Rules Of Management

RULE 78 - Accept that some things bosses tell you to do will be wrong

“I find it rather easy to portray a businessman. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent comes naturally to me.”

John Cleese

“Sometimes you have to accept that bosses don’t know what they are doing.”Just because you do your job well doesn’t mean everyone else does. Some bosses are useless and there’s no getting away from that. Sometimes they will tell you to do stuff that is crazy. Sometimes they will issue orders that are so obviously off the wall you can’t help but gasp. Sometimes they will tell you to do things that are completely wrong. What are you to do? You have various options:

- Refuse
- Leave
- Seek advice from your union/management advisory body/trade body if you are in one
- Ask advice from Human Resources
- Ask advice from other managers
- Ask advice from your boss’s boss
- Put your concerns in writing
- Get on and do it but grumble a lot
- Get on and do it with a cheerful smile and a whistle
- Talk to your boss about your misgivings.

Initially it might be politic to go ad talk to your boss in person, face-to-face, over an informal coffee; a bit of a chat, nothing too heavy. Point out you think you have a problem with their order. Don’t make it personal. Don’t attack them. Don’t tell them they are crap. Explain that it is you that has the problem. The order and your boss are fine but you feel uncomfortable. Put the ball firmly back in their lap. If they insist, end by saying you still feel uncomfortable about it and would like time to seek further advice. Ask if you can put your fears in writing and whether they would do the same.

Sometimes you have to accept that bosses don’t know what they are doing, ain’t going to change and you have to put up with it. Or you could simply refuse or leave. Your call. The Rule is that you should accept it happens from time to time.

posted by Right Ranger @ 9:16 PM