[Discuss] Justify your existence

[me at mattgillen.net (Matthew Gillen)]

On 12/16/2011 10:39 AM, Rich Braun wrote:
> You wrote:
>> Justify your existence
>
> Over the years, I've learned that the answer to this question is:  you can't.
>
> If someone asks it in those words or similar, then if they had their druthers
> they'd call Amazon EC2 or some place in Bangalore and say, "I'll have two of
> those, how much do they cost?" just before shutting you and everyone you care
> about down.
>
> Even if the answer from India is "more than you thought you'd have to pay",
> they'd still rather send the money outside the firm.  Because that way they
> have someone else to blame when things go awry.

I pity the corporate culture where this happens.  Because at the end of 
the day, customers and investors alike don't give a crap if you have a 
good excuse, they want results.  A company that tolerates managers with 
the attitude you describe is one that is broken and likely headed down 
hill...

Someone whose primary goal is blame avoidance is someone I would run 
away from as fast as I could.  They aren't going to go anywhere, and if 
they somehow do manage to climb the corporate ladder in spite of their 
pile of failures, it won't be in a way that will be in any way 
beneficial to you (i.e., you're likely the one he threw under the bus to 
get himself a promotion).

Matt