved working for him… he was a real butt, but good! The second manager lasted about 2 months under the burden of his own decisions, then dissolved away like the wicked witch of the west in the rain. I am now in charge, but hate it.

      • #3141901

        Simple: suck it up or quit.

        by imjasonn ·

        In reply to This may not be what you want to hear

        I see people talk about meeting with him, talking to him, etc. Let me ask you a simple but profound question: If you were asked to dramatically change your personality to meet the needs of a subordinate, someone that quite obviously doesn’t have any hope of reaching your level of success and doesn’t make any sense to you at all, especially one that you personally dislike, would you?

        Before you wash that question with forms of logic that will render anything other than a pure truthful response, the answer is NO.

        He’s political, connected, and a superior. If his superior valued you more than him… well, obviously you’re chuck and he’s prime – period.

        You either need to suck it up, or evade his authority. This is the kind of person that destroys careers. His mistakes will damage your reputation, and his opinion will travel with you to other jobs, should you ever have one. If you’re going to quit, do so before you try to improve this person. Nobody likes a know it all. And, no management like to hear “constructive criticism” from underlings they dislike. If he respected you, he would solicit your opinion. He doesn’t. Either accept your place and move on.

    • #3271074

      Between a rock and a hard place

      by mjd420nova ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Yes, a one on one is the answer. You have to find out where he’s coming from and his expectations of you. If you are in the position of guiding those below you, you be sure that tasks are given to you to assign to those who’ll do the actual work. If he continues to bypass you, then you have no choice to communicate this to him. If it still happens, document and CYA. If it still happens, you have no choice but to go over his head, but be sure that he knows you will do this, it may cause him to straighten up. Good Luck, I’ve been there, and has actually resulted in the individual being moved to another position.

      • #3271060

        A little hard to go over the CIO

        by j.lupo ·

        In reply to Between a rock and a hard place

        It is a little hard to go over a CIOs head. However, a 1-on-1 provides and opportunity to establish what the organization will look like under this CIO. It also provides an opportuntiy to establish what the job roles will be going forward. As with anything, new CIO’s want to leave their own mark on a company.

        Keep it professional, have a specific agenda, provide the agenda upfront when scheduling the 1-on-1 and stick to those topics. Give the person a chance and keep the emotional issues out of it. This is business and we all need to remember that.

        Having been there with these types of people, you need to give them the chance to do their jobs and do it well. Who knows you might end up best friends. Yes, it can go the otherway, but stay positive, focus on what needs to happen.

        Good Luck.

    • #3270981

      Disloyal CIO, Disloyal Staff

      by too old for it ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      If your staff was loyal to you, they would not start on a project from “Tim” without verifying with you first. And they would tell Tim so, becasue of course secrecy is bad.

      If they can’t or won’t do that, you, my friend, need to tidy up your resume and start looking for a new place [b]now[/b].

      • #3141944

        Close to right

        by mquigley ·

        In reply to Disloyal CIO, Disloyal Staff

        If your employees haven’t heard it directly from you, they may not know they should clear work directed at them from the CIO. My shop is similar in that I have multiple levels of people bringing work to my team, but we have deadlines and schedules so if they don’t come to me they are sent to me by my team. It’s not just a matter of trust, it’s a matter of work flow.

        I have to constantly remind my boss…he’s not being malicious, he’s trying to get things done…

    • #3155474

      Rolls downhill….

      by techierob ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      There’s an age old expression there.. It seems, however that he is jumping you on the way down and straight onto your staff below you. I’ve been in this predicament before, the only difference is that I was the bottom rung; and our CIO jumped over my supervisor directly onto me.

      Putting it in that perspective, there was nothing worse than when he did that, as I couldn’t argue with him directly (bottom rung vs top rung, I wonder who will win there) Basically it came down to bad management on my superviosr’s behalf; both had different ideas on how I should do my job and who I was working for. I ended up organising a meeting with the pair of them and managed to get them talking about their expectations of me and communication between the ‘rungs’. Unfortunately that fix was only temporary; and I had to effectively manage my own job as my manager (supervisor) was always reluctant to confront the CIO directly.

      Ultimately I left my job. I am a person who doesn’t care too much for office politics, as I want to just do my job and do it well. What would have helped me personally is a defined expectation and policy for my work; with the higher-ups actually agreeing to it.

      Train your staff to come to you with any request from the CIO. That way you can still be influential in any job or project and you can still manage your staff. Ultimately, we live in a world where “what the CIO says is done”, but at least this way you will be aware of it; an dbe able to discuss it directly with the CIO.

      If ‘Tim’ isnt one for one-on-one confrontation, organise a group meeting with him and your team and have an open discussion about the project request. This way, you and your staff can contribute their ideas and feelings to the CIO in a ‘less-than confrontational’ way. Don’t outright attack the ideas or plans that Tim comes up with, its always good to be justified.

      Open group discussion will also help Tim understand how you and your team think and operate; and thus hopefully reduce his insecurity…

      • #3270624

        Brings back memories

        by duckman2405grd-antispam ·

        In reply to Rolls downhill….

        Reminds my of my early days when the CIO came directly to me and skipped my manager. Having a good manager, he told me to ignore the CIO and if he tries it again, come straight to my manager and let him know and he’d handle it. Made me feel real good about my direct manager, trust and confidence. I kept that in mind throughout the years, that’s the way I managed my people. Call it good politicking as well, since its all how you play the game at that level, be it good or bad, I actually like it when someone above me that basically knows nothing tries to tell me how to run the department. I’ve turned it into an art by being the best there is but never being “one of the boys” (kiss butt), to the point they could never do without me. And when your needed that much, its easy to torture them with kindness during their stay, because they won’t be there for the long term, and doing what is right for the company and not what?s right for some ladder climber trying to manage with charts, graphs, and power point slides on how efficient he is.
        Which further reminds me. 20 years ago I went to a banquette and was lucky to sit with 3 self made millionaires who told me that the secret to their success was focus. Sounds obvious, but they said focus on doing it, not measuring and watching the numbers. Because if you are constantly measuring, then you?re not doing, if your doing, all of a sudden you turn around and say, hey, where did all this money come from. The corporate world pays way too much attention to managing by numbers. Way too much college education and thinking this is what they want to hear and not enough common sense. Give it time, he too will pass.

    • #3155464

      good ideas posted

      by doogal123 ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I have been in a similar situation. I think many of the posted the ideas are good. However, YOU are the manager directly responsible for YOUR personnel. Is this guy a foreigner? Or is he just out of his scope, and worried about his job? Sometimes foreign managers have a different idea about how management should work. (different culture)

      Getting his ideas from him for how he wants things done in a 1-on-1 will help you ‘offload him’, which, if he is a decent manager, he would be gladly accepting. Try and get him to see that if the department wins, you all look good. You will have to try and help him let you know what he wants so that you can stay in the loop and direct your personnel. You have a level of expertise that could really benefit him right now. HE does not need to know how to do your job to manage you. He does the big high level stuff, you and yours handle the details.

      If he continues to jump over you and goes directly to your staff, and your staff will not keep you in the loop, you are indeed out of the loop, and this means you could be considered redundant.

