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Thread: Disgruntled Employees. An Infosec Nightmare.

  1. #11
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hmmmmm

    Your example is largely from the technician's or footsoldier's viewpoint. The scenario you project is a classic example of a manager who does not know how to manage. If your project reporting mechanism relies on a few moments conversation at the coffee machine, you are NOT a manager.

    IMHO (and just about any textbook.........but it does work in real life) A manager has certain skills and responsibilities:

    1. They must know their staff and their respective skillsets and workrates.
    2. They must be able to delegate responsibility to supervisors and team leaders. If everyone reports in to the boss, the boss gets an information overload.
    3. They must be able to create a reporting mechanism both formal and informal.
    4. They must understand project management and deploy the proper formal tools to facilitate it. Or, at least employ someone who does know (Project Manager & Project Control Officer).
    5. They must know how to conduct regular Departmental and project meetings that are informative and productive.

    There are plenty of books and courses that go into the details, I have just mentioned a few basic managerial skills that seem to be lacking in your scenario (No criticism of your scenario, just your "manager" .......yes, I have seen it in real life too! )

    You reminded me of an officer's assesment report I once saw, his superior had written:

    "His men would follow him anywhere; but only out of curiosity"

    I firmly believe in having "Departmental Bashes" at Christmas, after a big project, once a month, or whatever. As well as less official social get togethers: horse racing, ten pin bowling and so on, where people can bring their partners. In this country (UK) that would normally be subsidised if not funded by the Company (UK tax laws make this an attractive employee benefit).

    It is not only the Manager getting to know the staff, it is also the staff getting to know each other. Loyalty does not have to be only to the Manager, it should be to the "Team" and fellow workers.

    I have not conducted a study, but it would not surprise me if a significant number of incidences of destructive (NOT fraudulent) activity is by workers who have become totally marginalised.


    Just a few thoughts

  2. #12
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    I totally agree with you Nihil. I wanted to post this because our dept. has just recently been "cleaned up" with the help of a new CIO. These things need not go unnoticed. It does start with the top though. And loyalty does not follow the chain-of-command. It should be an over-net that ties the whole department together. I really like where this forum is going.
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  3. #13
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    from an accounting perspective.......you have to have internal controls to make sure Enron events, etc do not happen.....one of the four main aspects is communication..............I agree....

  4. #14
    Disgruntled Postal Worker fourdc's Avatar
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    We recently had an incident where the Town manager and the selectboard fired 4 town employees that had been complaining about municipal mismanagement and waste.

    Town admin is still trying to hack into two of their own computers because they don't know the passwords. Voters of the town are amassing a petition drive to remove the selectboard and manager.
    ddddc

    "Somehow saying I told you so just doesn't cover it" Will Smith in I, Robot

  5. #15
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    Just a little reminder to those here who are responsible for the security of their corporate networks. No matter who you like, who you dislike, who you trust and who you don't trust they must all be treated with the equal amount of distrust.

    Trust and security are mutually exclusive since you never _really_ know what is going on in the other person's head.
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
    \"A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools.\" - Thucydides

  6. #16
    rebmeM roineS enilnOitnA steve.milner's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by Tiger Shark
    Trust and security are mutually exclusive since you never _really_ know what is going on in the other person's head.
    It's a bit like an act of double-think (George Orwell 1984) - You need to simultaneously trust them and also consider everything they are up to as a threat.

    Steve
    IT, e-commerce, Retail, Programme & Project Management, EPoS, Supply Chain and Logistic Services. Yorkshire. http://www.bigi.uk.com

  7. #17
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    Steve:

    You need to simultaneously trust them and also consider everything they are up to as a threat.
    Yes.... Sometimes those people you trust do something inadvertently or with good intentions that results in a potential for a security breach thus as much attention must be payed to them as to all the other people on the network.

    And sometimes - they have just plain fooled you........
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
    \"A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools.\" - Thucydides

  8. #18
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    When you have to out think the thinker. You will always have one guy outside of the box looking in and saying "Damn, this guy is really good. I've got to keep my eye on him"
    Then you are being out thought as well,
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  9. #19
    Originally posted here by nihil
    Hmmmmm

    You reminded me of an officer's assesment report I once saw, his superior had written:

    "His men would follow him anywhere; but only out of curiosity"

    nihil: I remember seeing an OER (Officer Efficiency Report) that contained something to that effect. I think the key phrase used was "morbid curiosity" though. Thankfully, wasn't about me.

    I want to add that managment, leadership and a solid mentoring attitude are all good things to have in a work environment. Leading a team is an important function. Keeping a team effective and successful is tough. There isn't room to go into it here, but this link will provide some very solid, useful and thoroughly researched information on team training and maintenance.

    http://www.suddenteams.com

  10. #20
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    Morbid Curiosity. That's interesting.
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

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