Brahma
Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
My hierarchy at work goes like this...
CIO
SVP
Director
Manager
Senior Engineer
Engineers
Analysts
Techs
I am the senior engineer.
My VP started at the same time I did approximately six months ago. She has a resume that boasts she was an architect for some company I never heard of but did exist. Those in IT know how rare that is...they are usually the best of the best for those that don't know.
One thing that really stood out was that she never stayed in one location for more than two years. I thought that odd, but no one else raised a flag, so I figured that may be the norm at those levels of management. BUT, what stood out was that she was a project manager most of those 10 years. So in my mind, she was a wiz and moved on once she cleaned up her companies mess...OR it took a couple years to catch on to her and they booted her ass out the door. Unfortunately for me, it's the latter I am thinking.
In my 25 years in IT I have never seen a VP involved with day to day operations. Major projects yes. Day to day, why sully yourself? This woman is the epitome of a micromanager. She questions/wants DAILY write ups of the techs day to day dealings. Analysts day to day work, and projects. Engineers projects, and today she questioned my 2 projects.
I buttoned up my notes and progress. Cleaned up all Visio's and documentations, and gave her what she requested. I'm cool as The Fonz.
I lie to you not. She wondered why I had not hyperlinked a particular tab. (The reason was that I had not gathered all that info and needed the customer to respond. There are approximately 20 tabs just an FYI). Went into how this was unacceptable work, how she needs to present this to the customer (I still have 3 weeks BTW before I need to present a SOW to her) Blah Blah Blah...
Instead of looking at me being 95% complete on a project I received this past Wednesday, and due in October, she went somewhere I was really not expecting. This is the 1st time she has tried this with me. The rest of the team she hits them over the head every day with silly shit. She pretty much leaves me alone.
The second "project" she tested was re-routing of calls out of Miami. Wondered why she didn't reach certain call centers as per Visio's she had on hand. I'm like "Bitch! Have you seen the news? Shit in Miami is fucked up right now!" She also asked what I am telling you are dumb questions I expect from a tech, never mind someone who boasts to have been an architect. I had to re-read the emails she sent a couple times to make sure she was asking what I think she was asking. I answered her and CC'd everyone that she originally CC'd, without being condescending. Now she wants to discuss my handling of Miami. Although there are ZERO complaints and all directors involved and my CIO acknowledged a job well done in an emergency.
She's flying up now and will be here at 4PM. I have everything ready to go, so I ask, how do I handle this?
Everyone wants me, including my director to "tell her about herself". I'm usually like fuck no...BUT she is a major issue with this department running smoothly. They have tried their best to make her see this to no avail.
Without getting into everything, just trust me, she is bad at what she is supposed to do. Instead of being a VP, she is in project manager mode. Skipping directors and managers is just stupid, especially if they are more than competent. This style of hers throws everything off considering how far up the food chain she is. Nothing gets done because if she questions anything, you drop what you are doing, well because she is a VP. Ignoring what you probably should be doing because you need to respond, or put into crisis mode because of a useless observation on her part.
I will say this. I absolutely will make her look stupid with what she is questioning me on. That's a given. I'm hoping there are people in the room so as to make sure she can't say I said anything inappropriate. I am also going to ask small questions to test her knowledge tech wise. I refuse to believe she was an architect. I am in no fear of losing my job for anyone that may think that. I can push back and question her reasoning.
Anyway, advice before 4PM brethren!
CIO
SVP
Director
Manager
Senior Engineer
Engineers
Analysts
Techs
I am the senior engineer.
My VP started at the same time I did approximately six months ago. She has a resume that boasts she was an architect for some company I never heard of but did exist. Those in IT know how rare that is...they are usually the best of the best for those that don't know.
One thing that really stood out was that she never stayed in one location for more than two years. I thought that odd, but no one else raised a flag, so I figured that may be the norm at those levels of management. BUT, what stood out was that she was a project manager most of those 10 years. So in my mind, she was a wiz and moved on once she cleaned up her companies mess...OR it took a couple years to catch on to her and they booted her ass out the door. Unfortunately for me, it's the latter I am thinking.
In my 25 years in IT I have never seen a VP involved with day to day operations. Major projects yes. Day to day, why sully yourself? This woman is the epitome of a micromanager. She questions/wants DAILY write ups of the techs day to day dealings. Analysts day to day work, and projects. Engineers projects, and today she questioned my 2 projects.
I buttoned up my notes and progress. Cleaned up all Visio's and documentations, and gave her what she requested. I'm cool as The Fonz.
I lie to you not. She wondered why I had not hyperlinked a particular tab. (The reason was that I had not gathered all that info and needed the customer to respond. There are approximately 20 tabs just an FYI). Went into how this was unacceptable work, how she needs to present this to the customer (I still have 3 weeks BTW before I need to present a SOW to her) Blah Blah Blah...
Instead of looking at me being 95% complete on a project I received this past Wednesday, and due in October, she went somewhere I was really not expecting. This is the 1st time she has tried this with me. The rest of the team she hits them over the head every day with silly shit. She pretty much leaves me alone.
The second "project" she tested was re-routing of calls out of Miami. Wondered why she didn't reach certain call centers as per Visio's she had on hand. I'm like "Bitch! Have you seen the news? Shit in Miami is fucked up right now!" She also asked what I am telling you are dumb questions I expect from a tech, never mind someone who boasts to have been an architect. I had to re-read the emails she sent a couple times to make sure she was asking what I think she was asking. I answered her and CC'd everyone that she originally CC'd, without being condescending. Now she wants to discuss my handling of Miami. Although there are ZERO complaints and all directors involved and my CIO acknowledged a job well done in an emergency.
She's flying up now and will be here at 4PM. I have everything ready to go, so I ask, how do I handle this?
Everyone wants me, including my director to "tell her about herself". I'm usually like fuck no...BUT she is a major issue with this department running smoothly. They have tried their best to make her see this to no avail.
Without getting into everything, just trust me, she is bad at what she is supposed to do. Instead of being a VP, she is in project manager mode. Skipping directors and managers is just stupid, especially if they are more than competent. This style of hers throws everything off considering how far up the food chain she is. Nothing gets done because if she questions anything, you drop what you are doing, well because she is a VP. Ignoring what you probably should be doing because you need to respond, or put into crisis mode because of a useless observation on her part.
I will say this. I absolutely will make her look stupid with what she is questioning me on. That's a given. I'm hoping there are people in the room so as to make sure she can't say I said anything inappropriate. I am also going to ask small questions to test her knowledge tech wise. I refuse to believe she was an architect. I am in no fear of losing my job for anyone that may think that. I can push back and question her reasoning.
Anyway, advice before 4PM brethren!
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