Sunday | 23 November, 2008
Wildfires and Rogue Users
What percentage of IT departmental time is devoted to rescuing the intransigent?
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What percentage of IT departmental time is devoted to rescuing the intransigent? Of course, we do need to keep in mind that in the IT context, sometimes people are just resisting policies of monumental stupidity and soul-crushing inconvenience. But how many of them stop to try to understand the purpose of a policy they want to violate before violating it?
What should we do with those who blatantly ignore policy? Here are a few thoughts.
1. Let them suffer the consequences of their actions. While this would be the most satisfying option, I'm not sure that it's the most expedient. Imagine the news reports if the Southern California firefighters chose this approach: "I know that 30 people died, but we warned them." In IT, the equivalent might be, "We know that the payroll was all wrong, but we told them to scrub the data before delivering it to us." Probably wouldn't go over too well.
2. Provide unlimited support, no matter how obnoxious the behaviour. This is what we usually end up doing. We in IT want to be helpful, and we usually tamp down our frustration and outrage and get on with fixing whatever problem people bring to us. Of course, by doing this, we inadvertently encourage future infractions. People learn that we will help them no matter what they do.
3. Provide support within defined limits. We can provide support on a work-permitting basis for unsupported items. Or we can prioritize work, providing support for rogue users only after we have completed support of those who respect the rules. If we can offer help in a way that is defined by a policy, it can help set expectations about what we will and won't do.
The intransigent will always be with us. We may as well plan how we'll respond to them before we allow ourselves to be drawn into the void of risking our work for those who don't respect the time and rules of others.
Paul Glen is the founder of the GeekLeaders.com Web community and author of the award-winning book Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead People Who Deliver Technology (Jossey-Bass, 2003). Contact him at info@paulglen.com.
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