RE: What would you do if *you* were the VP? (was Re: manager credibility)

["walden miller" <wmiller -at- vidiom -dot- com>]

As it happens, I am a VP of a department which includes docs, training,
project management, and testing.

What did I do when I became VP (I was Manager of Tech Docs)?

1. Spent a lot of time reviewing financial details.
2. Spent a lot of time ensuring I had the right middle management under me
that understood my priorities and the company priorities.
3. Insisted that I interview every serious candidate for my department (all
writers, testers, trainers, project managers, etc.)
4. Determined how to use writers in house to develop written processes (this
was just a continuation of my work as manager -- but I had a little more
clout after the promotion)
5. Spent a lot of time with my old direct reports that wanted to go around
the new tech docs manager.  This is always a problem when promoting from
within.  Its not a bad problem, it just is.
6. Spent a lot of time ensuring that tech docs and training were profit
centers.  
7. Worked with Marketing even closer to ensure that tech docs and training
were sold appropriately. See number 6.
8. Restated to the company that I have an open door policy to discuss
anything with anybody and I will respect the privacy of those coming to me.
(This is actually company policy set by the CEO/President and its just good
form to restate it on promotion).

Because my company is a services company, life didn't change drastically
other than my ability to go toe to toe with engineering and marketing.
Mainly this is because my company already "believed" in docs and training
and other productization services.  My promotion to VP was mainly to ensure
balance between the other departments.  

SO let me answer the original question another way...
What if I changed companies and was hired as a docs VP at a company I didn't
help put together.  (like Oracle or MS).  

I would do all of the above + the following:
1. Review my staff -- All of them. Even if it took all year (100 writers).
2. Review the review process.  Writers must have criteria for success.
Reviews should reflect that criteria.  If not, then change the review
process.
3. Review the work environment and work flow process.  If telecommuting
helps morale and doesn't affect productivity adversely, then allow
telecommuting (right now, I have single writers working out of their homes
in Pueblo, Silver City, and San Diego with no problem).
4. Review the style guides and the writing processes used by the company.
Change them slowly to reflect my style and my processes.  A VP has some
rights :)
5. Make no changes to management until proven that they cannot work with me.
6. Make no changes to staff until proven that they cannot work with
management or me.
7. Make no changes to process until management buys in. This takes time, but
the fight is always worth it.

Thanks for the soapbox. Its nice to talk about what I do occasionally.

walden




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