Why I still have a job



  • As a result of a botched release, we hired a Senior Release Manager to coordinate amongst team release managers to set dependencies, rollback procedures, etc.

    The Senior Release Manager met with each team release manager to get the current state of things. Then he started reviewing svn checkins to get an idea of what was being deployed, to see if it matched requirements. Not really his job, but I admire his diligence. In so doing, he spotted my code to speed up and then slow down our application.

    In spite of my comments, he wasn't really sure what I was gonig for so he asked me to explain it to him. I explained. He didn't believe me because no manager would ever be that stupid short sighted. I provided more detail. He sought out the senior manager responsible for issuing those decisions and explained that this was not the way to run things; that he was going to impose rules that would make this place run as a proper IT shop.

    The senior manager advised him that it was done this way to save lots of time that would otherwise be spent changing things that already "worked".

    The senior release manager insisted; vigorously.

    I advised them of the right thing to do and then did what they (albeit foolishly) wanted; I am viewed as a team player, and still have a high paying job where I can still make modest inroads to improving things.

    The senior release manager put his foot down for the right reasons, but in the wrong way in front of the wrong person.

    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    This is why I tend to leave things be if folks don't want to take my advice.

     

     



  •  Wow - so he was there less than a week!



  •  Aww, I thought snoofle had found a friend.



  • I have no experience as a senior release manager, but I can play a second rate one that caves to management most of the time.  Where do I send my resume?



  • @snoofle said:

    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    Good for him. He did the right thing, he did his job, and he can leave the building with this self-respect intact and holding his head high with pride.

    I can't express how disgusted I am about everything I've heard about your company. It's not just WTFs, but tyrannical leadership who fires people at a moment's notice for no reason? Goddamn, Scrooge would listen better.



  •  @Blakeyrat [truth] - no argument here - they are a nutty bunch.



  •  I do hope, for the sake of everyone who follows your angst, that the day you leave that company is the day you shame them here!



  • @snoofle said:

    @Blakeyrat [truth] - no argument here - they are a nutty bunch.

    That's not "a nutty bunch," that's just wrong. You don't rule by fear in our society. It is not done. Don't you have any sense of right and wrong? "A nutty bunch!"



  • LOL! That was too funny!

    Keep them coming, sure you'll get lots more there.

    Actually, it would be even funnier if the senior manager was the one who hired the senior release manager.

    See, another WTF there... all those managers. What's up with people who can't live without the "manager" tag? Release Engineer would be more appropriate.



  • 5 star wtf.  This should be joined with the other article and put on the main page.  Seriously?!



  • @ubersoldat said:

    LOL! That was too funny!

    Keep them coming, sure you'll get lots more there.

    Actually, it would be even funnier if the senior manager was the one who hired the senior release manager.

    See, another WTF there... all those managers. What's up with people who can't live without the "manager" tag? Release Engineer would be more appropriate.



    What's more impressive, having an employee under you, or having a manager under you?

    Senior managment can now say they manage managers!



  • As the XP guys say, "Change your organization... or change your organization."



  • @D-Coder said:

    As the XP guys say, "Change your organization... or change your organization."


    Yes but snoofle has already established that his organization pays really well and he has 3 kids to support + their college partying.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    @snoofle said:
    @Blakeyrat [truth] - no argument here - they are a nutty bunch.

    That's not "a nutty bunch," that's just wrong. You don't rule by fear in our society. It is not done. Don't you have any sense of right and wrong? "A nutty bunch!"

    Of course I do. These folks are wrong, insanely maniacal and downright lunatics.

    Sadly, after nearly 30 years in large companies, I've seen micro managers, tyrant managers, and the rare but enjoyable enlightened open-minded manager. I've found that every company has its share of wtf, and you get further in life with less aggravation if you're not the one who takes a stand against someone who has the power to crush you. How does that saying go?

    Give me the strength to change the things I can, the serenity to accept that which I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.



  • @ubersoldat said:

    it would be even funnier if the senior manager was the one who hired the senior release manager
    It was. It wasn't so much that the senior manager disagreed with the senior release manager (he recognized that his choice was the "wrong" choice, but it saved time and money and it was a risk he was willing to take).

    He just didn't care for the guy getting loud in his face.



