Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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)."

5 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. My solution... by bscott · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm a freelance contractor for many of my jobs, so for the most part I get to say what I like to the people I work with directly, and let THEM deal with the clueless PHB's. (I highly recommend this solution to everyone)

    But in the past, the Dilbert-esque solution has worked for me in a few cases - just tell them it's a great idea and you'll get started on it right away, then ignore it. They go away happy, and nobody knows the difference.

    Of course, that doesn't help when you're trying to explain why you need money for something - but as noted above, I'm generally not in that situation.
    *relaxed sigh*
    *smug look*
    *frown as bank balance is recalled...*

    --
    Perfectly Normal Industries
    1. Re:My solution... by quintessent · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Or you might try explaining the real pros and cons as you see it and let the super-boss decide against it using the actual facts. These people are paid to run the company, you know. Usurping authority is probably not as helpful as helping them see a little more light.

      --
      Donate background CPU time to fight cancer.
  2. I don't get it. by Jon+Peterson · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is the second time we've had someone asking 'My boss is stupid, what can I do?'. Look, it's really simple.

    1. Management's idea is either good or bad.
    2. If it's bad, and you know why, you can explain that to management.
    3. If it's good, but for some reason you don't want to do it, because, say, it involves language X that you think sucks or OS Y that you think sucks, then just f***ing grow up, eh?

    Now, it may be that you explain why it's a bad idea, but management don't change their minds. This could be:

    1. There are arguments supporting the idea that you do not understand (maybe they are financial or business related, not technical).
    2. Management do not understand your (technical) arguments against the idea.
    3. There are arguments supporting the idea that you have not been told about, because management does not think it relevant.

    In case 1, that's kind of tough. If you are interested in other aspects of the business, then generally managers will be thrilled and will be happy to spend time explaining these things. but, if you don't care, then don't be surprised when someone says "OK, maybe the technology isn't ideal, but with this balance sheet, we ARE going down this route"

    In case 2, that's also kind of tough. Try to find someone who is good at making technical issues comprehensible to managers. Every team should have a person able to to do this. Find them and get them on your side.

    In case 3, guess what, that's kind of tough. Maybe managment figure that it's not your job to care about non-technical aspects of the idea. Personally I don't like this approach - I always let the geeks see the profit/loss sheet even if I'm pretty certain they won't understand it. That way they might let me see the database schema, and I will understand that :).

    So, this knee jerk "Whoa, my PHB is so dumb, he said this [...]" is really an attitude I expect from junior members of my team. Senior members can either shut up and code, or they can make a proper job of presenting a case supporting why the idea is so dumb.

    --
    ----- .sig: file not found
  3. Re:Speak the right language by dubl-u · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Amen!

    All businessfolk understand cost/benefit calculations. They also should all understand risk vs reward. If an idea is obviously dumb to you, then you should be able to explain it in one of those models. E.g.:
    Using the other team's servers would create a common failure point and an opportunity for one project to interfere with another. Although this would save us $100,000, we estimate that this would take our uptime from four nines to three, which is outside your requirements for the project.
    Also, you should work on changing your attitude. They think their questions are all smart and reasonable. That's because they know different things than you. If you take the time to help educate them, then they will ask better questions next time. Your goal should be to leave them feeling like smart people who just happened to be missing a fact, rather than pathetic assholes who are lucky they have you around.
  4. Ask questions... by dvd_tude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A small confession: I hate having my time wasted. My personal work ethic and my own desire to have some control over my fate makes me really sensitive to the "GFAR" type of command. I think most bright people feel the same way, unless they're so worn down that they merely accept the status quo and just roll with it (a very dangerous apporach, career-wise.) Intelligence, experience, knowledge and initiative are good things. The question is, how can you use these to your advantage in this type of losing scenario?

    I think the number one thing you can do is ask questions. You're not in the military, you're not going to be court-martialled if you start probing the 'why' of a seemingly-stupid assignment.

    If you have an actual reasonable person for a boss, the dialog that results from them answering your questions (and vice-versa) not only helps paint a more complete and accurate picture of their problem for you, but also forces them to think more deeply (and creatively) about the problem. What can result at the very least is a better definition of the problem. At best, a better solution can be worked out.

    But, the more subtle long-term benefit to the dialog is to build a level of mutual trust with that person. You've shown a genuine interest in helping the business by being interested in that aspect of a technical strategy. Likewise, they understand more fully the technical (and ultimately strategic and financial) aspects of the direction they want to pursure. They become more clueful, and so do you.

    What you really have is that you and he/she are both teacher and student at the same time. When this works well, it's magic: you become allies in dodging and reforming ill-informed decisionmaking, becoming reliable resources for each other. Everybody wins: you, the manager, and the business as a whole.

    Come to think of it, most important communication in business is by its nature, teaching. But, like any good teacher, prepare to be a good student too: listen, take notes, and don't slack off on the homework.

    - dvd_tude