Using open source smarts to pick change agents

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People are usually promoted one level at a time. If one of your potential allies has a reprimand in his file for rebellion, would you expect to find him in a more senior position? Would you want to endure the difficulties of having your preferred person leaping ahead of many, with the expectable resentments?

People who have been promoting each other because of their comfort with the beneficiaries have been following the Claudius principle discussed yesterday. (Briefly, Successors satisfy predecessors.) And the situation you're describing involves a series of networks of people who have probably encouraged and helped each other for years.

If you can find anyone who seems outside the mold, what reaction would you expect to breaking the strong rules which have governed relationships within that group? Won't you be looking at people with the survival skills not to indulge in the disruptions which might cost them membership? Won't the people who don't fit have demonstrated some sort of personal abrasiveness that prevents them from doing what would have gained them a great deal?

Are you searching for asocial mavericks to place in positions whose most substantial performance requirement is to obtain from others effective cooperation in achieving your goals?

And how are you going to react when the complaints start to roll in from those outside IT who have maintained cordial relations exclusive of any consideration of IT performance? Budgets have after all been approved for years, as have projects and other higher level agreements to cooperate. Won't you be identified as an asocial maverick yourself fairly quickly?

I woder how you were able to be in charge in the first place? Making promises of cost savings you are not in fact expecting to keep(I think you implied) and thus becoming a disappointment to people who may be unsympathetic?

Murph, to what degree would you say you're idealizing the situation you hypothesize?

Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 09/16/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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