The process improvement committee declared that its "work here was done" in regards to the loan application process redesign. All that's left is implementation, so the core group is looking for new vistas. The visionaries need not bother about whether their ideas make sense or are actually possible. External consultants don't, why should we?
Of course some of us have day jobs that are necessarily part of the implementation. The core group member leading the web application chunk of the new process was not one of them. She's in deposit operations. There came a point yesterday when someone pointed out that it didn't make sense to continue to be a drain on her time. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone from the loan side with time or understanding necessary to take the reins.
I put myself forward. I'm going to be the handoff guy after the consulting group develops the application. I want to be in on as much of the design and construction as I can so as to be better prepared to handle future maintenance. I can also anticipate the kinds of questions the developers will have and can push until I uncover sufficient answers.
So, I'm really busy. Probably through the end of February. Luckily, the week long training class starting January thirty-first I had signed up for didn't make. The training company offered to pay for my plane and hotel to take the class in Phoenix the following week. I declined in favor of seeing if the next local run of the class would make in April.
The good news is that a lot of folks reacted favorably to my self appointment. Of course the lady whose burden I'm lifting was grateful, but the folks I'll be working with were happy, too. Someone said they were pleased because, "He thinks like us." That is, the clients see me as understanding and sympathetic. High praise for an I.T. guy.
Posted to Work Life at January 19, 2005 9:38 PMAnd well-deserved praise as well. We just laid off a bunch of IS/IT folks who just didn't get customer service. Closing the ticket regardless of whether the problem was fixed or not was their idea of "doing the job." Way to go, John! Love, Mom
Posted by: Susan McJilton at January 20, 2005 11:07 AMOf course they were excited to have you be the hand off guy: you're you!
Stepping in to fill the leadership vacuum can sometimes backfire but developing long term relationships with your internal clients (the groups who actually make money, unlike IT) is a surefire way to move forward with your career.
It probably bodes well for your movement upward, amigo.
OBTW, I'll try and run the upgrade today but I'll warn you.
Extremely cool!! I am proud of you for putting off the near for the promise the future. Like Forest, I think it will do good things for you there. I also believe that you will, when the hand off occurs and it's a stick of dynamite and not the baton, have the good sense to drop it.
Posted by: Mike McJilton at January 20, 2005 6:00 PM