I think we can all agree that the bank has terrible leadership. I think we can all agree that the bank doesn't take advantage of the skilled and experienced staff that it has/had.
Now let me tell you what we disagree about or don't talk about on here.
Certain individuals and their actions have had a negative impact on the bank's performance.
The pursuit of cost-effective labor in various countries has resulted in noticeable knowledge gaps, delays in issue resolution, ineffective communication, and low morale among employees.
In my last year at the bank, there was a lot of emphasis on agility, service now, and decommissioning the Wanda system.
Having studied agile practices, I noticed that many of the bank's actions contradicted the core agile mindset, including the four values and twelve principles. In my opinion, it is important to recognize that agile methodologies may not be suitable for every type of project, and applying them universally may not yield favorable outcomes. Furthermore, the bank's management failed to foster a safe environment where employees could freely express themselves without fear of reprisal. Instead, they prioritized tools like service now over the individuals involved.
I wonder why Microsoft Teams was not utilized for comprehensive project tracking and management. It seemed to be limited to instant messaging and meeting scheduling. Additionally, the practice of holding kanban meetings exclusively among project managers/coordinators, rather than involving cross-functional teams, undermined the true essence of agile. These kanban daily scrums turned out to be mere status updates, which goes against the principles of agile. Those responsible for running these meetings should have been aware that kanban meetings are intended for cross-functional teams and are not meant to be status updates. However, it appears that they disregarded these principles due to job security concerns, knowingly deviating from the right course of action. While it is generally beneficial for team members to work in close proximity, it is not an absolute requirement, especially when there are adequate remote collaboration tools available for file sharing and instant messaging. Unfortunately, certain individuals, like Saul, took the idea of collocation to an excessive extreme.
For those who have lost their jobs, I want to emphasize that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives should not be held responsible. Job loss is not influenced by being "woke" or practicing inclusivity. I personally know individuals of diverse races, both male and female, who have lost their jobs despite being exceptionally skilled in their roles. The real issue lies with mediocre management that can successfully convince the board of their competence, yet fail to earn the trust of seasoned IT professionals who understand that overseas colleagues from Asia pose no threat and should not be exploited. It is the mediocre and greedy management that deserves scrutiny and should be the focus of our dissatisfaction.
Other titles:
Unveiling the Troubling Realities of Bank Leadership
Unaddressed Issues and Negative Impact within the Bank
The Downside of Seeking Cheap Labor: Gaps, Communication Issues, and Low Morale
Challenging the Bank's Approach to Agility and Project Management
The Need for a Safe Environment and Individual Empowerment in the Bank
Rethinking Tools and Collaboration: Microsoft Teams and Beyond
Reassessing Kanban Meetings and the Anti-Agile Practices at the Bank
Striking a Balance: Collocation and Remote Collaboration in the Workplace
DEI, Job Loss, and the Real Culprits: Mediocre Management
Addressing Exploitation and Calling Out Greedy Management in the Bank