Posted on 07/27/2005 by WearyProgrammer
Viewed: 774 times
Situation: MFG plant and new IT boss who arrived and was going to change the world. The first thing she told us she was going to do was create a "Support Matrix" that would help us out with our support. Now up to this time we were unaware we had an issue with support, in fact the group had received many accolades for supporting the floor.
So for weeks she had us write down what we supported and which department the system was in and after a few weeks we sat down in a meeting and she showed us her "support matrix".
It was a speadsheet that had all the systems in one column, which department it belonged to, and who supported it! As if we didn't have a clue about who supported what!
Naturally, it did not go over well and she became very defensive and said it would help us in the future.
A week later, a line was shut down at night due to a mechanical problem and at the next days meeting the boss explained what happened and said "The support matrix saved our hide!!!"
I asked: "How did the support matrix save us when the problem had NOTHING to do with our department and the line failure was due to a hydraulic press that was mechanical in nature and not computer controlled?"
She refused to acknowledge I had even asked a question.
POST A COMMENTgranularity(08/02/2005)
It's a strategy management uses. The more convoluted they make things, the easier it is to cover up for the fact that THEIR job is a useless waste of the paper their paycheck is printed on.
corporateAnarchist (07/27/2005)
God does this sound familiar! I felt hives coming on just reading your post it hits so close to home. Geez, is there some secret "support matrix" school we don't know about where they crank out support matrix clones and creeds? Anytime a manager uses the word "matrix" put on your running shoes and get your resume ready. I got out around the time my manager came up with this but some of my friends are still there trying to function under the support matrix crap and they are miserable. I still have scars!
Keachie (07/28/2005)
It's all about control, the sure sign of an incompentent boss and toxic workplace. The odd tangle of interpersonal contacts that you make to problem-solve empowers you. Trying to graph these as a "matrix" make them believe that they can break down these things into individual parts-parts they can control, change and remove at will. Unfortunately for them, the whole exceeds the sum of the parts. You probably don't need a manager, and the only ones that don't know/accept it are the people that hired this twit.
(1)
Company memo that Belfort Instruments needs to write but never will(6)
Well, almost quit...but not quite there yet...updated(1)
Backstabber(2)
I took the bait and now I feel trapped!!(1)
drunk off my rocker(3)
why you schould not put writing calk on your bosses car.(4) Blog Comments:
Another Advertiser Who Does Not Want Us to Think(7)
Mr. Bad Habits(3)
The Fear Factor(4)
An Uncomfortable Truth?(13)
The Internet? I Can Stop Anytime I Want!(3)
The Business of Change Management and Corporate Propaganda: Part 1(5)
What You're Talkin' About: The Most Recent Comments
Story Comments:
I HATE my BOSS!!!
Marketplace
Citi® Platinum Select®/AAdvantage® World MasterCard®
APR: 18.24% Annual Fee: $85**
Bonus miles; no pre-set spending limit; compatible with airline frequent flyer program.
Citi® Home Rebate Platinum Select® MasterCard®
APR: 12.24% Annual Fee: $0
No annual fee; no yearly limit or expiration on rebates; 6% rebate on select purchases for six months.
Chase Platinum Visa®
APR: 14.24% Annual Fee: $0
0% introductory rate; no annual fee; access to free rewards program.
comments (3)
post to digg | 
post to del.icio.us | 
e-mail it
POST A COMMENT
