Corporate Reporting Structure 4

[CIRHS]

I am looking for some advice from people that have maybe dealt with a similar situation.

I work for a Major Global Company. My Job is to develop/manage an engineering department and a workshop.

Over the last 8 month I have had countless meeting with my GM & Regional VP and prepared presentation on how this department should function, type of resources needed, budget preparation, business development plans.

While the GM and Regional VP are always happy with the presentation's and love the direction I want to head this into I cant get them to make a firm decision on anything I have put forward.

Regional VP in of one of our other branches is very impressed with my ideas and in our corporate office the VP for Business Development is on the same train of though as I am from what I gathered when he came down 6 moths ago advising us the direction the company is heading.

I am at a stage where am Over it. I am take direction type of person and run with it. I am considering to contact the Regional VP in UK and the corporate VP of Business Development ( who is above my Gm and Regional VP the in the Hierarchy of corporate structure) and advise them of this situation. I know I shouldest go over the head of my reporting line but sometimes i think its required.

Thanks,

 

[truckandbus]

How long have you been in the company and in this position? If you've been there any length of time you have an understanding of how your GM and RVP will react if you do an end run around them?

 

[miningman]

Perhaps your senior people are waiting for you to take the initiative and assume the responsibility that goes with your position, and implement action. Perhaps you have been promoted a little above the level at which you are comfortable. Have you ever heard the expresssion " Its easier to apologize after the fact than it is to get permission beforehand"?

 

[Noway2]

I've found that many, especially those that consider themselves higher up in corporate management, do everything that they can to avoid making decisions. If one makes a decision and it turns out wrong, it can be hung around their necks. In fact, I recall reading actually studies to the effect of why managers want to avoid making decisions and try to manipulate themselves into a position of always being able to blame and underling. Personally, the unwillingness to accept responsibility and accountability strikes me as yet another aspect of what is wrong with (American in particular) business and why it continues to suffer a long painful decline.

 

[Jboggs]

In a similar vein, maybe you could ease their discomfort at having to make a decision. Just ask them if there is any reason why you should not proceed with Plan A on XYZ schedule. In other words, tell them what you intend to do unless they specifically instruct you not to.

 

[IRstuff]

"Regional VP in of one of our other branches is very impressed with my ideas and in our corporate office the VP for Business Development is on the same train of though [sic]"

So, consider working for them? End runs are bad; moreover, the people your mention probably have little sway over the bottom line in your particular branch. Alternately, within whatever budget you personally have control over, you could contemplate starting with a VERY small initiative to implement your ideas. This would allow you to find out how hard/easy it really is, and if it's successful, you have a business case that you can make to your superiors.

Not to dissuade you from coming up with ideas, but the reality is that the world is chock full of good ideas, but almost never close to being even adequately funded for the mediocre ideas that already exist. We have been involved with DOORS requirements management software since 1997, yet almost none of our programs use it, because of the relatively small incremental costs and the inertia of overcoming decades of, "this is the way we've always done it." We trot out our DOORS capabilities for proposals, but have had only a couple of contracts that actually required and funded DOORS related activities.

TTFN
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[truckandbus]

I'd like to echo Jboggs comment - the best way forward may be to ask your GM and RVP to what the next steps forward are. We've had many an idea that came too late in the budget planning process for the current or even upcoming year - timing sometimes is everything.

 

[bigTomHanks]

I believe you have been given some sound advice already. The biggest problem I see that managers have is that they are being pulled around by too many "upper" managers and can't flat out say they don't have resources to pursue their request. You should be getting real financial dollars and human resource commitments by a specified date before you start working on anything and flat out refuse to spend time on it until that happens. It might end your management career real quick or gain you some respect as someone who can get the job done because you will be producing results rather than promising everyone everything and delivering nothing.

So what I would do is divide what you are currently doing with your current budget and tell them that you will continue to do that. Then give them a completely separate wish list of what you would like to do as soon as they pony up the money. Sounds like they are fishing for ideas that they discuss as their own in high level meetings. Then they will take credit for those ideas if it's decided to implement them.

You are too motivated. I wouldn't go over their head unless, like I said you wanna take the gamble to either end your management career or maybe get lucky and possibly gain some respect.

Most likely you are in the position because of your ability to be a "yes" man, what you propose will be viewed as breaking from that and will surely be frowned upon.

 

[1gibson]

No disrespect intended, but is your job really to develop/manage a department, or just talk about it? If you don't have the authority to implement any of your suggestions, then maybe you misspoke, and you get paid to float ideas around a conference room. Think about it, that's not so bad, it could be worse. Don't rock the boat unless you like to swim, or something along those lines.

If you have a firm deadline to get a department together, but lack the means to make it happen, then that is different and you have a responsibility to notify your immediate supervisor(s) in writing that it is not going to happen unless somebody signs off on one of your plans by close of business on XX/XX/2013.

Next presentation, do what you are doing but add two new slides. Slide#1: what you can do with your current authority. It may be hiring one part time temp that sits on a milk crate and creates excel files with Windows95 and a 15" CRT monitor. Middle of your presentation, keep doing what you are doing. Last slide, show what you need and when (commitment for resources/budget, or ask for more authority so you can allocate these things yourself) to implement some of the things you have proposed.

Many times I have asked for help, support, information that is not conflicting, etc. and don't get any response from management. But when I say "Mr. Bossman, I can't do my job without this changing, so don't expect me to succeed until it happens" then someone tends to make a decision. If they don't, it affects my motivation, desire to succeed (why chase something you can't catch?) and desire to remain in that position.

When I get asked why I didn't do my job properly, depending on the situation my answer is "see attached email" and one or more of the following:

I did the best I can with what I have.
Garbage in, garbage out.
I told you what I needed and it didn't happen.
I'm an engineer, not an alchemist.

Paycheck still comes every other Friday, world keeps turning, and I still enjoy my afternoons and weekends.

 

[CIRHS]

How long have you been in the company and in this position?

I have been at the company 12 months.

"Its easier to apologize after the fact than it is to get permission beforehand" - Haha on of my favorite saying. I am implementing as much as I can with my current level of authority, how ever I don't have authority for the big changes that need to happen. I haven't been promoted to this job I was hired. The company I used to work was a sub contractor to my current employer, I managed the engineering department and my current employer decided to do this work in house.

@noway2 - Very true, and its exactly what I am feeling is they case with my RVP and GM.

@1gibson - "No disrespect intended, but is your job really to develop/manage a department, or just talk about it?" - at this stage it feels like they want me to talk about it, and show them nice PP Presentations.

I did business plans, sales forecast that new capability would generate, showed them if we get machine X it would pay it self off in 18 month time and we would see higher profit as all work will be done in house, I did an action plan. And every time I get very good we like it. And when the dead line come they ask me to do another or some sort of report.

Hmm i don't believe that I am "YES" man, there have been quite a few time were the GM asked me why a certain job is going to take x much longer and the response was "We are dong the best we can with our current resource levels, these things cant be rushed because mistakes can happen and every unit must be tested. Please approve overtime rates for the workshop and I will offer it to the technicians and advise you."

I know if I go to the Corporate VP to whom my Regional VP Reports to it might be the end of my career at this company or it might get me what I want, but the again I am not getting the answers or direction from my Gm or RVP I should go up the chain if I feel its in the best interest of the company. Thats how my current GM got his job he went up the chain of command. .

Anyhow I am just frustrated at the moment, i feel like am chasing my own tail. Thanks for all of the advise.

Paycheck still comes every other Friday, world keeps turning, and I still enjoy my afternoons and weekends - I will remember that next time they give me the shits