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The advice states "Don't say anything negative about anyone or anything"

The advice seems to be a bit contradictory. How do you address RED proejcts if you shoudln't talk about the negative?

What approach should be taken when the Executive is looking for feedback on what can be inproved and what is casuing problems?

Why wouldn't you say anything negative? That doesn't feel transparent and ultimately inhibits the Executive from being able to help is the message from below is "Everything is just great! ... even when its not"

afmoffa's picture

You can be honest. If your department isn't all roses and song, you don't have to pretend it is. But you mustn't name names, you mustn't undercut your boss, and you must demur if the senior exec is trying to cut out your boss and get the bad news right from you. 

Let's say you have a project and it is RED. Let's say the latest prototypes of the robot are catching fire in the laboratory. Several members of your robot design team have had their eyebrows singed off. The CTO of your company happens to be next to you at the cafeteria salad bar, he notices you're covered in soot, and he asks you: "Hey, you work in our robotics laboratory, don't you? And you report to Susan? How are things going in the robotics laboratory? I keep hearing the smoke alarms ringing down at your end of the building, and I notice your eyebrows have been singed off. Everything okay over there? Why don't you have a seat and fill me in?"

You are about to have an impromptu conversation with your boss's boss. And you haven't had a good day. What do you say?

It's okay to say: "Well, Mr. CTO, today one of our robot prototypes caught fire in the lab. I'm writing up some design suggestions for Susan, and I'm sure she'll have some good ideas of her own for how we can make our robots less likely to catch fire."

It's NOT OKAY to say: "Ten prototypes in a row have gone up in flames, two of our best technicians called out sick today because they're afraid they'll get killed if the fireballs get any bigger, and frankly I'm astounded that Susan didn't bring this to your attention weeks ago. I mean, this project is a total disaster, start to finish."

Let's say the CTO says "The robot prototypes are catching fire? That's terrible! We're unveiling our new line of robots at the trade show in three months! Plus, you smell like a forest fire! Why am I just hearing about this now?"

It's okay to say: "We've had some brainstorming sessions, and we've been burning the midnight oil, pardon the expression, to get this resolved and back on track. I thought up a possible solution just now, back at the carving station, but if you don't mind I'd like to run the idea past Susan first, so she stays in the loop."

It's NOT OKAY to say: "Well, what did you expect? You cut R&D funding for the robotics department by 50% last quarter, half my team was transfered over here from consumer cosmetics, and Susan is a marine biologist who drinks at lunch. There are only three people in our lab group who have degrees or formal training in robotics, and two of them are home faking the flu rather than meekly following orders from that petty tyrant you handpicked to manage our make-or-break robot design team!"

Don't throw anyone under the bus.

Furthermore, in this hypothetical situation, where the CTO took you aside asked you about a project that is in the RED? When lunch is over, you thank the executive, take your leave, and you SPRINT to your boss's office (Susan) and you tell her exactly what happened during that meeting. If she's not at her desk, you send word by air, land, and sea that 1) you had an unplanned meeting with the CTO and 2) the CTO has been asking questions about the burning robots. Susan MUST learn of the meeting from you. If she learns of the meeting from the CTO, Susan is going to douse you in Crisco and send you in to test the next robot.

jhack's picture

Executives want to hear about solutions along with the problems.  Sure, the project is red.  You bring to the table the set of actions to be taken to get back to green.  

Sometimes, you'll be specific.  "John produced great designs, but we need a robotics engineer with piezo-electric servo experience.  We've located a consultant who can do this piece for $10,000"  

Other times, you may need to lay out alternatives and ask for a decision. 

DON'T just place a problem on the table and expect the executive to solve it for you. (OK, it does happen rarely that you are at your wit's end.  If so, ask and some of us can share how we've handled that).  

Negativity is not the same as a dispassionate examination of what could be better. 

Remember to focus on the future, not the past. 

John Hack

jib88's picture

AFMOFFA -

 

Just wanted to say that I love the robot analogy. Great story, made me laugh a number of times. Especially the part at the end about the Crisco.

 

-JIB

shawnmkelly's picture

AFMOFFA /John,

Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it.

AFMOFFA ,

That can't be the first time you've used that story...