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How To Not Fetch and Still Be A Good Dog?

Posted by Cliff on from the combatting-the-pointy-haired-syndrome dept.

6footblondwhiteguy asks: "Having just finished a major system design review at work, I have collected many of what I call GFAR (Go Fetch a Rock). These are pointless, time-wasting actions, proposed by the clueless executives invited to these reviews... e.g. 'This other project is using SUN servers, see if you can use theirs'. I instantly know the answer to each of the GFAR's: (not in this lifetime, no way, or sometime after the sun burns out). So, how do you avoid your boss's boss's boss's newest bright idea without either highlighting it's futility or arguing its merit in a public forum? Surely the Slashdot community has some wise architects that have strategies for deflecting these actions. I suspect the window of avoidance to be about one minute (before it's written down)."

4 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. What's the problem? by HRbnjR · · Score: 5, Funny


    Uhh... dude, I'm a /consultant/, I encourage this kind of management behavior! :-)

  2. The Monty Python answer by UPi · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...is to go fetch them a SCHRUBBERY instead. That would be a GFAS.

  3. Are they going to follow up on it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny


    Unless there is a concrete plan for further review, just ignore the suggestions that you find ignorant. Many managers seem to have a pathological need to give orders, and won't remember a day later what they said at the review.

    I used to work for a guy who literally gave me a major change of plan every day, making it impossible to get anything done. It finally dawned on me that he was just playing Napoleon, so I got in the habit of agreeing with whatever he said and then going on with whatever actually needed to be done.

  4. Sometimes the boss really IS a clueless boob by rbanzai · · Score: 2, Funny

    The new president at my workplace is very fond of a particular phrase. When he asks about implementing something and someone starts talking about the steps involved he always cuts them off and says "It's not HOW you'll do it, it's WHO'S going to do it!" and then he smiles and expects you to bask in the glow of his catch-phrase wisdom.
    He's used it three times with me already and since I'm a department of one I already know (as does he) WHO'S going to do it: ME!
    But he doesn't let that stop him from saying it.

    Bear in mind that some employee complaints about the boss are legit. People who automatically reclassifly any employee complaint about the boss as a "whine" will burn in Hell.