CIO.com reported that “It’s legendary: A CIO promotes his best developer or IT pro into a management role, losing an excellent tech worker and gaining a bad manager.” The May 29, 2020 report entitled “10 steps to becoming a horrible IT boss” included in Step 8b: “For remote subordinates, take ‘If you can’t measure you can’t manage’ seriously”
They’re remote. How do you know they’re working on company business and not busily spending their time on Facebook and Instagram, or socializing with their buddies on Zoom?
Answer: Make your relationship with them transactional, based solely on the tasks you assign them and whether they successfully guess what you meant when you assigned them and complete them in the time you allotted.
Here are all 10 steps:
Step 1: Enjoy your newfound authority
Step 2: Coach
Step 3: Hold everyone accountable
Step 4: Regularly re-read the article that says IT managers should be business people, not technical people
Step 5: Make new friends
Step 6: Be decisive
Step 7: Subordinates
Step 8a: For on-site subordinates, remember that management is a lot like parenting
Step 8b: For remote subordinates, take ‘If you can’t measure you can’t manage’ seriously
Step 9: Value your subordinates’ contributions
Step 10: Lead from in front
Good luck to IT leaders in Covid-19!