July 20, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Be Reasonabl
July 21, 2011 at 12:35 am
Great editorial!
Us IT-people (developers, sysadmins, support staff, etc) are usually at the mercy of some kind of manager and bureaucracy. And since managers are also humans, they can also be either a-holes or wonderful or something in between. If you have a horrible manager or the company culture is simply wrong and the situation doesn't seem to change then find a new job and quit! In that order. Don't stay around and be miserable.
/@devandreas
July 21, 2011 at 12:57 am
Hi
Good post, I have definately felt like that before.
However I think the problem comes in with people dynamics, in any business the good will progress and the content will be content.
Why are content people hired, because someone need to refill the printer. Or someone needs to make sure your ram is installed on your PC because if you cut your finger while installing the ram and you are not qualified it calls for a lawsuit.
Now, how does this affect you, you want a new screen, the content worker want something too. Even though he was content, because both of you do different things and add different value he needs self worth factor, which you are getting via a monitor.
the boss who said yes to you will now reconsider, because every tom and harry will want something.
It's a difficult benchmark.
As I've personnaly know what productivity difference I had between 2 monitors and 2GB RAM VS 4 monitors and 4GB ram. BIG Difference.
I can TS into atleast 8 servers confortably.
Id say it should be a FFA approach. that come as part of your package, that way everyone is within bounds.
HR \ receptionist 1 screen, 1gb ram. 3D studio max designer , a senior one at that big screen = his package.
But now, HR is sitting a surfing youtube and pull all the bandwidth , now you need to throttle that too.
And that's a positive outlook.
I think a good company, has the difference in that they realize how to deal with these situations on a case by case basis and managing their people.
July 21, 2011 at 2:17 am
I've never had a problem getting what I need to do my job. If I need a book, I can get it. I have a corporate credit card. I'd probably seek manager approval first just in case though. Since 1983, I've only worked for 3 companies (1 was bought by another so it technically ends up being 4). During that time, I've always felt like I could get any reasonable item that would help my productivity.
Now with the internet being available everywhere, I don't need any books.
July 21, 2011 at 6:07 am
Cudos! Absolutely on-point editorial!
Funny, but if you were a soldier and needed a more effective weapon, you'd get it.
If you dug ditches and needed a better shovel, you'd get it.
If you were a CEO and needed a fancier desk, you'd get it.
But 2 monitors to have more development space? In some companies you might as well be asking for your own hoovercraft with on-board hologrammic communications system.
If you go out of your way to hire "homerun hitters" in IT, for God's sake - dont send them up to bat with a broom handle! Give them the tools, and only then can they consistently knock it out of the park for you.
July 21, 2011 at 6:17 am
Good article.
Here it is a mixed bag. Need a book, just ask, need a monitor ask but it might be a couple months. Need training, ask and you will get a promise for some day that never comes.
One group had employees who could work from home 2 or 3 days a week. Then one employee was not allowed to work from home. When she cried discrimination to HR no one could work from home.
It seems that the smaller the company, the easier it is to have sensible rules. As the number of employees grows the harder it is to be "reasonable" on an individual basis.
July 21, 2011 at 6:54 am
It all boils down to leadership (or the lack thereof). Good leadership can produce positive results in a highly diverse environment. Good leaders tend to unify people toward a common set of principles and goals. Poor leaders do not inspire people to work together and the very worst of them actually take sides in an effort to pit one group against another for their own political or personal gain.
If you look behind the scenes at the most successful companies out there you will find good leadership. This is true for virtually any entity you can define from a family to the US government. The ones that have little or no debt, and seem to be thriving despite a bad economy are that way mostly because of good quality leadership from the CEO on down.
The probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival.
July 21, 2011 at 7:08 am
The joys of working essentially for yourself. Anything I want (book, hardware, course, exam) I get, I just have to find the budget for it myself.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 21, 2011 at 7:21 am
Amen to telecommuting! Heck, even the VP of IT at my company is pushing for it but it's the President that will not hear it. Some people are just stuck in the tradition of their own work environments back in the day that they are resistant to change.
Oh well, as long as it's not like the movie Horrible Bosses, I'm fine.
July 21, 2011 at 7:23 am
Funny! An editorial about being reasonable about rules, and the title violates the rules (spelling). 😛
Now that I've finished making fun of Steve, I guess I wreely nede to maik shure I dont hav ani spleling tipos in thee wrest ov mi poste, write? (Sorry Steve, I couldn't didn't want to resist.)
