The Rising Cost of Deflation

Several times in the past few weeks I've heard stories from people who had been part of self-motivated teams that took it upon themselves to do great things and induce change in their company, only to have the wind taken out of their sails by management.

Instead of letting people run with good ideas and try new things, management decides to take over, often starting from scratch, and telling people how they should do things. This is the epitomy of poor management. It hurts morale, breeds apathy, and generates wasted rework. Worse yet, it undermines accountability.

I'll repeat one of my favorite statements from General George S. Patton:

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they'll surprise you with their ingenuity."

Bottom line for managers. Engagement matters. If people show initiative, get out of the way.

Strategic or Tactical Role: A Choice

Doing tactical technology support is a good place to learn the inner workings of the IT organization and the daily-issues confronted by the business, but shifting focus to value creation through projects is an exciting and rewarding career track. ...

... "In addition to the direct financial costs of late delivery of IT projects, the report suggests that fire-fighting has a negative human impact in terms of IT managers' self-perception and morale. " ...

Via CRN Australia: Fight Fires