> So I reach out to the manager and ask what is going on. This is a simple task, I said. Why does it take an entire quarter for your team to deliver? He doesn't have an answer.
Your simple task, which you think would only take a few days to implement, is probably one request in a long queue of requests that team is dealing with. That means they won't be able to start on it for a long time.
That team probably set up the onerous Google Docs process to gate requests because they get so many!
When they do start working on your request, maybe it will only take a few days -- or maybe you underestimate the level of effort required because you are new to the company and you don't understand the complexity of the systems you are dealing with.
Take this as a learning experience: don't assume that you are at a startup where people will drop everything to handle a request from you right away. Instead, assume that people are dealing with a lot of other requests, from a lot of other people. Learn how the system works, and learn how to be effective within that system.
I know for sure that it's possible to be highly productive at a large company with a lot of bureaucracy -- but I also know for sure that new employees who try to bypass process and question the priorities of other teams, before they learn the ropes and build credibility and trust with other people, do not succeed.
Your simple task, which you think would only take a few days to implement, is probably one request in a long queue of requests that team is dealing with. That means they won't be able to start on it for a long time.
That team probably set up the onerous Google Docs process to gate requests because they get so many!
When they do start working on your request, maybe it will only take a few days -- or maybe you underestimate the level of effort required because you are new to the company and you don't understand the complexity of the systems you are dealing with.
Take this as a learning experience: don't assume that you are at a startup where people will drop everything to handle a request from you right away. Instead, assume that people are dealing with a lot of other requests, from a lot of other people. Learn how the system works, and learn how to be effective within that system.
I know for sure that it's possible to be highly productive at a large company with a lot of bureaucracy -- but I also know for sure that new employees who try to bypass process and question the priorities of other teams, before they learn the ropes and build credibility and trust with other people, do not succeed.