I've inherited a situation where the management of our network has been poorly handled for years, leading to a bad reputation for our IT department. I'm working to turn this around technically, but I'm uncertain about how to gain the support of my stakeholders. We've already experienced some breaches due to inadequate security measures, and I want to make sure we address these issues effectively.
4 Answers
First, focus on the environment rather than individuals. Create a risk register to outline issues that need fixing, prioritize them, and suggest budgets and timelines. Communicate these plans clearly to your managers. Start with the low-hanging fruit to demonstrate progress; that will earn you some political capital to address bigger issues later on.
Absolutely! They want to see progress, so project tracking with clear goals can be crucial. I plan to use visuals to show how we’re improving, like decreasing vulnerability counts.
Keep the conversation positive and focus on your plans for improvement instead of the past mistakes. Pointing fingers at predecessors isn’t constructive; they may have faced constraints you aren’t aware of. Just remember, when it’s your turn to leave, your successor might also have a different view of so-called shortcomings.
It's a tough spot to be in, and changes won’t happen overnight. Begin by making intentional improvements to the IT infrastructure. Solving user problems consistently will help rebuild trust. Do you have a team with you?
Yes, I have two co-workers; one’s been around for 5 years and has a hand in our current network issues, while the other is completely new to IT.
It sounds like management has been the core issue. If previous leadership is still around, that reputation will linger. Good luck with tackling this!
It's true, though. While I have no issues with the previous team, they left a tough situation. Right now, I'm focused on improving our network security.