On-subject, I've worked for companies where the budget was so tight that a book was pretty much out of the question, and ones where managers would actually take the time to come to my desk and ask, "are you really sure there aren't any further tools that we can get you to make your job easier?", and many that were in between.
The biggest indicator I see on this one is, when you come in to interview, see if people at their desks are sitting in comfortable chairs or not. That one will tell you the "stinginess level" of a company more than anything else, in my experience.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
July 21, 2011 at 7:39 am
I agree with all of the responses I have read so far, and mostly with the article. However, if we want to understand why we have this issue, we need to look at how we are raised to accept this.
School children are forced to conform to very narrow behaviors. Anyone who acts slightly different is chastised unless they are in a special interest group (sports is one example). Those children who have different interests, who learn faster, are usually punished. My son has got in trouble for reading too fast. He has a lexile score of almost 1200 in 5th grade, and they are using Dick and Jane style books to teach! Gee, you think he may have trouble conforming?
The other kids are jealous of those who can read better, but don't want to put in the effort to learn how themselves.
Those kids grow up to be the managers and workers of the future who can't accept that someone might be more talented than they are, and deserve more money, more resources, or anything else.
How many people work for companies that actually base bonuses on actual individual performance? There aren't many.
So while the idea behind the article is awe inspiring, I doubt it will see widespread application. It is too bad.
Dave
July 21, 2011 at 7:52 am
djackson 22568 is right on when it comes to the societal issue. Unfortunately, its an argument as old as history itself. Culture wants to make nice, uniform, conforming, bricks out of rocks, the individual. Great ideas come from individual efforts, not the collective. Yet in every corporation that I've worked in, there's the constant mantra from management and HR, "Be a brick, be a brick, be a brick".
I've finally found a small company, where I can work from home 90% of the time that pays reasonably well and has exciting work. When I need something reasonable, I ask and usually get it. I count my blessings every day.
July 21, 2011 at 7:56 am
At one job, IT was "re-engineered" and I was moved to Corporate in another building. But not everyone liked that idea, so I had to switch desks between two physical buildings every week. Sounds like the perfect scenario for a laptop? No! Because, and I quote, "it would make other people jealous". :crazy:
Same job, I was spending Easter weekend at my parents house, about 3 hours away. Major issues at work, so I used my own cell and my parents dialup over long-distance to assist, pretty much ruining our weekend. I left my folks $50 for their phone bill and put in an expense report. It was approved, but only after being chastised by my director. He strongly suggested that my retired parents on a fixed income get high-speed internet just in case this ever happens again.
So I left. Get to my new job, and the director shows me around, gives me my new smart phone, laptop, and docking station. When we get to my cube, he looks at the 17" LCD and says "Is that what they gave you? We'll get you setup right." I now have a gorgeous 24" IPS LCD panel, that along with my opened laptop in the dock gives me tons of acreage to work. 😀
I'm a DBA. Trust is essential. I believe I'm trusted not to make frivilous requests. And in return, I get just about all I need.
Now, my problem is the 55" LCD I need in order to monitor all of these important money-making databases... 😉
Rich
July 21, 2011 at 8:01 am
richj-826679 (7/21/2011)
Now, my problem is the 55" LCD I need in order to monitor all of these important money-making databases... 😉
Are you sure you don't need two? 😉
/@devandreas
July 21, 2011 at 8:03 am
GSquared (7/21/2011)
The biggest indicator I see on this one is, when you come in to interview, see if people at their desks are sitting in comfortable chairs or not. That one will tell you the "stinginess level" of a company more than anything else, in my experience.
Actually, it's not a bad idea when the interviewer asks if you have any questions for you to request to speak with some of the other associates. This is a two way street. The company wants a good candidate and you want to work for a good company. Before I quit the current company, I want to make sure the new company will be a good place to work. What better way to find out than to ask the other employees.
Also, it seems easier to find a job when you already have one and you're not desperate to be employed. You have better negotiating ability if you can really turn down their offer. Go ask those employees if they are happy and don't hide the fact you're asking for those reasons. The interviewer will get the feeling that you don't really need the job and you're debating working for them and that assures them you might have marketable skills and are confident with yourself.
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