      Maybe you could gather your staff over coffee and doughnuts and let them know informally and ask (for planing purposes) what projects they are currently putting in time on. If he continues to jump over you, you are getting redundant and may end up being HIS scapegoat if anything goes wrong.

      (Get the resume polished up just in case)

      • #3270131

        You are part of the problem…

        by michael.glenn ·

        In reply to good ideas posted

        I have also been in similar situation. My boss used to supervide a large team which was restructured into smaller groups. He had a tendancy to continue assigning tasks to my staff. The solution is a combo of what was already stated. (1) Meet your boss and explain to him that you cannot be expected to manage effectively if he by-passes you to assign tasks. (2) Assuming your staff do not like being assigned tasks by your boss, meet with them to explain your are working on the problem and would like their help. To help, they must inform you when your boss assigns work to them. If the problem continues to happen, meet with your boss again and cite specific examples of when he by-passed you and ask him to explain the reasons…then find ways to make those reasons disappear.

    • #3270109

      Play his game

      by suryava ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I am in a similar situation and I can understand.

      You must just play his own game. Remember, at the end of the end of the day, he is still responsible for his department to his boss. Some people like “TIM” may also try to pass the buck. They will not be able to pass it on forever, or too far.

      If the organization has other responsible Chief …officers, they cannot help but notice the problem. Based on your description so far, since you are the hero and he is the villain, do not modify that situation by letting it look like it is between you and him.

      You need to be calm and use supportive communication skills in order to accomplish this.

      Good Luck!

      • #3270054

        Been there Done That

        by Anonymous ·

        In reply to Play his game

        I took a job as a service manager being wooed by the owner with money and promises. HMMM he is a liar!
        Once I had his dismal service department running like a clock, he would complain about trivial things like a spot on some ones shirt, or a guy who came in a little late because he had a few jobs. My people did their job well and it was reflected in the call numbers, reschedules, customer complaints, kudos etc. Eventually he started giving my people “tasks” to do and then they would look confused when I asked them “what are you doing?” Obviously to them I was no longer in charge. Once your people start taking orders from another you are no longer the HMFIC.This happened about three times, even after a meeting with the owner. After the third time I told him that since he knows so much about service he can run the department, as I walked out the door. He immediately freaked and offered me $5000.00 US to stay and be a tech. Not having a job, I agreed. I stayed for two more years and watched his service department double in size with the most incompetent people, I did not even want them near me. It was actually enjoyable to watch it all crumble even for an I told you so. I left and got a much better job and now make 3 times that amount of money anyway. The point is, nip it in the bud or leave because every time it happens you are losing respect from your subordinates

    • #3270039

      Find Your Mission Statement

      by drech ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Show the man your organizational chart, where he is and where you are. Tell him he is usurping your authority and you are held accountable for your personnels actions and if he wants to control/direct their actions, them have them re-assigned to him, otherwise let you do your job. Also show him the company logo, charter, mission statement, goal sheet and say” Last time I knew we are all working toward the same goal and you, by your own actions are making it prohibative for my team to accomplish it’s goal because you are always intervening, let me do my job, otherwise take over my responsibilities and re-assign me because apparently you don’t need me. Put it in his lap.

    • #3269959

      Try a personal way

      by geof.talbot ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      What are the facts?

      ? He?s your boss
      ? He?s new

      It seems like:

      ? You don?t like him
      ? You see yourself as the hero and him as the villain

      You have to accept the first 2 facts ? you can change the last 2 facts.

      You might want to try a more subtle psychoogical approach.

      See if you can get your ego out of the way ? which is not easy for anyone. If you were a new CIO you?d be insecure and not know who to trust. If you confront someone in this mode they will fight back ? so don?t do it! Try and get some time with him and listen to him without expressing your point view. There is no point in arguing and challenging at the moment ? build trust and rapport. Concentrate on what he says. Reflect your understanding of his position and problems back to him. Try to see things from his point of view, even if you don?t agree with it. Your mission, if you want to stay, is to get him to recognise and need you.

      At the very least, the things that you can bring to him are your knowledge of the organisation and your people. This will also benefit the business which is one of your aims. If you can help him he will come to trust and rely on you ? if you can?t he may get rid of you ? ?cos he can. If he sees you as both unnecessary and as an enemy then he will.

      Good luck!

      • #3169142

        Tough Boss

        by kveeshanker ·

        In reply to Try a personal way

        Geof Talbot’s explanation and suggestions to the problem are indeed very good.Especially, I like his core idea that the boss needs to be patiently lead to trust you, and recogonise your value.This is despite the pain and insult involved in the process.

    • #3269906

      Team Building Exercise

      by jminshal ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      It sounds like Tim could benefit from some team building training. Does your company offer anything like that? You could disguise the fact that the training is for him by taking several key team members to the same class, and asking that he be there as well. This may be hard to get him to do though.
      Sometimes an insecure person like this just needs to feel that he is respected in order to stop being so heavy handed. He is a CIO and therefore is in a position that actually should receive some respect from his subordinates. I’ve had good luck with difficult people by being pointedly careful to show respect for that person’s space and prerogatives, especially in group settings. This is a simple thing to do and will help put them at their ease usually. This technique helps them to relax a little and stop being so controlling. Once a more trusting relationship is established, the hints and requests for behavior modification are met with a more reasonable response.
      Good Luck!
      JMinshall

    • #3269905

      Go over his head, but……

      by alan henderson ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Lay it all out to the highest person on the totem pole to whom you have access.
      If you can’t get any joy, find another job.
      After 11 years of service, if your attributes aren’t recognised, there’s something badly amiss.
      If higher levels of management can’t see the damage being done, they’re incompetent.
      Have you discussed the problem, and a plan of action, with the others affected by this plonker? Actually, I think I know the guy – and his twin sister.

    • #3269879

      ?

      by swd2004 ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Have you confronted him in a neutral setting with no one else around? talk with him about direct issues, not personality traits.
      If that doesn’t help, then go to his boss and explain, unemotionally, the issues.
      BE PREPARED for anything as a result of these discussions – the results may or may not be what you want or even have close to what you think they might be. People, which we all belong in this group, react in very erratic ways at times.
      Good Luck!!

    • #3154973

      You Need to Have a “Crucial Conversation”

      by pamela.desrosiers ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Andrew, I can understand your frustration. I was recently introduced to “Crucial Conversations” and was amazed that with only a few small changes in your approach, you can talk to anyone about anything. I have included the link to the most recent newsletter. Please read the advice to the person concerned about a layoff and apply it to your specific situation.

