When your boss is wrong- eight easy steps

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While it may be rare, it is always a tough situation when we find that our boss is wrong…….we are being “asked” to do something we don’t think is right – or we see a see big mistake unfolding…

……this is a treacherous career moment – with big rewards if we get it right – and real downside if we get it wrong……

Now before I go any further, I just want to very clear – I have not had any personal experience in this situation. My former and current bosses have never been wrong. My father would often say he had never been wrong except one time – once he thought he was wrong but wasn’t…

The following suggestions are based purely on observing other people when their boss is wrong. 

Here are 8 easy steps:

1. The boss is right- This is the most likely case. The boss has better information, insight, experience, foresight, intuition, skills, capabilities, judgment….…..that is why they are the boss… right??

But perhaps it is a rare case that they are the boss for other reasons. If after careful reconsideration, we are still convinced she is wrong, we proceed to Step 2.

2. Let it go - it doesn’t matter -Sometimes the boss is wrong about something that doesn’t really matter ….we need to pick our battles carefully….the best thing is to just shut up and go back to work. Disagreements about silly things are annoying and unproductive for everyone……

If we are really convinced it does matter, we move to Step 3.

3. Present the facts -The most common reason for a boss to be wrong is they don’t have the right facts. Hey, she is really busy and has lots of things on her plate, she can’t be expected keep up with everything.

So we have an obligation to synthesize the key facts - in a simple and easy to understand format. Remember, most bosses have the attention span of a fruit fly. Simple, simple, simple! Use pictures!

For instance – let’s say we want to add to the sales force.  The boss says no. We must share solid facts about market coverage, sales productivity, lost business, return on investment, etc., etc.

But before we rush in with our 40 page PowerPoint deck full of our facts, we need to think about the approach – Step 4

4.   Disagree/Negotiate with Grace - Perhaps we fortunate to be in a culture that encourages open debate or have that rare boss that invites dissent….. McKinsey is known for a culture where staff have "Obligation to dissent"

But the fact is many bosses simply don’t want to hear they are wrong. So we have to be thoughtful about how we go about it.

Timing is important ….when I was a kid and I wanted something…..or had bad news to share, I learned to wait until Dad was in a good mood.  Same for bosses. We have to ask at the right moment – right after good business results have been released – or maybe right after bad business results.….
 
Perhaps the best time to ask to increase the sales force is after a strong sales quarter or after losing a key sale to a hated competitor might work….. and we need to bring the facts again….. maybe some new ones….

Obviously we need to be sensitive to our bosses personal schedule - late Friday after a long week, first thing Monday morning, after landing from a red eye, etc. are not the best times to get someone to change their mind……

No ambush - most bosses don’t like to be surprised – let them know you are coming – send a short summary of why you want to meet – send a pre-read – even if they don’t read it they might feel guilty for not reading it (maybe not).

Persistence – ask a couple of times with appropriate pauses…. Sometimes we get a yes just because the boss wants us to stop asking…..

Some other helpful ideas can be found here.

If we have presented a clear set of facts in the most effective way and the boss is still wrong go to step 5.

5.     Broader Context – Bosses usually know more than we do – that is why they are the boss.

They understand a broader picture than we cannot see from our vantage point.  Sometimes decisions are grounded in previous experience – for example, maybe the last 3 bosses were fired for expanding the sales force too quickly.…..

Bosses often have better information because they go to mysterious and important meetings where secrets are shared. This could be influencing their decisions and making it appear they are wrong.

For instance – maybe they know the company is going through due diligence to be acquired – or that a major product will be recalled soon.

If we get an authoritative explanation that makes no sense at all, it is a hint that she simply cannot share the broader picture right now…… 

If we have fully explored the possibilities of a broader context and the boss is still wrong, we have to dig deeper…..

6.  Explore Different Goals – Sometimes our boss has a specific goal or objective that we don’t see ….and it conflicts with our way of thinking….. and we have just not been smart enough to figure it out yet….. 

Perhaps our boss has a specific bonus for keeping the sales force budget below a certain target. In this case we have to ask – we really need to know what is motivating our boss.  If we come up dry here we have to go to Step 7. 

7.   Find the Philosophical Differences – At this point it could be that the boss just has a fundamentally different way of thinking about the issue or opportunity.  This could be very deep and very obscure – sometimes even the boss does not even know why he thinks this way.

 For example, maybe when the boss was young the next door neighbor was a salesman and he was always heading off to play golf.  She might have a deep psychological bias against sales people because she thinks they are all lazy.

The

best way to really understand deep seated issues is a long dinner (with wine!!) or a long car ride.….and let our boss do the talking….

If this does not give us clues on why the boss has chosen a certain path and we still don’t knowhow to change our bosses mind, we have only one last step….

8.  Take one of three paths

If we have:

- decided the issue is material
- we have presented facts in the best way…
- we cannot see or disagree with a broader context
- we don’t understand or agree with the bosses motivation,
- there is a fundamentally different approach,
 We now have three choices:

1. Accept we are wrong – as much as we hate it, it might just be that the boss is right and we are wrong.  This is a very difficult to accept. But if we have been through all the other steps and made no progress in changing the bosses mind this might be the answer - return to Step 1.

2. Suck it up - the boss is wrong – but we haven’t changed their mind. Time to suck it up, accept the bosses approach and get back to work. Sometimes……many times this is the right answer.

3. We need a new boss - if we find that we are disagreeing with our boss consistently about things that matter… and/or our boss has different goals or fundamentally different philosophy then it may be time to find a new boss.  

Could your boss be implicitly telling you to move on for some time. …

·       Five clues from Your boss it is time to quit

·       Ten Signs Your boss is Setting You Up to Fail

That’s it!  Eight easy steps…… perhaps you know someone who has a boss that isn’t always right….

Have a great weekend !!

Walt