Re: [SAGE] Managers who "engineer"

[Phil Pennock <Phil.Pennock@globnix.org>]

On 2002-07-16 at 12:50 +0200, Phil Pennock wrote:
> I'm looking for feedback from those older, wiser and more experienced in
> industry.
> 
> How common is it for senior management to make engineering decisions,
> overriding the engineers?
> 
> When this (repeatedly) results in breakage, costing the
> company/institution $$$, what is typically the consequence?

In writing the above, I really trimmed down a lot of things that I
_wanted_ to say, on the basis that it's not professional to publically
bitch details about your employer.  I'm kinda growing up and learning to
hold my tongue.  Since it's led to some confusion, I'll say a little
more.

Along the way, I made the above _too_ short, which has led to some
confusion.  I'm not actually the person being heavilty over-riden.

I have an excellent manager.  Whilst I do get overriden, I've managed to
get an explicit statement from my manager that I'm not the person
responsible.  Hey, I read Æleen Frisch's Essential System Administration
book years back, and the point about "responsibility without authority"
stuck.  ;^)

I'm actually looking at problems elsewhere in the company, which have
knock-on effects here.  Especially when our work gets dragged down to a
lowest common denominator level.

We're now looking at having our border routers renumbered into the
"other" AS, so that third parties won't be able to sensibly determine
better routes.  Especially since the other AS's network breaks.  A lot.
Primarily because of Management who believe that they're Network
Engineers, and better at it than the netengs employed as such.

Unfortunately, a prime example being an Executive Director.

_My_ boss, the NOC Manager, is the only reason that I'm still here;
without him, I'd have left years ago.  He's highly technical; wrote
8-bit compilers, can read the ASCII strings in hex dumps, etc.  And
almost as pedantic as I am, yet still knows his limits (and generally
tries to learn more).  .sig set to a short conversation between us.


For reference, I've so far received a total of nine replies; seven who
feel that the described situation is too common.  One person who, by
appearances, must've been Blessed by $DEITY in never having worked in
such a place.  And one Mike Hoskin's very balanced view, which also went
to the list.
-- 
Jim: [gf] told me last night that I was a pedant, particularly when I'm drunk.
Phil: *dripping sarcasm*  No!  You don't say?  How could she?
Jim: Yeah, so I spent half an hour explaining to her why she was wrong.