(ISF) FW: Is this boss too nosy?

(Dear ISF Colleagues: I'm forwarding this query from the N-TEN
discussion list, because I think it's a great topic for us to discuss
here as well. By the way, if you haven't checked out the N-TEN
discussion list, I strongly recommend that you do! Just go to
<http://groups.nten.org/group.htm?igid=6422>. Best regards from
Deborah)

-----original message-----
From: Holly Ross <hollynten.org&gt;
Date: 13 Sep 2006 16:42:39 -0000
Subject: [NTEN Discuss] Is this boss too nosy?
To: nten-discussgroups.nten.org

Hi folks -

I received a request from a member to please post a message to the
group. This member would like to remain anonymous, but would love some
insight into his problem:

I'm the IT Manager for a non-profit whose Executive Director expects
total access to every aspect of the LAN (domain admin privileges). Not
only that, but he actively shadows users in Citrix and goes through
the home directories of all employees. Now of course a case can be
made that as head of the organization, there's no reason why he can't
or shouldn't be able to access everything, and that everything on the
LAN belongs to the organization. But in the absence of any suspicious
activity by any employee, I believe that as ED he should be occupied
with other issues. My question is: how has your organization dealt
with defining these responsibilities? And second, how might a lowly
manager broach the subject? I look forward to a lively discussion.

Best,
Holly

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Is this boss too nosy? I don't know about that but he obviously has too much time on his hands. I can think of so much wrong with this scenario, but how to approach the boss and get him out of the minutia (and let the IT person do his/her job is a quandary. Maybe the IT manager can offer two or three scenarios to the boss on monitoring usage that would include regular reports to the boss? This is a tough one

Ruth

-----original message-----
>>;I'm the IT Manager for a non-profit whose Executive Director expects total access to every aspect of the LAN (domain admin privileges). Not only that, but he actively shadows users in Citrix and goes through the home directories of all employees. Now of course a case can be made that as head of the organization, there's no reason why he can't or shouldn't be able to access everything, and that everything on the LAN belongs to the organization. But in the absence of any suspicious activity by any employee, I believe that as ED he should be occupied with other issues. My question is: how has your organization dealt with defining these responsibilities? And second, how might a lowly manager broach the subject?&gt;>

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.

This story is certainly lacking context. Most of us are assuming that the ED is the problem.

Imagine a scenario where a staff member is strongly suspected of misusing network resources and then refuses to let the ED see the contents of a network folder where all of the evidence could be found. The ED could be asserting his/her RIGHT to have such access, but is not necessarily intending to make it a PRACTICE to waste time snooping in every corner of the network on a regular basis.

If the staff member (a) is truly concerned about the effectiveness of the organization, AND (b) has nothing to hide, AND (c) has tried to engage ED in a constructive way, then notifying the board would be appropriate--even if there is a risk of punishment. Otherwise, said staff member should consider tolerating the ED's behavior, or look for another job.

--
Ted Johnson
Strategic Technology Consultant
tedtedjohnson.us
202-277-3853
http://www.tedjohnson.us

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