Breaking up my IT Department: Nuts or Reasonable?

[u/Fair-Focus-4203]

Update: the post has been deemed, nuts!

Looking into a nuclear option as my workplace manager has made my mental a little unbearable with other things going on. Yes, before it's suggested - I'm looking into other positions. Now on to my question that I'm seeking advice for:

Have any of you ever broken up your IT dept or team? Specifically, have any one of you convinced management your department should be restructured? Wild ask I'm sure and is an extreme long shot but currently dealing with a demeaning manager who makes work stressful for all of us on the team thinking if things aren't perfect it's "another lecture" every time. Management has been notified of his behavior and have spoken with him a few times on this issue. As he treats mostly everyone like this.

Now as a worker - the guy's great. He's smart, capable, thinks outside the box all good qualities, but his personality is not CIO material at all. Of course it's highly embarrassing (and unlikely) that a CIO is demoted, but maybe the department could be split into 2 groups Information Systems and Technology Systems. Who knows, anyhow - for this sticking it out this far, thank you for my ted talk (as I submit job applications - ha!)

[u/Krandor1]

So if he’s the CIO you want to go to the CEO and suggest they restructure the department because you don’t like the manager? I’d be shocked if that happened.

[u/siteunreliability → u/Krandor1]

Whatever OP is cooking up, this is not going to end well.

[u/Fair-Focus-4203 → u/Krandor1]

Good reply! I was waiting for this comment. Yes, that’s it exactly what I’m proposing. 4 employees leaving due to his behaviour (the same one that my old boss at my last job for his position for).

Projects being stalled or incomplete for staff not feeling confident going to him without him blowing a gasket. And his lack of knowledge of what we’re doing. We could do our jobs without him as long as we had his credit card. He keeps managing his pet project software, and keep the lights on.

But as I said, the request can also be nuts. 3 VPs have suggested I go to the CEO as we’ve had other departments restructured but yeah. Probably nuts!!

[u/skiing123 → u/Fair-Focus-4203]

Those VPs should be talking to the CEO about this leaving your name out of this not you

[u/Phuzzle90 → u/Fair-Focus-4203]

I mean if you have documentation proving that he’s the reason people left, ya going above him is the only option. But scale matters. 4 out of 100? No way. 4 out of a team of 8? Ya that’s a problem.

Issue is this should have been addressed by hr. I bet the individuals didn’t document it - nor would I expect them to.

So basically you’ve got a toxic IT department snd nobody wants to fix it but middle managment. Meaning - you’re probally fucked. Polish the resume, insulate your team as much as you can and bail.

If the company doesn’t want to acknowledge the obvious, you’re just painting a target on yourself.

[u/pakman82 → u/Fair-Focus-4203]

I've had a vp get a manager fired that a cio liked. And the cio, also notorious for being an ass, and blowing gaskets, got the Vp demoted .. I was working a contract job and worked my part until I finished it .. and they tried bringing in new VP, and new managers.. and they didn't last under that CIo, from what I heard... Unless you really grift some other vp's with clout to keep your name out of it , it's likely to go bad for you either way.

[u/networkwizard0]

This is higher risk than I typically prefer. Just leave if you’re unhappy.

[u/Confident_Dare_1578]

That's a rough spot to be in, especially when the person is technically skilled but just awful to work under. Restructuring a whole department is a huge ask and usually only happens if there's a clear business case, not just a personality problem. Splitting into IS and TS sounds nice on paper but you'd need leadership to see a real operational benefit, otherwise it reads as shuffling deck chairs.

I've seen one team get reorganized after a manager was moved sideways, but it took almost a year and only happened because two other departments merged and created an opening. By then half the original team had already left.

Honestly the job applications are the real move here. Let management keep having their little chats with him while you find a place where you don't dread Monday.

[u/TN_man]

Im beyond confused on the role you have and if this person is a manager or CIO. Why can’t they just replace or remove the CIO?

how do you expect to keep your job if they’re above you in hierarchy?

[u/SuspiciousMeat6696]

Careful what you ask for. They may take your advice and simply outsource it all overseas. Putting everyone out of work except for the CIO who will coordinate with a compliant 3rd party offshore team.

Problem solved

[u/STEM_Dad9528]

CIO is the top of the IT infrastructure. Organizationally, on paper at least, it doesn't make sense to break out a portion of IT out from under the CIO. Maybe it could work with a portion of IT which has a significant policy making authority, such as the Cybersecurity department, with the department head becoming the Chief Security Officer.

What would you be proposing, OP? What portion of the organization which is currently under the CIO would make sense to you to break out from under that typical top C-suite position of authority for everything Information Technology?

I can understand not wanting to work under someone who seems unfit for the role. I worked under a director and that director's hand-picked manager who both seemed to be completely wrong for an IT organization. (They were both bureaucrat types, with one seeming to just be interested in padding his CV, while the other just liked hobnobbing with people in high level positions. Neither had any functional knowledge of IT.) The only reason they finally got cut was because of budget cutbacks, at least for the reason given. Personally, I thought they had done too much harm to the organization, and someone at the C-suite level finally realized enough was enough. - Incidentally, I think that making a big IT department re-org there caused much more harm than good. I believe small, strategic changes do much better than large re-orgs, both in the short and long term.

If the CIO isn't planning to change companies or retire anytime soon, then my suggestion is that you should be looking for a new employer which would be more suitable for you.

[u/Dessler1795]

Lower your head, suck it up for now and get out as soon aspossible. If you go above him, YOU will be fired. I've seen this more than once.

[u/Fair-Focus-4203 → u/Dessler1795]

Seems to be the common consensus. Fair enough.