Reply to: Having to play politics

[Evil Hangover]

Think you're making the mistake of actually caring ?

[suityou01]

In my new role, I seem to spend more time as piggy in the middle between various departments. Having to defend why my department won't do things while being constantly pressurised to do them by other depts. What would be amicable solutions in most places inevitably put someones nose out of joint here.
On top of this everyone seems to be machiavellian or contantly in cover my arse mode.

I feel like a permie.

Should I

Tell them to fark off and walk?

Or take it like AndyW?

I posted something similar a couple of weeks ago and got told by SasScum I was a disguised employee.

Contractors I have worked with say they became contractors to avoid office politics. In my experience this is bollux. If anything you still need to be aware of the politics so you can dodge round it.

I am currently reading (apart from this month's Viz) a book called 21 office politics games and how to play them. The point of the book is not to turn you into a player, but how to spot the games and work around them.

Why do you feel the need to defend the department that hired your services? You could just deflect the flack onto the manager Shirley? Are you not just a hired hand? Or is it in your contract to manage stakeholders?

The greatest weapon is the pause. Someone sends a tulipty email copying in all the directors and lambasting your department. Do not respond. Discuss the email over time with the most important players, in a softly softly approach. Very often when someone does something political they are trying to get a reaction. Don't give it. Slope the shoulders a bit.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Ask for fully funded business cases, project and resource plans.

Have a investment appraisal board (chaired by a Director and consisting of representation from all business areas) to formally and democratically decide which projects get company investment and which do not.


PZZ

If only!

OTH, they are paying us to research and present the business case for doing our next project. I wonder what answer they are expecting?

[RichardCranium]

New twist, go on holiday for 2 weeks after delivery (so now one can ask you about the crap you just delivered)

Could be EDS, Fujitsu or BAeSystems. They are three biggies I have 1st hand experience of, and they all seem to use the same tricks.

Not bad when it's £50m of taxpayer's money they're getting paid.

I, meanwhile, as PM, get my arse kicked by ClientCo for anything less than perfection. But ClientCo won't duff up the prime contractor.

Sound familiar?

[pzz76077]

If you dont know what they are contracted to deliver then you have no hope...

PZZ

[alreadypacked]

What does the contract say, are there any grounds for finacial penalties for non delivery??

If not then stop worrying about it for now as there is not much you can do, just don't sign a similar contract with them next time.


PZZ

I don't sign the contracts, I just have to work with these people.

New twist, go on holiday for 2 weeks after delivery (so now one can ask you about the crap you just delivered)

[pzz76077]

I am having problems with a vendor/conculting company. Every time you ask them to do something, they find something you need to do first. Then they query what you have delivered, but never get around to their delivery until the very last min.

People around here have stopped asking any question, so they get away with delivering Sh!t to production. Guess who is paid for a large production support team

What does the contract say, are there any grounds for finacial penalties for non delivery??

If not then stop worrying about it for now as there is not much you can do, just don't sign a similar contract with them next time.


PZZ

[BrilloPad]

What about the 3rd option? Wait for Lucy to start calling them, and you get fired.

[original PM]

A couple of fist<-->face interfaces may help here!

[alreadypacked]

I am having problems with a vendor/conculting company. Every time you ask them to do something, they find something you need to do first. Then they query what you have delivered, but never get around to their delivery until the very last min.

People around here have stopped asking any question, so they get away with delivering Sh!t to production. Guess who is paid for a large production support team

[Bagpuss]

What about the 3rd option? Wait for Lucy to start calling them, and you get fired.

This time it wouldn't bother me!

Take the money but just give up on any pride in the job.
They will do you anyway, as you probably know, in political positions the contractor is always blamed. Easy target. They are probably shooting for your boss.
Sounds like a former contract of mine with a defense organization.

They are going to do me over I can tell. I'm not really a political player, I tend to tell people what I think and that is "not the way".

Is this a public sector contract, perchance?

No but it feels like it!

[sasguru]

What about the 3rd option? Wait for Lucy to start calling them, and you get fired.

Now that is harsh.
But I couldn't help laughing.

[Menelaus]

In my new role, I seem to spend more time as piggy in the middle between various departments. Having to defend why my department won't do things while being constantly pressurised to do them by other depts. What would be amicable solutions in most places inevitably put someones nose out of joint here.
On top of this everyone seems to be machiavellian or contantly in cover my arse mode.

I feel like a permie.

Should I

Tell them to fark off and walk?

Or take it like AndyW?

Is this a public sector contract, perchance?

[pzz76077]

Ask for fully funded business cases, project and resource plans.

Have a investment appraisal board (chaired by a Director and consisting of representation from all business areas) to formally and democratically decide which projects get company investment and which do not.


PZZ

[ace00]

Take the money but just give up on any pride in the job.
They will do you anyway, as you probably know, in political positions the contractor is always blamed. Easy target. They are probably shooting for your boss.
Sounds like a former contract of mine with a defense organization.