Page 15 - DCAP307_PLANNING_AND_MANAGING_IT_INFRASTRUCTURE

Unit 1: IT for Managers

The roles of an IT Manager can vary from company to company. In some companies the IT Notes
Manager is responsible for strategic direction and planning, while at other companies the IT
Manager may fulfil a purely technical leadership role. Be sure you fully understand this role at
your company or during the interview when changing jobs. Also, be aware that as companies
grow and change, the roles of the managers will grow and change with it.
This large variation in responsibilities and the constant change in IT organisations and
responsibilities can be a great thing for your career. This allows you to start out in a role more
suited to your abilities and grow into larger ones. It also means that as the company grows, so
must you. Information Technology (sometimes referred to as Information Systems) is a career
that requires continued learning and adaptability. New technologies, systems, and processes
are created almost weekly.

The bad news is that the role of an IT Manager with all of these key skills and the ever changing
landscape is quite often a thankless job. One Director of Fortune 500 retailer was once quoted
telling her boss “If everything is working the way it was planned and architected, no one knows
I exist. However, when it breaks, everyone knows my name.” That is to say that even the best IT
Managers get the wind knocked out from under their sails on occasion.
Keep in mind that to many people, an IT Manager can mean many different things. Each
department within the organisation will have a slightly different perspective of what they
believe your job and your focus to be. This also applies to your boss and his/her superiors.
Some defines the role of a manager as “Getting things done through other people.” Some
defines management as “Authoritative control over a person or group of people.” As you might
notice, these definitions are at somewhat different ends of the spectrum. The first represents
collaboration while the second the represents control. While both are accurate descriptions, it
will be your job as a manager to use the right definition or combination thereof at the right
time(s).
The truth is most likely that you, as a manager, will fall more heavily into one of these definitions
that the other. You should take some time to evaluate yourself and your style. Then, be cognizant
of the style you are most likely to swing to. This will save you sometime down the road as you
learn to manage others and conflicts arise.

The catch is that most likely, as you grow in your career and job you are likely to change your
style to suit the company and/or culture you are in. So which style will you be? It’s hard to tell.
There are many tales of managers who change companies and are shocked to find out that their
style of management is completely incompatible with their new company’s culture.

Example: A manager directs his/her employees to execute a step by step plan for the
rollout of a new application. However, the company culture is very collaborative and the team
he/she is now leading expects to be part of the decisions, planning and direction of the project.
One of the most common struggles we hear about with new managers is resentment from
fellow team members. Sometimes peers (that are now your employees) will resent the fact that
you were promoted and they were not. Others might simply feel that you are not qualified for
the job. These issues are very common to new managers, especially if one or more of your peers
(now employee) have ever managed before and you have not.
This can be a slow process to get past, and in some cases may require outside help from your
superiors and/or your Human Resources department. In most cases however, all that is required
is a little time and communication from both parties. This starts by building a relationship with
your team. Talk to each person, both in public and private. Learn their talents and recognise the
contributions.

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