How can you handle conflicts with a manager who does not understand IT Operations?
Learn from the community’s knowledge. Experts are adding insights into this AI-powered collaborative article, and you could too.
This is a new type of article that we started with the help of AI, and experts are taking it forward by sharing their thoughts directly into each section.
If you’d like to contribute, request an invite by liking or reacting to this article. Learn more
— The LinkedIn Team
If you work in IT Operations, you may face situations where your manager does not understand or appreciate the value of your work. This can lead to conflicts over priorities, deadlines, resources, and expectations. How can you handle these conflicts in a constructive and professional way? Here are some tips to help you communicate better with your manager and avoid unnecessary friction.
The first step to resolving any conflict is to understand what is causing it. Is your manager unfamiliar with the technical aspects of IT Operations? Do they have unrealistic or unclear goals for your projects? Do they have a different style or preference for communication and feedback? By identifying the root cause of the conflict, you can tailor your approach and address the underlying issues.
-
Lisa W. Rogers, CISM, ITIL, PMI-ACP
Chief Information Officer | Executive Leadership | Cost Effective & Efficient IT Services | Strategic Planning | Process Improvement | Cybersecurity | Healthcare | CISM | ITIL | CIO | #LisaITSM
Conflict with a manager over priorities is usually due to a mis-understanding over what is at stake. As an IT leader, I am frequently faced with having to explain technology subtleties to non-technical managers and peers. The key is to explain the issues from their point of view and in their language. To be successful, I find that IT practitioners must be able to be versant in all of the various languages used in the business. Conflicts are easier to resolve once you have a common understanding.
-
Mohammed Jamir Ali Rony
Sr. Manager Dynamics AX 2012,D365 F&O, SAP S4HANA
When dealing with a manager who doesn't understand IT Operations, it's important to communicate clearly, educate them about the basics, and show how IT impacts the business using simple language and examples. Define roles and responsibilities, use data to highlight the value of your work, and act as a bridge between your technical team and your manager. Offer solutions instead of just presenting problems, be patient as your manager learns, and document important conversations. If conflicts persist and affect your team's performance, consider escalating the issue following company protocols. Remember, it's about finding common ground and working together to achieve the organization's goals, despite the knowledge gap.
-
Faisal Shahzad
ERP & MIS Project Manager and implementation Specialist
Communication is the key to resolve all sort of Gaps and conflicts, we need to listen each other and understand each other. Moreover, if someone is unable to understand the Operations of Information Technology, confilict will remain there. for this we have to make them understand what exactly the technology is, what my previous experiences says about it and how smartly i resolved such conflicts by sharing my success stories.
Even if you disagree with your manager, you should always treat them with empathy and respect. Try to see things from their perspective and acknowledge their concerns and challenges. Avoid blaming, criticizing, or dismissing their opinions. Instead, use positive and constructive language and focus on finding common ground and solutions.
-
Kiran Kewalramani (GAICD)
CEO & Founder at Cyber Ethos | Cybersecurity Thought Leader | Security Clearance | CISO | CIO | Non Executive Director | Entrepreneur | Trusted Advisor | Keynote Speaker | Top 50 CIO Australia 2021 | Generative AI 🚀
Throughout my career I have come across managers who use technology, are interested it in only from a user perspective. Conflicts with those who don't understand IT operations is natural. And to be honest, I don't blame them. Its not their game. My recipe for success has been based on 3 principles 1) Keep it simple - keep the technical mumbo jumbo for technical conversations. With business - plain english is the key 2) Be patient - Focus on the problem, not the ego. Help them understand the business risks 3) Listen to understand, not respond - Do your 50% by understanding their concept. No one likes foreign concepts (like IT operations) shoved down their throat.
-
Irina Neagu Muceli
Creative Thinker | Strategy Driver | Cloud Evangelist | Value Creator through Sales and Delivery Orchestration
The recipe to handle conflicts with a manager who does not understand IT Operations or any other type of technical services is not a one size fits all; I would recommend decomplexifying the explanations, making comparisons with real life situations, making sure the information resonates with the other party and bring empathy in the game.
-
Steven P.
Project Manager at Harvard Maintenance | Leading Teams to Success
Absolutely agree 100%. We are all here to teach each other and not criticize and point fingers. Take time to show them little by little and you would be surprised how far they can go.
One of the reasons why your manager may not understand IT Operations is because they do not see how your work contributes to the overall success of the organization. To change this, you need to explain your value and impact in terms that they can relate to. For example, you can use metrics, data, and examples to show how your work improves efficiency, security, reliability, and customer satisfaction. You can also highlight how your work aligns with the strategic goals and vision of the organization.
-
Echezona Agubata
IT Strategy & Governance | Chief Technology Officer | IT Service Delivery & Management | Agile Scrum Leader | DevOps Transformation | Application Performance Specialist | Business Analyst | Engineer
I have received a lot of golden advice in my professional career. some sound ridiculous but yet true, example is: "Your report is as important as your work" Every good work deserves to be properly represented. Reports go beyond powerpoints or pdfs. It's in the vertical conversations whether aided with slides or documents or not. It is therefore important that you work with your manager in understanding by leveraging his/her temperament, perspective and preferences. Always project your opinion, work, report, ideas, or criticisms with the sincere candor that is fit for manager model that you are working with. The lifespan of your opinion depends on how you represent them in your delivery process. #teamdynamics
-
Christopher Hess
Making Technology Accessible for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs
There will always be a huge list of things people want from IT Operations. It is a never ending and thankless job because if you do it well no one notices and if you have one small issue it can easily blow up huge. For you and your manager, keep a list of successes that you've seen as you've worked on projects. Refer back to this when you are both feeling overwhelmed by the needs of the organization and be shocked at how far you have actually come.
