Really need advice (work related) (and kinda long)

In My Humble Opinion
1

OK, I am responsible for the day-to-day testing and implementation of online order entry with an online vendor. This will replace our current server-based order entry system (which has been officially on deathwatch for several years). We have one segment already in place, and the production and billing problems for that segment are running pretty smoothly.

However, the first segment is very easy and uncomplicated. Other segments are much more complicated, in ways that the vendor of choice does not handle well, or at all. Therefore, a number of decisions, which affect a number of departments, need to be made. I am not high enough to make any of these decisions myself.

And herein lies the problem. I am having trouble getting anyone who is on a decision making level to pay attention to the fact that these decisions need to be made before we move forward. I have sent several emails to a small group of the people who should be interested, including my boss, and not one has even so much as responded to acknowledge that they read it or understand anything in it. I have spoken to my boss twice and gotten airy promises that she would get something together, but nothing has happened.

There is no question that I am responsible for making this project work, but I can’t do it in a vacuum. This will be the last thing I do before I retire, i would like to be remembered for a success not a disastrous failure.

I am now ready to send one last email, saying something like this:

"I have already sent several emails on this subject, and have had zero response. Please understand that this project is going nowhere further until you people step up and take some responsibility for the decisions and the outcome. These questions must be answered now, and then a steering committee needs to be organized to make further policy decisions as they come up.

  1. Are we continuing with this vendor or do we want to look for someone better?
  3. etc.

One last time, someone please indicate that they actually care about this project and get back to me about what should be done next."

Note that I don’t care about burning bridges or hurting someone’s feelings or making them look bad (not at that level). But I also want to be effective in getting some movement, and not make enemies uselessly. Therefore, if you can suggest alternative wording or action, or a different attitude on my part, I’m ready to hear about it.
Roddy

2

Personally, I would be more overt regarding their lack of response. I would note dates of your previous emails and/or conversations, the fact that no response was received, and how that specifically impacted that portion of the project.

3

Do you have the authority to schedule a meeting including the group that should be making these decisions?

4

Well, I could do an Outlook meeting notice, I guess. If they have ignored my emails, I would fully expect them to ignore a meeting called by me.

Miss Take, I didn’t include that for the sake of such brevity as I could achieve, but take it as given that chapter and verse, including copies of the earlier emails, would be included.
Roddy

5

Maybe it’s time for an email that says something like this:

"Hi Everybody;
Project X is going to be stalled at the beginning of December since we need to make decisions on the next stage, and those decisions haven’t been made yet. I will not be able to move further with the project after that point.

Just an FYI for all those involved.

Yours as ever,
Roddy."

And then leave it at that. If it was important to management, they’d do something. Your due diligence is letting them know that their lack of decisions is stalling the project; there isn’t really anything you can do after that, and the email covers your ass for when things don’t get done.

6

Good material, and rewrite to make you look more in charge.

"[del]I have already sent several emails on this subject, and have had zero response. Please understand that this project is going nowhere further until you people step up and take some responsibility for the decisions and the outcome. These questions must be answered now, and then a steering committee needs to be organized to make further policy decisions as they come up. [del]Thank you everyone for your input to this project. Due to the successful input we have now progressed to the stage where we are able to make the decisions necessary in order to progress any further.

Key decisions include the following.

  1. Vendor

We have the necessary information to determine if this vendor is qualified or if we should look for another.

  1. XXX.

  2. XXX

In order to meet the expected delivery schedule I recommend that a steering commitee with decision-making authority be created. I have suggested the following dates.

Please note that any further action requires the above decisions.

Best,
XXX

7

Thanks, that’s probably a better approach than mine, although we don’t have the information because I don’t know how firmly we are tied to this vendor due to corporate mandate.

You have helped me to understand that I need to stop being pissed off about being ignored. I already know they don’t care much about my input, I just need to get used to that fact.

So tomorrow I will try to construct a more positive message along those lines.
Roddy

8

Meh go all passive aggressive on them when it fails…

Seriously it may come across as a grumpy old man not keeping up with technology, you need to be very clear on why this will not work but more importantly what needs to be done to get it to work, even if that means another system. Never give management a problem unless you know the answer.

9

I think what you need to do is make it easy for them: point out the issues and give a preferred solution and an alternative solution.

10

This, powerpoint et al are often derided but this is one occasion when it is perfectly suited.
A few simple slides expressing the each of the issues. And for each simply and clearly point out the risks, options, the person responsible for making the decision and by when.

Send it out to the major players if you have no other forum but taking 5 minutes of a regular meeting is far better.

11

This.

“Hey boss - I’d like you to look over this e-mail I’m sending out in a few minutes…”

12

I’d lay off the references to the fact that no one has responded, no one seems to care, etc., not because it isn’t true or relevant, but because rather than inspiring individual reactions of “shit, I dropped the ball, better get on this,” it will elicit a collective shrug with individuals thinking “meh, no one else responded either, so I’m not particularly on the hook… I shall carry on not doing anything, like everyone else.”
How about a face-to-face with pre-printed itinerary and one or two of the potential decision-makers? Don’t email the questions in advance, but do follow up with an email of the points covered and whatever they said will be done: delegation of decisions, dates they will get back to you, etc.

13

Make sure that you keep copies of all your correspondence in case someone tries to blame you. You might even want to copy your Outlook PST file to a flash drive in case someone messes with it (assuming you are on Outlook). Might even want to print up some of the more important messages.

The best time to look for a job is when you have one. You might want to start looking in case things go badly wrong.

14

I would just start making the decisions myself, but that’s me.

Then when called on it, I would point (privately) to how many times I asked for a decision to be made, how the project could not move without said decisions, and since someone had to make them, I took it upon myself to do it.

The beauty of that is that people either back up your decisions, or it suddenly becomes high priority to make them.

15

I’m afraid that’s where the rubber hits the road on this project - it’s important to you, because you want to do a good job and you would like to have a successful project as your last, but it’s obviously not important to your decision-makers (maybe it is important to the company, but they’re not acting like it is). Do as much as you can and try to not let it get to you.

16

You could propose what you think are the best decisions, and say that unless instructed otherwise during a fixed time period, you will proceed with the assumption that these choices are accepted. Send this to each individual with the power to decide, ccing only their direct supervisor instead of a mass mailing, and surely someone will at least answer.

17

Copy the boss’s boss, then the guy above him. Then schedule a meeting and invite them all.

18

All too often we rely on e-mail to escalate issues when it would be more effective to pick up the phone in such cases. If you are going to send another e-mail, tell the audience you will be following-up with a phone call, or threaten to schedule a meeting.

Before you call someone, however, I would add just one thing to the message you already plan to send - what is at risk? If you can quantify the risk in terms of $$, that should get someone’s attention. If not $$, then relationships, lost opportunity, screwing-up someone else’s project or process, not being able to pay bills - those also tend to get attention. Make sure it is clear that you feel the project is in the red and is at risk for failure - you can convey the gravity of the situation without resorting to using the word “you”.

Simply pointing a finger at people in e-mail is not likely to get a response, but if you tie $$ at risk into the message, all of a sudden people will take notice. If you can highlight the risk in red, that helps, too. And if you promise to annoy them with a follow-up phone call and/or meeting, they may decide to meet you halfway.

Just my 2¢.

19

Me too - assuming he is confident enough in his knowledge of the issue to think his decision will be a good one. Which sounds like the case here.

To make it even clearer, he should write that unless he hears otherwise in a week or some other reasonable time, he will assume the manager approves. Make it explicit.

This sounds like a textbook ask forgiveness rather than ask permission case.

20

Not a good idea at all. His manager will be mad at him no matter what happens.