      I just resigned from my six-year job due to an “out-of-control” boss and my inability to approach the situation with finesse. I wish I would have been exposed to this information and been able to apply it early on. I wouldn’t be job-hunting now. Don’t “polish” your resume in preparation for the worse… polish your style and overcome!

      http://www.vitalsmarts.com/CrucialSkills/FreeStuff/Newsletter/NewsletterItem.aspx?UID=b9544f37-b1bb-46aa-9b8a-709be156e1ac&ReferralURL=/CrucialSkills/FreeStuff/Newsletter/Archives.aspx

    • #3154908

      Sad to say…

      by justin james ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      … but it sounds like you’re going to have to get along with him or get out of there. Not only is he your boss, but he is a C-level exec. He came from a holding company. He may not have been selected for his ability to get along with people or his ability to understand technical stuff, but he was foisted upon you for a reason.
      I’ve had oddly “bad” bosses stuck over me, only to discover later that their primary purpose was to wield the job hatchet. When someone breezes in who is not there to make friends, but hard decisions, it can really stink, especially before the reason for them being there is obvious.
      I suggest you figure out a way to work with him, and if it really looks like he’s going to be around for a while and you cannot settle your differences, get out. Why be miserable every day at work when you could be happy?
      J.Ja

    • #3154802

      Some ideas

      by mark miller ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I can kind of relate to what you’re talking about. I haven’t worked under someone with the CIO title. I’ve worked under people with titles like VP of Engineering and Chief of Operations (maybe that’s another way of saying COO?). The culture that the people at the top foster makes all the difference.

      From your description, this guy is incompetent. I don’t mean from a technical standpoint (though that’s possible, too), but in management. If he’s insecure, he hates seeing people who appear to be more dilligent and competent than him. He may deliberately sabotage other people’s efforts as a way of assuaging his insecurity. If other people are flustered or off balance, he doesn’t feel like he’s the only one who’s in over his head.

      I’ve experienced something similar to what you describe about him being forgetful and not communicating well. I was in a different position. I wasn’t managing people. Rather, the incompetent manager I had dealt with things in a chaotic manner. I swear, sometimes he’d invite me into a meeting *with a customer* without giving me a heads up in advance about who the customer was and what we were going to be talking about. He had a habit of not properly prepping people for meetings. It was very disorienting. It drove me nuts. In fact, I’d say he didn’t communicate well, period. He always had a cold, calm demeanor. So to those who weren’t the wiser he appeared to be the one who “had it together”, and I ended up looking flustered and frustrated. I could never tell if he was setting me up on purpose, or if things just turned out that way. His “cool, calm” personality may have been an attempt to smooth over the rough edges (he caused) with people he dealt with. In any case, he put on a good front.

      I’ve read about this management type, and aside from notifying his superiors to the problem, you’ve got two options. You can either deal with it, or transfer out/resign. This may sound awful but the way I’ve read to deal with it (stay on the job) is to go along with his insecurity: don’t try as hard, and don’t highlight your accomplishments. Diminish your own importance, and praise him (lie). It’s playing politics, going along to get along. It sucks, doesn’t it? It sounds like you’re an engineer, and you’re seeing the dark side of the difference between engineering and management. To managers, playing politics goes along with the territory. You may have not realized it before, but it was always there.

      If you don’t play along and just keep going the way you’re going, the problem is just going to get worse. Rest assured there will be people on your team who won’t go along with it. You could start seeing defections/resignations from your subordinates unless something is done.

      I was inexperienced with dealing with this situation, so the way I dealt with it was to get so fed up I resigned. Your work-style characteristics sound like mine, for the most part. Like I said, I was basically an underling with no management responsibilities, beyond technology. I only read about dealing with this situation later. Even then I don’t know if I could’ve stomached it.

      I submitted my resignation to the president of the company (it was a small company), and one of the things he told me was “I wish you had told me about the problems earlier.” I was on good terms with him, but I didn’t know him too well. He may have been excusing his role in the situation. After all, he hired him.

      If you are on good terms with the CIO’s superior, you may have a way out, if you approach him diplomatically. I would be professional about it. Don’t just talk about your own frustrations. That makes it sound like you might be the problem. These are just suggestions. I haven’t tried them, so I don’t have experience with this. I’d say talk about the effect that this new CIO is having on the team. Talk about your attempts to work with him in a constructive manner and what the result was. The reason I say this is competent management will want people who are doing their due dilligence to help the company. You need to be taking actions that show you are trying to move the ball forward, strictly within your jurisdiction, and not acting as an obstruction to the company’s goals. When you do that, and if the CIO is acting as the obstruction, it should be obvious to them. Maybe then, if his superior is truly concerned with the health of the company, your concerns will get heard.

      What happened in my situation is I was one of the first people to leave. My leaving caused a “chain reaction” of sorts, because shortly thereafter other people were talking about doing the same thing. Within months, some others left. If you care that this does not happen, you should consider this possibility when considering what your next move is.

      I kept in touch with a former coworker. A few years later he told me that this manager I had been complaining about before had almost destroyed the company. The manager finally got laid off 3 years after I left. They finally saw what I saw. I think there was some denial going on. It just couldn’t be denied any longer when push came to shove. He was driving good people away, and he almost drove away customers, who had existing accounts with them. Believe me, if your CIO is treating you and fellow employees this way, he treats just about everybody that way. I imagine you’re not alone in not liking this behavior, though his superiors may not see it. He may act differently around them.

      Edit:

      After reading some of the comments on here, I thought I should mention that after I left I pondered whether getting together with my manager, who I was having problems with, or the president, early on and having a one-on-one with him would’ve helped, and prevented what happened that led to my departure. Before I left I did have the opportunity to have a one-on-one with my manager. Apparently the president thought it would be a good idea if those working with him had a chance to talk to him about what had happened so far. For me it was too little, too late by then, but I went along with it. I conducted myself in a strictly business-like manner, and I diplomatically brought up some suggestions, particularly on his communication skills. He seemed receptive, and overall a nice guy. I was surprised. I found that he was someone I might be able to get along with personally. I just didn’t like working with him. That can happen in life. I never knew if he took any of my suggestions to heart. I was out the door pretty soon after that, but as I said above, he was just bad news for the company.

      Some post-ers said that “Tim” will need some “training from the shadows”. I totally agree with this. What I’ve conveyed above were things I discovered over the course of a year. That was about the span of time between when he took over management duties and when I left. At first when things were going awry, I thought I was the one at fault, that maybe I should’ve known better. It wasn’t until months later that I finally figured out that he was: fairly clueless, in over his head, and that *I* had to manage *him*, despite the difference in rank and title. I don’t mean it like I had to give him tasks and direction, but rather I had to be careful what I did and did not tell him, because he would take what I said at face value. There was no filter whatsoever. It was impossible to have a discussion with him about project issues.

      It was a difficult decision for me to leave. I’d say I was more than patient with the situation. There just came a point where “the straw broke the camels back”. I had had enough. Having gone through that experience, there are probably things I could’ve done differently. In the future, should I run into this again, I figure I should at least give the possibility of positive change a chance. If it doesn’t work out, at least I can go with the knowledge that I tried to deal with the situation. What I did in my first experience with this was just react. I didn’t act proactively.

    • #3154754

      11 Years is a long time

      by andy goss ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      This is a good time to take a look, not at “Tim” or your employer, but at yourself and your life. Consider moving on, when a company appoints this kind of person to a critical post it suggests that something is fundamentally wrong, and all the face-to-face and over-his-head stuff, even if it does work for a while and does not get you sacked, will not go near the underlying malaise. Do the sums, retrain if you have to, take a salary cut, but where you are will, if I read you aright, corrode your soul.

