Last week I was in a meeting giving a project proposal. One of the bosses, who seriously outranks me, made a suggestion that he thought would be an improvement. Several suggestions had been given to that point, and I thought all of them were very good; however, the suggestion by this boss wasn’t going to benefit anyone. At first, I made it a point to review the data—which I thought would help to dissuade him. It didn’t.
I was now faced with a real problem. I could have vehemently argued my position, but I could tell he wasn’t going to budge. I then quickly did a cost-benefit analysis of what he wanted me to do. In the end, it didn’t result in more work on my part, but it would make the project a little more difficult without adding any real benefit. I decided to agree and stated that I would implement the change.
The reason why I gave in was simple—he’s much higher up on the food chain and it was a minor change. His suggestion was inherently wrong. Companies often make bad decisions, and many times there are people who know that the decision is wrong but have to acquiesce because of self-preservation. I have been in this situation too many times to count. Just because someone is at a high level doesn’t mean that they’re right. Anyone in Corporate America will tell you this.
What is important is how you react when a bad decision is being made. There are times when I have stood my ground. Sometimes I convince the executive that I’m right, sometimes I don’t. It is crucial that you be able to quickly assess the situation and weigh the pros and cons of putting up a fight. Arguing over details is waste of time that some of my colleagues overlook.
In the end, it’s not about being right; instead, it’s about fighting for the right things. Bad decisions are made all the time, but it’s not just the decision that will be evaluated. You have to remember that your behavior in how the decision was made will also be assessed.