Dear Bob ... Here in the fast-paced-outsourced-off-shored world of business, we're trying to take the company from CMMI Level-1 to CMMI Level-3 in a little under 14 months. But, guess what, there's still a business to run, and when push comes to shove the business wins over IT strategy every time. Several directors even have a phrase for it - those project teams working well into t Dear Bob …Here in the fast-paced-outsourced-off-shored world of business, we’re trying to take the company from CMMI Level-1 to CMMI Level-3 in a little under 14 months. But, guess what, there’s still a business to run, and when push comes to shove the business wins over IT strategy every time. Several directors even have a phrase for it – those project teams working well into the night, down the stretch, on a project which had pre-set deadlines, and did little to contain scope creep along the way – we like to call that “heroic measures”. So, who gets the props and promotions? Why, the Heroes of course.And, oh by the way, somehow, you’d better believe that there will be enough documentation audited somewhere to “prove” that the CMMI standards have been met on selected projects so that those whose bonuses depend on such metrics will be duly compensated. It’s really not pleasant here at all, but I’m sure I have myself to blame. As a late 40’s mid-level supervisor, with a wife and four kids either in or not far from college, am I ready to quit, retool, give up 25% of my salary, five weeks of vacation and an office twenty minutes from home just to save my sanity? I keep telling myself, “working indoors, free coffee, and no heavy lifting”, but its getting old.Any ideas for taking the first step towards sanity while maintaining some sort of a safety net below?– Looking to Leap Dear Looking …I’m reminded of a Drew Carey line: “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.”The first step toward sanity is back: Take a step back and make sure you have a better idea. On the shortlist of contenders for Biggest Barrier to Change is that companies are staffed and structured to support current business. So are their competitors. Change requires effort and expenditures layered on top of this, with a promised payoff one or more years later. That makes a company less competitive, less profitable, or both in the short term. That means companies have a very hard time mustering the effort to implement strategic change, and no opportunity to fully staff what the effort requires according to the textbooks on such matters (assuming there are any useful textbooks on such matters, which I doubt). Instead, they staff the change as best they can, recognizing that when push comes to shove, day-to-day business wins over the IT business every time. Of course it does, it should, and I presume you’re expressing frustration at the necessity of it, not criticizing this order of priority.Take another step back, and restate your situation just slightly. Your employer is paying you a 25% premium compared to what the overall job market supports, you have a short commute, five weeks of vacation and full benefits. It is, however, driving you nuts, because …… I think it’s because you can envision things working better than they do. If it helps you stay sane, in any large corporation, many decisions are political compromises, not because the executives who make them are either idiots or snakes but because whenever you get a half-dozen people together to make a decision, you have to deal with a half-dozen different backgrounds, premises, life-experiences, expectations and goals. If you want to stay sane, start by giving them a break. But the most important step you can take, I think, is to consider yourself a leader in the CMM effort. In the next project meeting, ask this question, out loud: “Let’s imagine, just for the sake of argument, that achieving CMM Level 3 really is a good idea. What would we be doing differently if we’d already achieved it?”There are two possible outcomes. Either the project team will know the answer, or it won’t. If it does, say this: “What’s stopping us from doing that, starting today?” If it doesn’t, arrange a meeting with whoever is leading the CMM charge. Whoever it is needs to know that the company’s project teams are playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, trying to hit a target when they have no idea where the target is.If none of this works for you and you, the company really is run by maniacs and losers and you just can’t stand it anymore, sit down with your wife, talk over your financial situation, and decide whether, as a family, you’re willing to do the kind of belt-tightening it will take for you to pursue a different path. And then do it, because life is too short to let your employer drive you nuts. But before you make this choice, ask yourself the critical question: How likely is it that your next employer will be any better?Okay, that’s the wrong question. The right question is, what kind of employer is likely to be more to your liking?– Bob ——– Technology Industry