In life, one should always continue learning. But once you stop learning, you stop growing. Think of it like this, if a plant isn’t growing, it’s dying. And this doesn’t just apply to plants. It applies to people.
Recently, someone online found out that the IT department at the company they work for used “outdated and inefficient systems,” so they reported it. They feel bad that this might have caused the IT manager his job. We’ll call the whistleblower OP.
Out-Of-Date Systems
OP started their new job a couple of months ago. Although their position is outside the IT department, they were required to have some knowledge about that sector of the company. So, OP was placed under the care of the IT manager.
The next few months were all right. Of course, working with a terrible boss can make your job miserable, but the IT manager was friendly to OP.
We can assume he enjoyed working together, especially with an opportunity to learn from someone with so many years of knowledge. The IT manager had spent over 30 years in his position.
Thirty years on the job is not something everyone can relate to or one everyone would want, but he was more than happy. Working that long he probably knew everything about the company. There’s also the possibility that he may have fallen into a pattern, failing to grow with the times.
IT Manager Gets the Boot
As the months passed, OP noticed that the company's systems needed updating. They mentioned this to the IT manager, but he just brushed it aside, assuring them he knew what he was doing.
When the time came for a meeting with management, and they asked OP's opinion, OP couldn’t lie.
After all, one of the traits employers look for is honesty and integrity, right?
OP told the truth, citing his observations, but the IT manager debunked it, reaffirming that he knew exactly what he was doing.
The older man was likely holding on for his job, but OP thought they were looking out for the company's best interest.
A New IT Manager
OP was determined to prove the observations were correct — so much so that it looks like they wanted the manager to lose his job.
OP showed the management his claims. They finally agreed to bring in an external IT consultant to investigate the concerns.
Well, it turns out OP was correct. The consultant saw the same thing and reported it to management.
Management later called a meeting to discuss the discovery. But the IT manager was not pleased.
And who would be? It looked like a slap to his face after 30 years of service, but the company needed to progress. They couldn’t do that on outdated equipment.
The IT manager exploded in OP's face and stormed out of the meeting. Then, management saw the need to hire a new IT manager ASAP.
But this made OP feel terrible. They knew management would replace the IT manager, but they feel bad it came quicker than expected, and it’s all their fault.
OP wants to know if they’re an absolute jerk for doing what they did.
OP Did Nothing Wrong
It’s never easy dealing with a guilty conscience. And because of OP, a 72-year-old man lost his job. Even though it was not their fault, it’s hard for them to believe otherwise. Here’s what other people online think.
One suggested that the IT manager was closed to constructive criticism, and that’s one major reason he lost his job.
“NTA. If he had accepted and worked with the constructive criticism rather than ignoring it until eventually exploding then I think they would not have gone as far as replacing him simply because his methods were outdated but instead considered retraining.
The problem is he was completely unwilling to change or even interact professionally, and it’s not your fault because the fact your employer was asking you about it indicates they already had concerns they would eventually have escalated anyway…”
Someone else thinks that the company itself is managed poorly and that OP did a good thing for them, “The company is horribly managed. Sounds like you did a good thing — how many years of performance reviews passed by without anyone noticing that the world passed the company by with its technology? Sure, it s—ks for the IT guy, but adapting to new things is a prerequisite to working in the field.”
Finally
As everyone has agreed, OP did nothing wrong. The IT manager remained close-minded and seemed unwilling to grow. He has no one to blame but himself. Hopefully, OP shakes off the guilt and focuses on his work.
Do you think OP should've minded their business?
A thread inspired this post.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Featured Image Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.
Boloere Seibidor, fondly called B.S. is a Nigerian-based writer and poet. Her favorite topics to cover include music, especially Hip-Hop, film, lifestyle, and fashion. She's been published by Feral Journal, Fantasy Magazine, The Temz Review, and most notably, Wealth of Geeks. She enjoys romantic dinners, movie nights, and touring new sites. When she's not writing, she's delving back in time to the underground world of Hip-Hop, watching TikTok, or visiting the cinema.