  • @snoofle said:

    @ubersoldat said:

    it would be even funnier if the senior manager was the one who hired the senior release manager
    It was. It wasn't so much that the senior manager disagreed with the senior release manager (he recognized that his choice was the "wrong" choice, but it saved time and money and it was a risk he was willing to take).

    He just didn't care for the guy getting loud in his face.

    Agreed.  Big ships don't turn on a dime, no matter how loud you yell, or just how WTF-ey the current course is.  As a "senior" release manager, you'd think he would have recognized that, and tried to be a little more diplomatic.

    Too bad because he sounds like a smart guy who knows his stuff, and he probably could have changed quite a few things for the better...  Given some time, of course.



  • @snoofle said:

    Give me the strength to change the things I can, the serenity to accept that which I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.
     

    Sometimes people confuse serenity with apathy and wisdom with cynicism.

    From this end I'm not sure if you're tired or totally zen.



  • @snoofle said:

    He sought out the senior manager responsible for issuing those decisions and explained that this was not the way to run things; that he was going to impose rules that would make this place run as a proper IT shop.
     

    YesssSSSSSSSS!

    @snoofle said:

    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    NooooOOOOOOOOO!

    Damnation. You fill me with hope that clue has birthed, then you stomp all over it - screaming "abortion, bastid idea of productivity!"

    iSad.

    @ubersoldat said:

    What's up with people who can't live without the "manager" tag? Release Engineer would be more appropriate.
     

    It's a terminology thing:

    • Release Engineer = someone responsible for the doing
    • Release Manager = accountable for it getting done.
    Generally the manager will be someone managing and overseeing the activities, but won't do much themselves. That doesn't mean they can sit back and do fuckall... if it doesn't get done properly, it's their head on the block.

  • Discourse touched me in a no-no place

    @Cassidy said:

    @snoofle said:

    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    I'm assuming 'new' should be interpreted as 'more compliant' or 'more subtle.'

    @Cassidy said:

    @ubersoldat said:

    What's up with people who can't live without the
    "manager" tag? Release Engineer would be more appropriate.
     

    It's a terminology thing:

    • Release Engineer = someone responsible for the doing
    • Release Manager = accountable for it getting done.
    Manager tends to be 'someone responsible for assigning blame to someone else for something not done.'

  • ♿ (Parody)

    @PJH said:

    @snoofle said:
    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    I'm assuming 'new' should be interpreted as 'more compliant' or 'more subtle.'

    You make it sound like they know what they're doing. Or at least have a plan. This goes against everything snoofle has told us. I just assume that someone noticed a blank spot on the org chart and told HR to fix it.



  • @PJH said:

    Manager tends to be 'someone responsible for assigning blame to someone else for something not done.'
     

    You are not Dogbert.

    Stop it!


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @Cassidy said:

    @snoofle said:

    We are now looking for a new senior release manager.

    NooooOOOOOOOOO!

     

    Y'all are assuming he was fired. I can only imagine/hope he hit his breaking point and [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuBRk6tjiUQ"]got the hell out of there[/url]

     





  • @Lorne Kates said:

    Y'all are assuming he was fired.
     

    I'm interpreting that someone previously fulfilling that role is now not. I won't make assumptions what happened to them, just that they're not the release manager anymore. 

    What does seem sad is that someone charged with accountability for the overall release process tried to instigate action to improve said process - and this rubbed senior management up the wrong way - so they fixed the problem by finding another release manager. Or rather, he was doing his job so effectively they looked for someone else rather than support him with... well.. doing what he'd been mandated to do.

    Sadly, I've been on the receiving end of this also.



  • @All: The senior release manager was fired - not for wanting to do things differently to make them better (I do that all the time), but for getting in his boss' face.

    Have you ever watched Deadliest Catch? You can try something different, but you don't get in the captain's face; if he says do it this way, you do it his way or you're looking for a new job. This senior release manager didn't know when to back down and nudge; he wanted immediate change. Ironically, he got immediate change, just not the change he was going for.



  • @this_code_sucks said:

    What's more impressive, having an employee under you, or having a manager under you?
    I don't care, as long as she's hot.



  • @Anonymouse said:

    @this_code_sucks said:

    What's more impressive, having an employee under you, or having a manager under you?
    I don't care, as long as she's hot.



    :D

    I think having a manager under you is hotter haha


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