RE: Diff -small shop vs. Global company

For the manager, in the larger shop you need to know just enough about 
some of the stuff to know when the technician handling it is either 
manipulating you towards their desired solution, or, is over their head.

Our VP of IS started out in the trenches coding.  Actually got out of IS 
and was one of our plant managers for a time.  He's sharp as a tack. 
Hasn't written a line of code in years.  But:
- Talks directly to Mark Shearer about i5 futures.
- Talks directly to Cisco management about phone system and network 
issues.  While others handle day-to-day issues.
- Installed 4 disk drives in one of our boxes today.
- Watches performance monitoring like a hawk.
- Negotiates with local telephone company about expanding with a win-win 
proposal to share our towers with their direct fiber.
- Goes to each plants periodic progress reports to see how IS can help 
them achieve their goals.
- Will help the technicians with what commands are needed on the i5 to get 
IXS's running and then works closely with them.
- Manages about 2 dozen people.
- Holds a CPIM
- Deals with miscreants like me.

You aren't going to baffle him with BS.


Rob Berendt