      • #3154731

        You could be right

        by mark miller ·

        In reply to 11 Years is a long time

        I know what you’re talking about. The company I was with (see my previous post) got rid of the guy who was causing trouble, eventually, but he had already done some damage. About a year after his departure I heard from a former coworker that it was the president of the company that was the underlying problem. By this point they were in dire straights. They had laid a bunch of people off, they were under a mountain of debt, and business had dropped off to a trickle. They were 2 paychecks behind in paying their employees. They got bought out that year by a multinational conglomerate. They kept the old president on for about a year and then got rid of him when they discovered he was cooking his books. They hired someone new to replace him, and from what I hear their division is doing a lot better and worker morale has been up consistently since then. The company managed to survive, but only after they got rid of the guy who founded it.

        In this guy’s case, it may not be as simple. As he said, the CIO was brought in from the holding company. Maybe the execs at where he works did not choose this guy. Maybe the holding company did. They may not realize right away that he’s incompetent either. So it might be worth it to try and bring it to the attention of someone higher up in hopes that they care enough about the company that they can intercede in the situation.

        Re: where you are will, if I read you right, corrode your soul.

        I agree that can happen. The point when I decided to resign, I was so stressed out, I felt like I was either going to go crazy (nervous breakdown or something), or become severely depressed. I really couldn’t take it anymore. Getting out of there when I did was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. It wasn’t an immediate exit either. I managed to transition out of the job over a few months, because they needed my knowledge. I literally spent that few months doing a brain dump of everything I knew. I still wasn’t done when I got out of there. I felt a professional obligation to cause as little disruption as possible. My manager was wreaking enough on the place.

        I can sympathize with this guy’s position. He’s been there for 11 years. Before I left the place I’m talking about, I had been there for 4 years. By then I had become emotionally invested in the place. That can happen at small companies, because everyone has to pull together and pull their own weight. You feel like a part owner, even though you’re not, legally. You feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that you were part of the company’s success up to that point. The depressing part comes when the new guy comes in and starts changing everything for the worse, effectively ruining everything you tried to accomplish within the company, and is replacing it with his own dysfunctional way of doing things. Where you once felt like you were making upward progress, you can feel the company sliding downhill. The best thing to do is see if the situation can be remedied by bringing the problem to the attention of the appropriate people. If you get nowhere with that, it’s best to just make your peace with it, take your experience for what it was worth, like you’re saying, and move on.

        What I discovered when I got out of where I was, is that they were holding me back. I had gotten pigeon-holed. I realized that while I was there, but I didn’t realize that it was harming my career prospects, until I started looking for work elsewhere. The skills I had were legacy technologies. Hardly anyone used them anymore. So I retrained and got back in the market.

        • #3154691

          Such a dangerous trap

          by justin james ·

          In reply to You could be right

          “By then I had become emotionally invested in the place. That can happen at small companies, because everyone has to pull together and pull their own weight. You feel like a part owner, even though you’re not, legally.”

          I know this feeling all too well. I have worked for a number of small companies, and I have done this before. It is really hard to make a good decision about your career when you get emotionally invested, and that sense of part ownership makes it easy to feel like you *can’t* leave.

          I have had to learn to be quite careful with my feelings towards my employers. I simply cannot make decisions that impact my bottom line or the well being of my family (I don’t have one, but if I did…) based upon how many late nights I have worked, the BBQs my boss invited me to at his house, the blood/sweat/tears that I have put in, etc.

          Today I try to make these decisions based upon facts. Am I happy there? Are they paying me appropriately? Do I like where I am living? Is the job stressing me out? Have I become stagnant? Is there a clear path at the company to acheive my goals? Will I be able to retire from this company? Am I treated with respect? And so on.

          These are all questions that the original poster should be asking himself. If the new CIO is the only problem and everything else is peachy, it may be worth sticking around. But if the new CIO is just one more issue on top of a lot of other problems, he should break up with the company. It’s like having a girlfriend that you love but the relationship is killing you. You need to put yourself first, because I have never met an employer who put me first.

          J.Ja

        • #3145850

          It’s like a breakup

          by mark miller ·

          In reply to Such a dangerous trap

          “if the new CIO is just one more issue on top of a lot of other problems, he should break up with the company. It’s like having a girlfriend that you love but the relationship is killing you.”

          I agree. After I left I had a series of conversations with a different coworker at my former employer. In a way I was spilling my guts to this person. The feedback I got back was “It’s like going through a divorce.” That’s an exaggeration, but I went through a period of trying to understand what happened, doing some complaining, releasing some anger, and then finally after about a year I came to peace with it. I was having some sleepless or restless nights before I decided to leave. I was so stressed out about the job. Afterwards I had no trouble. So the emotional attachment is not like a relationship breaking up. I guess you go through similar phases. It’s just not nearly as intense.

          “You need to put yourself first, because I have never met an employer who put me first.”

          Sage words of advice.

        • #3269644

          It is a breakup

          by mot_esach ·

          In reply to It’s like a breakup

          I spent 27 years working my way up the ladder and walked away because of a guy like this. It is hard to get 27 years back – you can’t. I went to counseling and then at 45 years of age, went back to college. My blood pressure the day before I made the decision to leave was 220 / 165. I was a stroke looking for a place to happen.

          My advice, get out while you can. When you leave tell the Board of Directors why you left. It may not have any results but at least you can leave with a clean “soul”. I work for better money now, have vacations without having to beg for them or have them cancelled two days before I was schedukled to leave and I don’t have to work with a “put down” CEO. Members of my profession still call on me to do consulting work and provide training for their workforce.

          THe fear of the outside is all that holds you. Start looking for what is available and run, don’t walk, out the door as soon as you have a good opportunity. Living or working in hell is not worth the dollars earned or the loss of sleep. I have been there and I won’t go back.

      • #3143973

        Question–How do you explain this in an interview?

        by mark miller ·

        In reply to 11 Years is a long time

        Since I’ve had a similar experience, and ended up leaving, what’s the best way to explain this at an interview? I’ve always heard about the principle “don’t be negative” at interviews, and especially “don’t badmouth your former employer”, since that indicates you might do it with them as well.

        If this guy is incompetent, and therefore management made an incompetent choice and doesn’t see it, how would you (or anyone else in this forum) explain this in an interview, or would you try to avoid the issue altogether? The interviewer is going to ask “Why are you leaving your position?”

        The way I’ve typically handled it is to avoid the issue, talk about some other problem I had there, related to my career, because it at least sounds like I made the move to try to move my career forward.

        I have tried explaining it at interviews, but eventually I gave up because when I came out of it I always looked back on what I said like, “Gee, that was ‘down’ thing to say.” I’d say for example that management went in a direction that I didn’t agree with, or it didn’t make sense to me. Somehow I think that would turn an employer off. What if they took a decision that made sense in the end, but didn’t make sense to me at the time? Would I just up and leave? I figure those sorts of questions would be running through their head.

        Somehow “hostile work environment” also has a negative connotation.

