Re-Org Synopsis

Last November we got our new Chief Security Officer (CSO). Previously we only had a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), but they eliminated the position.

They eliminated the CISO position after the CISO was "laid off" because, had they kept it, they would have been forced to re-hire the CISO. Nobody wanted him back. He was a complete, total nutjob. He was very likely taking a number of prescription (and non-prescription) drugs and he probably had BPD (BiPolar Disorder). Towards the end he was feigning back problems so he could go on disability.

At the same time they booted the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Rumor has it there were harassment issues.

It was a very dysfunctional organization at that time.

Why hang around? Paycheck, insurance and other benefits, a crappy IT job market, debts to pay off, a kid to put through school - the same reasons everybody uses. Had I been twenty years younger I would have been more motivated.

And besides, it was so bad it could only get better.

It took three years for the re-org to happen. During that time, the Security Group languished. Our budget was stolen. Our role was reduced to giving security recommendations to people who didn't want to hear it and to take the blame afterwards when they didn't follow it (and to be accused of being a "bad communicator" when those people didn't listen).

What started out as elation for the coming New Order turned into Disillusionment over the Status Quo as Middle Management retrenched and started schmoozing the new CIO. It didn't get better, it got much worse.

Then came the re-org. Not only did we get a CSO, we had a new CTO (Chief Technology Officer). All departments were busted up. Some people went down. Some went out the door. Everyone got shuffled around. When the smoke cleared I was still in the Security Group and our headcount had gone from two people to nine people, including the CSO.

Some are happy to have been moved. Others are not. The "transition period" ends September 1st and so far we have had exactly two meetings as a "team".

And it's still me and my co-worker doing most of the work, as far as I can tell. The phrase that comes up most often is "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing".

Since some of the people moved into our group aren't the most popular folks from the old regime (I am one of those, quite frankly) I suspect the Security Group is going to end up with four to six people, especially in light of rumors of the coming Budget Cuts and the Looming Depression.

So, the smoke may have cleared, but the dust hasn't settled yet.

We live in interesting times.

Stay tuned.