-
Blessing Mokoena
Project Manager | Data Scientist | Business Intelligence | Software Developer | Game Developer | B2B Tech Writer | Educator | Entrepreneur | Let's make Magic together! |
Demonstrate Value: Showcase the value that IT Operations brings to the organization. Provide examples of successful projects, cost savings, and improvements in efficiency. Quantify the impact of IT initiatives in terms of business outcomes. Offer Training Opportunities: Suggest training sessions or workshops for your manager to gain a basic understanding of IT Operations. This could be formal training programs or informal knowledge-sharing sessions. Build a Cross-Functional Team: Encourage collaboration between IT and other departments. Having representatives from different areas working together can help break down silos and improve overall understanding.
Another way to handle conflicts with a manager who does not understand IT Operations is to educate and inform them about the technical aspects of your work. You can do this by sharing relevant information, resources, and best practices that can help them learn more about IT Operations. You can also invite them to observe or participate in some of your tasks or processes, such as testing, troubleshooting, or deploying. This can help them gain a better appreciation and understanding of your work.
-
Narender Bhatia
IT- Manager, IT Infra & Ops, Project Management | Ex Clove Dental
Keep your manager informed about the status of ongoing projects, key performance indicators, and any potential issues. This will demonstrate transparency and help your manager appreciate the value of your work.
-
Joeri V.
Driving Business Value through Innovative Technology | Global Strategic Technology Leader | Trailblazing Transformation | People Connector | Divemaster
My personal approach to this is the "a metaphor a day, keeps the business at bay". It is important to translate the technical details and complexities in a language that everyone understands and feels comfortable in. In my experience, the construction of house with all its complexities is a perfect foundation for whatever metaphor required to explain your existing scenario to your business stakeholder.
-
Echezona Agubata
IT Strategy & Governance | Chief Technology Officer | IT Service Delivery & Management | Agile Scrum Leader | DevOps Transformation | Application Performance Specialist | Business Analyst | Engineer
If you must educate a manager, be sure to do so in a manner that would be useful to the manager and not as a means to cement your opinion or ideas. Make use of simple words and avoid technical jargons in explanations. This is the best approach to provide clarity without having a bias which may not be appreciated by the audience. Information should be passed in a concise manner as managers more often have scarcity of time. Practice how to pass the message in your information in less than a minute.
Finally, you should seek feedback and support from your manager and other stakeholders to improve your performance and relationship. You can ask for regular and specific feedback on your work and how you can meet or exceed their expectations. You can also ask for support in terms of resources, training, or guidance that can help you do your job better. By seeking feedback and support, you can show your manager that you are willing to learn, grow, and collaborate.
-
Echezona Agubata
IT Strategy & Governance | Chief Technology Officer | IT Service Delivery & Management | Agile Scrum Leader | DevOps Transformation | Application Performance Specialist | Business Analyst | Engineer
Remember that you begin with the end in mind. The goal here is to "handle conflicts with a manager who does not understand IT Operations"; therefore, proactively seek feedback from the manager. This way, you will 1. know if the manager understood you the way you intended to be understood and 2. know if you understood the manager the way he/she wants to be understood 3. avoid potential conflicts regardless of the understandings of IT operations
-
Blessing Mokoena
Project Manager | Data Scientist | Business Intelligence | Software Developer | Game Developer | B2B Tech Writer | Educator | Entrepreneur | Let's make Magic together! |
Stay Patient and Positive: Dealing with a manager who lacks understanding of IT can be frustrating, but maintaining a positive attitude is crucial. Be patient and persistent in your efforts to bridge the knowledge gap. Involve Higher Management if Necessary: If the lack of understanding becomes a significant roadblock and starts affecting IT operations negatively, consider involving higher management to mediate and provide additional support. Remember that patience, clear communication, and a willingness to educate are key components in resolving conflicts with a manager who may not be familiar with IT Operations.
-
Christopher Hess
Making Technology Accessible for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs
Your manager wants to help you. That is their job. As you ask for feedback it will help them realized that while you are both looking at problems from different angles you are both trying your best to help the organization improve. As you work together you can learn how best the two of you communicate together. If they don't know how to give you feedback they won't know how to help. Be open to their comments and be willing to give feedback back to them when they need it (in a polite and professional way).
-
Waseem Ahmed
𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗟/𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗠 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 & 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 | 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁 | 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 & 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 | 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗢𝗜 & 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆
One effective approach would be to translate IT operations into business outcomes. Communicate how IT tasks align with and support the company's goals and objectives, using language and metrics that resonate with managerial and business perspectives. I think this helps bridge the gap between technical and business understandings, fostering better collaboration and reducing friction.
-
Arne Jørgensen
Flexible and operational workflows off the shelves into the cloud
A well known instrument to be precise regarding service delivery is to publish a Service Catalogue where the actual provided services available are outlined together with fixed service levels. Many diagreements may be solved if you are able to refer to such a Service Catalogue as an authoritative source.
-
Meetu Suraj
Provides Profesional Services in:- Strategic IT Solutions | Staffing Solution | Managed Services | IT Outsourcing | IT Operations | IT Project Management | Data Centre | Web & App Development.
Keep a record of important discussions, decisions, and agreements. Having a documented record can be helpful if misunderstandings arise in the future. It also ensures clarity and accountability.