        What’s the best way to explain something like this situation at an interview?

      • #3269337

        Extremely accurate insight

        by economic_dinosaur ·

        In reply to 11 Years is a long time

        Mr. Goss has it dead on…It WILL corrode your soul. If you can manage it in any way, follow his advice–as fast as you can.

    • #3154752

      Welcome to Politics

      by jim.myler ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Andrew,
      I am in a similar kind of situation. Came from USA to Europe to work at our global headquarters as V.P. Global IT. Never liked dealing with politics but now that is all there is. Started at the founding of our company in America and spent 10+ years as IT Manager before relocating. Unfournately the politics have to be dealt with. This may not help much but play the game with your new CIO. I assume you have tried to have discussions with him pertaining to operations and your people and morale and such. Sounds like you have two options, work it out or go elsewhere.Try to make him feel like he is getting his way and if something he wants done is bull, try to show him that in a way that he feels he has made the decision to go the way you want to. I know this is very general but if he is the CIO, you have to work with him without completely giving in to changing yourself.

    • #3154730

      Do what he says

      by sunshine47 ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Hey buddy,

      Chill out. Do exactly what the CIO asks but make sure you document it.

      Give a guy enough rope…..

      p.s.
      I feel a bit sorry for Tim. Just sounds like another guy who choose the wrong career but got a wife, kids, mortgage. He is stuck in the rat race and just cannot take the cut in pay to do what he really should have done.

    • #3268794

      Co-operate, but

      by gooder ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I?m not sure if the new CIO means he?s replaced a previous CIO, or it?s a new position.
      If it?s a new position that has ?appeared? above you, then I can understand your reactions and have seen it before.
      If he?s replaced someone, then that?s slightly different, but means changes nevertheless.

      In either case I see the following:
      New CIO = changes.
      Nobody like changes, especially after 11 years in the job. Unfortunately things change or things die, which applies to business as much as anything else.

      First some history. A few years back I was a techie not quite at the bottom of the pile (team leader level). A new manager (not CIO, but one step down from director) was slotted in above my current department head (who previous reported to the director), and my boss reacted badly. Disagreements, undermining, etc. etc.

      To start with it was a spectator sport ? but I now call that year (1997) the ?Year of Hell? because the ongoing conflict between the two parties affected the team badly too ? stress, apathy, gossip. When I eventually realised the effects were being felt at home, I looked to get out. Luckily the problem was solved before it came to that:

      Later that year my boss was removed, and I and my colleagues started working more directly with the new manager. Guess what ? things got better. The conflict was gone. We did what was asked of us and it became a good place to be again, despite some small changes that took getting used to. When I eventually moved on it was for the best reasons ? the chance to manage my own IT department somewhere else.

      I?m sorry to say the attributes of your new CIO and yourself match what I remember of both parties all those years ago.

      That?s all history now, and with hindsight my old boss either had the wrong reaction to the new manager or was a target for the hatchet anyway. I truly believe it was the former – had he co-operated things would not have degenerated.

      These days I am a CIO. I?ve always strived to NOT be my old boss ? yes I?ve reacted to things I don?t like, but I?ve learned to co-operate, negotiate, and discuss the problems rather than make someone above me look like the bad guy. And I?ve NEVER had disagreements in front of people under me ? doing this gives neither side room for saving face or finding a win/win solution.

      My advice then:

      ACCEPT he is there. He won?t have reached CIO by being a complete muppet ? he must be doing something right. Don?t undermine him, no matter how tempting. Talking about ?loyalty? from your team is misleading ? loyalty disappears as quickly as respect, and respect disappears when the managers don?t behave themselves properly and the staff become uncomfortable. Sure they may make the right noises now, but when the crunch comes they?ll want to keep their jobs ? what?s loyalty worth then?

      Put all emotion aside and TALK. Ask him what he has in mind. His job is STRATEGY ? flatter him by showing interest in what his ideas are, and in what the company is demanding of him. Subtly remind him that strategy means not getting involved in the day-to-day operations ? that?s YOUR job ? but state that you and your team will do your best to support the company strategy.

      WORK with him as much as possible. You are manager of your team ? rather than be ?one of the guys?, BE the manager. You are the one that needs to translate the company strategy from your CIO into the fine detail for your team. Learn to talk-the-talk and what the strategy means ? and all may become clear. Who knows, once you get to know the guy…

      CO-OPERATE with him, especially in public. He may be going around you because he knows you don?t co-operate. It?s up to you to change his mind. By all means document your discussions, even when you agree with him. If things go wrong, or work out well, you?ll have all you need to prove how you and your team contributed. If it turns out your feelings were correct, then he?ll eventually be found out, but you will look whiter-than-white because you were above all else PROFESSIONAL.

      Please don?t be my old boss ? he didn?t win.

      Drech makes some good points, but you need to be diplomatic.

      A lot of this requires you to swallow your pride a bit, and some co-operation on both sides. If nothing changes, then at least you?ll have been professional and you?ll have some documentation to take to someone higher up. But give things a chance. I wish you luck.

    • #3268739

      Desk-Checking is a Wonderful Thing

      by bud fields ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I have the distinct advantage of having the opportunity to read some pretty excellent posts in reply to your question before chiming in. I feel that my response will be better because of that.

      Before I replied, however, I wanted to review the problem until I felt like I completely understood it. How can I create a viable solution to a problem I do not understand?

      Sound familiar?

      When, finally, I had finished reading the posts above this one, I re-read the original problem, as originally stated. Strangely, it seemed to be a completely different problem upon the second reading than it had the first time.

      You spend a lot of time describing him, but you never really expounded on your first sentence. It seems to me as if you have missed the important first step.

      What was “Tim” doing previously? What CIO experience brings him to the task, if any? Is it possible that the Holding Company merely sought to fill a slot on the Org Chart? Is this Tim’s first assignment as CIO, coming from a successful career as an IT Manager–like yourself? Is he seeking his comfort level? What skills does he bring to the team? He IS on the team, isn’t he?

      Was the motivation of the Holding Company to change the organic nature of the team? Why? What problems does the Holding Company see that others (including yourself) may not see?

      What adds up when you displace emotion with reason? These are critically important questions, for the very reason you give. If your team is a good one, you have as its manager a responsiblity to protect it. You have a new team member who is playing a different position. How well do you understand the problems of the position? How comfortable are you, as a coach, with the workings and mechanics of that position? Are you welcoming the new kid to the team? Are YOU the problem?

      These are honest, and honorable questions that you should be addressing. Is understanding a team member “politics”? Well, umm….

      Yeah! And, it also happens (I believe) to be a really important functional responsibility of a great manager. If you’ve gone eleven years without a personal conflict or a personnel problem then you have been living a truly blessed life, indeed!

      You don’t know who, specifically, Tim is mad at, or what he’s mad about. It’s your responsibility to know, and diffuse that situation–it’s just that simple. Because he is a “challenge” isn’t the problem. But the way you respond to the challenge may be, and your team is watching. After all, it’s the first time in eleven years they’ve had the opportunity to see you at your most amazing, right?

      On my team, if there is a problem, my first response is to accept the notion that I am the problem. I also accept the notion that I am the least-contributing member of the team; that any other member of the team is more relevant than I. It’s not false modesty. But, my number one skill is finding the very best people for the task at hand. I can do that because I have intimate knowledge of my own abilities, and my own limitations. My team accepts new members because I put them there. I guess there is, after all, some semblance of respect for “him”, after all! 🙂

      I rejoice in the playful disrespect I get from my team members. They love telling new team members “Oh, that’s Bud. Don’t listen to him. He doesn’t have a clue about what we do here.”

      Especially when that same person has just spent two hours of my time behind a closed door in a conversation both of us will forever swear NEVER took place. I love making heroes out of my team members! That IS my job. That’s what I believe the best Managers do. Confrontation should be “Care”-frontation. Debate should be “brain-storming”. Your choice of colors seems to be from a rather narrow portion of your pallette.

      I’m not saying you do not know the situation you are dealing with, by any means.

      Desk-check your facts. I think you are not fully understanding the problem. And, in the final analysis, isn’t that always the most difficult part of the solution process? Evidently, your understanding of the problem is resulting in nothing but negative output. And, at every other step in the process, the entire program is being corrupted. There is a predictable outcome. There is also a relatively simple, and much less expensive solution. Re-visit the original assumptions, and start from a completely different perspective.

      Re-work your variables. And, don’t be afraid to desk-check your work. Heck, you may even determine that the very best information comes from the end-user. Viable solutions always make an easy sale. Make Tim your first Product Champion. And, do what the very best managers always do: listen. Hard! Be available to change, if the solution warrants.

      After all, after eleven years, what could possibly charge up such talent as a new challenge, and a new opportunity to produce a deliverable as important as a truly effective CIO?

      Good luck on your journey!

    • #3268511

      You MUST get along with the CIO ..

      by mrtibbs ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Assumptions:
      – Tim has been pushed in to do a job: Maybe
      troubleshoot a problem department.
      – Tim goes round you because he can and must to
      get tasks from his agenda done!

      – What happened to your old CIO? Why did you
      not step up for the role? Was the role created
      for Tim?

      Q. Who else reports to Tim? Do they have the
      same problems?
      Q. How come you know about his sensitivities?
      Have you called him an interfering idiot in
      front of others [inferred from straight talking
      & tempramental]? In which case he was 100%
      right to get annoyed. Only ever discuss poor
      performance in private.

      CIO for a subsidiary pushed into a role from
      head office suggests the subsidiary management
      needs re-enforcement either to do the right job
      or to resist interference from HQ. Which is it?

      An urgent private meeting with Tim, preferably
      off-site, to clarify your roles,
      responsibilities, expectations from the
      department and reporting is essential.

      Tim is going round you to your team .. why? Do
      you resist his suggestions if he tries to go
      through you? Does your team resist his advances
      or report the advances directly to you? Do they
      do what he asks?

      Tim did not ‘drift in’: Someone appointed him.
      Find out why and you will be half-way to solving
      the problem.

      11 years with the same company? A long time with
      one firm. Maybe Tim is coming in with new ideas
      & an expanded agenda for the department and you
      are fighting to keep doing it ‘the old way’.

      Understand what Tim is meant to be doing. His
      methods, management and leadership skill may be
      poor but he has been appointed to do a job and
      you are resisting!

      Tim is a fairly successful political animal so
      presumably has influence with some senior
      corporate management. Imagine what this warfare
      is doing to your career prospects: You appear
      [in his eyes] to be obstructive, rude,
      confrontational and disrespectful.

      Look for and learn from Tim’s good points:
      He can play politics, learn from him.
      He has been appointed so someone thinks the
      department is not performing and that
      Tim can fix it. Ask yourself why did they not
      come straight to you for a solution?

      None of these are easy questions to answer but
      they could be key to your development and enable
      your next career step to CIO.

      • #3145926

        MUST get along my *ss!!!!

        by john_galt9 ·

        In reply to You MUST get along with the CIO ..

        Tim boarders on being a Sociopath, with a touch of Psychopath thrown in. A control freak, with the ability to play the political game, which is the game on how to create the illusion of competence when your an idiot and getting the bobble-heads to go along: thus, to be socially acceptable, like the rest of the bobble-heads!!

        Solution: There is only ONE way to defeat irrational, emotionally driven stupidity, and that’s…to comply with it EXACTLY, and document every move.
        You can NOT go head to head with ‘Tim’, as reason and rationality, does not work! It’s like trying to attack a blob of jello in a room you can’t escape from, and you know it’s about to swallow you.
        The fact that an idiot or fool survives at all, is because they are given support and allowed to exist, in this “must be…socially acceptable,” world of sheep!
        You have three choices: Become like him, fight him, or step aside and watch him fall. Accepting the first two, is your own death warrant: The latter may take some time, but you can move reality ahead….comply and document and don’t forget, idiots and fools don’t survive without a support base. Reality IS the Final Judge!

        • #3270793

          Get along with – not like or support

          by mrtibbs ·

          In reply to MUST get along my *ss!!!!

          Why MUST get along? Because as soon as Tim, the
          political animal, smells dissent you will be
          left with no support from above and a team,
          below, who are already accepting instructions
          from this interloper.
          I now see, from your earlier thread, you have
          waited 6 months with your department being
          thrown into chaos underneath you.
          The original premise of ‘get along’ was based on
          this being a new problem. Having festered for 6
          months your department performance is now
          unsustainable without hard action.
          If you are certain your boss is incompetent ask
          yourself who else has noticed. If your boss
          appears incompetent to you but still maintains
          the appearance of success to those outside the
          department he must be getting the department to
          do something right even if he must work round
          you to do it.
          6 months of trying with no sign of an
          improvement in your relationship: It has passed
          the right time to move on. No good comes from
          working for a difficult yet incompetent boss.
          You cannot get along professionally, throw your
          whole department into confusion because of your
          difficult relationship and have spent the last 6
          months in hell, presumably collecting evidence
          of this fools behaviour but with no-one to give
          the evidence to because he was appointed over
          you by “friends in high places”.
          My suggestion: Get out while you still have some
          pride left.

      • #3269811

        Outstanding Observation

        by ljkinder ·

        In reply to You MUST get along with the CIO ..

        Mr. Tibbs,

        This was a really thoughtful reply. I appreciate it because being a woman with a logical, mathmatical mind, makes me perceive that I am really annoying to some. When this perception wells up, I have trained myself to engage political seatbelt; and really, carefully listen and consider what the other person is trying to say. My sympathy with Andrew, though, as it is a struggle to navigate politically, especially in technology jobs. Personally, for me, it can be a struggle to respond correctly; but, it appears those efforts are appreciated and rewarded by my CEO 🙂 (Who has to put up with me.)

    • #3270657

      Get out NOW!

      by nehpets ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      1. In todays business environment a company which makes the sort of mistake of putting a “Tim” in charge of IT, has dropped the ball, management is looking to rape the company and jump ship. Protect yourself.

      2. The biggest skill you need to learn is picking your NEXT employer, I learnt the hard way this process starts the moment you accept a job.

      3. Most companies today behave as psychopaths, and this is now being studied in psychology and business schools worldwide, so protect yourself.

      4. If you have been there 11 years, your managers have become so used to you, that they do not even “see” you, let alone value you or your efforts. GET OUT!

      5. Your next employer will pay you more money, and treat you better, at least for a little while.

      These trends are happening in all areas of business, IT is just at the bleeding edge, so there’s not much support or advice out there.

      Best of luck!
      Steve

    • #3270632

      DO IT NOW!

      by roquenton ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I am not in IT but I was a customer service rep. in the banking and remittance processing industry for 15 years. I finally got fed up with working for completely unreasonable assholes who had all the answers but couldn’t do my job and had absolute power over my livelihood. I am now working for the US Govt. and I am very happy. If you are already working for the Fed Govt. then I suggest toughing it out or transferring to another agency. If you do not currently work for the U.S. Federal Government then I suggest you give it a try.
      http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/jobsearch.asp?q=information+technology&salmin=&salmax=&paygrademin=&paygrademax=&FedEmp=N&tm=&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=0&SUBMIT1.y=0&SUBMIT1=Search+for+Jobs

    • #3270605

      Handling the Peter Prinicipal behavior

      by robert.walsh ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Either these people get to their positions because of who they know or the Peter Principle (you rise to your level of incompetence). And every time they get hired by somebody a couple of steps up the food chain from me, we are told that the new hire is going to save the department, the division, the unit. Within days, everybody in the shop scrambles to make sure that they won?t be culpable or in the vicinity when the new idiot needs to be taken down. The original principle states that in a hierarchically structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their “level of incompetence”. The principle is based on the observation that in such an organization new employees typically start in the lower ranks, but when they prove to be competent in the task to which they are assigned, they get promoted to a higher rank. This process of climbing up the hierarchical ladder can go on indefinitely, until the employee reaches a position where he or she is no longer competent. At that moment the process typically stops, since the established rules of bureaucracies make that it is very difficult to “demote” someone to a lower rank, even if that person would be much better fitted and more happy in that lower position. The net result is that most of the higher levels of a bureaucracy will be filled by incompetent people, who got there because they were quite good at doing a different (and usually, but not always, easier) task than the one they are expected to do.
      The evolutionary generalization of the principle is less pessimistic in its implications, since evolution lacks the bureaucratic inertia that pushes and maintains people in an unfit position. But what will certainly remain is that systems confronted by evolutionary problems will quickly tackle the easy ones, but tend to get stuck in the difficult ones. The better (more fit, smarter, more competent, more adaptive) a system is, the more quickly it will solve all the easy problems, but the more difficult the problem will be it finally gets stuck in. Getting stuck here does not mean “being unfit”, it just means having reached the limit of one’s competence, and thus having great difficulty advancing further. This explains why even the most complex and adaptive species (such as ourselves, humans) are always still “struggling for survival” in their niches as energetically as are the most primitive organisms such as bacteria.
      Document the strengths and weaknesses of the CIO, and send an anonymous letter (not email) to their supervisor. Hint at either further training in management might help this person be better respected, and that good employees are hard to keep employed under conditions such as these. You can?t change the CIO, and you can?t be someone you are not because of their personal traits!

      • #3143980

        A little comic relief

        by mark miller ·

        In reply to Handling the Peter Prinicipal behavior

        I found this at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dilbert_Principle): The Dilbert Principle:

        The Dilbert Principle refers to a 1990s satirical observation stating that companies tend to systematically promote their least-competent employees to management, in order to limit the amount of damage that they’re capable of doing. In terms of effectiveness, it is related to a band of gorillas choosing an alpha-squirrel to lead them.

        🙂

    • #3270557

      “Not playing politics” … is B.S – its the worst kind

      by beoweolf ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Your initial remark of “not playing politics” is the worst kind of politics. You have established a Fiefdom, a territory and want it respected. But you do not want to stoop to the level of negotiation that is required maintain that “delegated” authority.

      I say “delegated” from the point that the CIO, is the actual authority – by definition of his job title. Someone is sufficiently impressed by his skills or he would not have the position…that is the only correct assumption a subordinate can actually make. Why or how he was able to impress his superiors is irrelevant, the simple fact is … He is your boss.

      I agree that skipping a management level, by making direct demands on your departmental employees, is not a good sign. It is disrespectful to you, shows a lack of perspective on his part. The unspoken assumption is your subordinates have too much free time, so much so that engaging them in another activity will not prevent them from handling their assigned duties. The way to handle that is not to fight it or have your team fight your battle for you. I have a 5 minute rule; if the request from “C” level executive is something simple, and can be done in 5 minutes or less, then what?s the harm? That would be something like moving a box out of the aisle, giving a quick summary of what the employee is working on, handling a health and safety issue that needs immediate attention, etc. If the request requires running reports, using departmental resources; then you have every expectation that it should be channeled thru you, so the work can be scheduled, allocated to the best person that “you” think should handle the job. That?s where politics rears its ugly head…by arguing against your CIO’s ideas (no matter how hare-brained they may seem to you) you make it easy for him to justify leaving you out of the loop. Some how you need to turn that around, get him to realize that your “management” is better than his ad hoc decisions at micro management.

      Whether it is too late to salvage this relationship, is actually in question. Once it gets bad enough that the CIO believes he has to manage day-to-day affairs; it is seriously bad. Either he has your job marked as one that is redundant or he has someone else in line for the position. Most ?C? level executives, despite popular rumor?have more than enough things to occupy their time. Managing work floor issues is not something most would find worth diverting energy to perform, unless they have lost confidence in the current manager.

      You need to turn this around as quickly as possible, both to save your job find some way to relieve this work delegation tension … believe me, it is there, whether you know it or not!

      Bottom line; This is not a sustainable situation.

    • #3271169

      Get Out Now on Your Own Terms

      by gilbertd ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Your situation sounds extremely similar to what I just experienced. I had been at a company for 11 years and was the senior IT manager. Management fired the previous CIO and decided to hire from the outside via a national search. Management believed that I would not accept this decision (because I was interested in the position) and expected me to resist it.

      I went out of my way to support the new CIO and provided numerous documents/information to him in advance of his arrival. When I saw he got off to some missteps, I took it upon myself to try to help him by scheduling a 1-on-1 session. This completely backfired as he was not open to feedback.

      I then tried the approach of following him mindlessly and keeping my mouth shut. This too backfired as others who were disappointed by him began speaking up. Because I was the senior leader, it was thought that I was leading the charge (even though I wasn’t).

      I was in a no win situation. Ultimately, the CIO decided to lay me off and management backed this. They already had egg on their face from their previous decision and they were determined to make this new CIO a success.

      I have moved on and found a new job that pays more than what I was making. In hindsight, the only thing I would have changed is walking out the door on my own vs. what actually happened (being laid off).

      My advice to you is get out now on your own terms…

      • #3142004

        “Dead Man Walking …”

        by frwagne ·

        In reply to Get Out Now on Your Own Terms

        Your new boss is already bypassing you in giving tasks to your subordinates – you’re already history, get moving on finding your next job. Keep doing what you can to be a productive contributor where you are (documentation updates you hadn’t had time to do before, references and diagrams – leave a legacy so others will remember you gratefully) , and don’t bad-mouth the organization, but it’s time to move on.

    • #3142063

      The Ball is in Your Court

      by mikebytes ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Andrew, I am an old guy and been around this stuff for years. I am strong willed, confident, and not patient with “stupidity” in high places. That is what I am but frankly it does not serve me well when it comes to those in high places. I discovered that you can only change yourself and that may or may not change the other person. There are several good ideas here that you can try but my contribution to this would be for you to find out exactly what the new CIO wants from you professionally and in public and do it. If you cannot “do it” which is possible then you can continue to fight with the risk of loosing (what are the long term effects of this?) or looking for another job and lay low while you are doing it. Obviously this is not easy but it is straight foreward.

    • #3142008

      I was in almost an exact situation

      by mmolinaro ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I was in almost an exact situation. The problem I had was with a CFO. I can tell you this, you have a good chance of salvaging this if the following occurrs:

      1.) Does the CIO actually follow through on what he says (good or bad, against or for you). In other words, is he good for his word? Consistency is the key. If he is hot and cold in attitude and actions on a daily business that is a problem senior management needs to know about. He may be good with dealing with his peers but a flop in dealing with staff. The CFO i worked for did the opposite of what he said all the time. Everyone simply knew what ever he said was a load of crap because the action never matched the speak. In a way he was consistent but not a leadership type consistency you want to emulate.

      2.) Did you ever take the time to find out what is and isn’t important to him on a daily basis as well as tactically and strategically. In other words really talk and listen to him. Pin him down to what fires and strategic initiatives he will committ to on paper and effort. Document this in detail. Make him put his “stick in the mud” instead of trying to hit daily moving targets. Once documented on a daily and weekly basis he will find this hard to escape from after a track record is mapped. You may be surprised at what you learn as well. Maybe you are actually focusing on the wrong things.

      3.) Are you a manager/director/VP or a senior engineer/tech. This probably sets the tone between the two of you. If you are not in mid to upper management then you’re one of the guys and gals. If you are management then you need to have an informal discussion regarding command, control and communications with him. Tell him you do not approve of subtrafuge and commanderring staff. The 2nd meeting is formal. the 3rd meeting goes to the head of HR. If it gets to the 4th meeting it is to the CEO and the fifth meeting you should suspect will be your exit interview. All must be documented. Thoroughly. supply actual factual samples whenever supporting your arguments.

      4.) Keep the troops from the tension. Don’t undercut the CIO in front of or around the staff, or in meetings or with peers. Your issue must always remain between you and Tim. Remember, he’s in executive management. The CEO will defend him before you. They chose him unless it was a group interview in which case you will have no case. You will be perceived as the trouble maker. Be a solutions and communications provider. Not a troublemaker.

      5.) you need to be more flexible than teh CIO. That’s a fact and start bending. Don’t focus on the technology. Focus on team building by shedding the tension you both have from the staff and re-define yourself. You can change yourself but you can’t change him. By changing yourself everyone will react to you positively as long as the focus is positive.

      6.) You need to do a better job at selling and managing up. This is something many IT and engineering personnel do not do well or at all. Your technical prowess and detailed knowledge do nothiong for you in the management world. The best coder and engineer does not equate to the highest ranking and paid leader or manager. The other business and finance fields will never b able to relate to what an engineer or programmer can do or think like. The more you ram your technical superiority over business managers the more you will be ignored.

      7.) At all times attempt to live to the following creed “be brief, be brilliant, be gone). This motto will be the best peice of advice i can give you when managing up.

      hoefully this helps

    • #3141939

      Try to find honor in this one

      by dvsjr ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      I would consider two possibilities. You say he is adept at politics,
      and does not support his staff. This shows his weakness and
      cowardice. This person has no honor. I would demand to battle
      him in a traditional qab jIH nagil. (Face me if you dare)

      Depending on how he fights would determine his fate. First, if
      he fights poorly, simply finish the coward quickly. Contact HR
      for a replacement, but ask to be included in the next selection
      process.

      If he fights well, consider performing the R’uustai with him,
      forevor bonding the two of you as brothers, knowing that should
      he return to his cowardly ways he is but a kut’luch strike from
      Sto Vo Kor.

    • #3141843

      IT’s about change

      by old timer ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Have you considered that Tim may have a brief to change some things in IT and that you may have missed his message – or he might just be too careful to effectively communicate it.

      Either way, I would suggest the one-on-one professional discussion to get some insights into his charter from the “holding company” and his agenda for IT. This may be linked to some big changes for the enterprise – you may never know unless you ask.

      If he has not got a change agenda you can adopt as your own, then good, at least you know. If not, there are plenty of companies who would look to employ you as a CIO. With 11 years experience as a senior IT manager its time to look after your own career; one way or another.

    • #3141842

      My sympathy

      by raven2 ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Sounds like a bad situation. If he doesn’t support his staff, he is likely playing the blame game.

      1) END RUN – Since you have been with the company as long as you have, do you have a relationship with any of the other top management?

      2) OUTSOURCE HIM – You could give his name to a recruiter and have him maybe go someplace else. Talking to a recruiter might be a good move for you anyway.

      3) BIT OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING – Learn about social-styles. This is something the sales and marketing folks have used for a long time. Coaches teach this to help people “connect”.

      Of course connecting to a game playing political animal fraught with problems. Watch your back and keep notes on all conversations, meetings, and issues.

    • #3269834

      He’s in charge, therefore…

      by jkameleon ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      … it’s only fair that everyone screws everything up exactly the way he wants it.

    • #3269818

      Positive Response

      by ljkinder ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      Hi Andrew,

      If the new CIO is the “new kid” and you are a subordinate, it is your responsibility to make the CIO feel welcome. It sounds like there could be some resentment; perhaps you applied for the CIO position and didn’t get it? That’s my first guess. After that, it sounds like a personality conflict. Keep in mind that true geeks need to work on social skills. Those that don’t are called “management.” (Settle down, just IS humor.) It sounds like you need to make swift effort to work collaboratively and try to communicate in a positive, helpful way. (You mentioned that the CIO was assigning tasks to your subordinates?) This is definately NOT a good sign; so you will want to make every effort, using positive, deferential tone, to establish communication and build trust; otherwise you could be out the door.

    • #3269794

      ANDREWV!

      by tim ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      you are fired!

    • #3142991

      Social skills

      by wrlang ·

      In reply to Difficult CIO?

      You both need to take some training in communication and beef up your social skills.

      Other than your self perception and your perception of Tim (all opinion) you haven?t given any real facts to go on.

      Self perception rarely matches others perception of you. But I can vividly picture your meetings and I think your people have probably enjoyed some of your combined antics up till now. I would expect many people to react like Tim if your descriptions are reasonably accurate.

      I think Tim is inexperienced and should have sat down with you a long time ago to explain the roles and responsibilities, and I think you should stop trying to be the alpha male and support your boss so he can return that support and improve morale for everyone.

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