Upper manager introduces "innovative" new idea against subordinate's advice, it fails spectacularly: 'He doesn't want to admit he made a mistake'

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jun 21, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

Nobody likes any idea as much as they like their own. And nobody likes their own ideas more than upper management. They'll pick a course, no matter how ill-informed or ill-advised that course is, and steer into it full steam ahead. And, yet, still, there is something admirable, at least, in that kind of confidence; no matter how foolhardy it might sometimes be, that attitude is probably how they got where they are in the first place—that or it's their parents' company.

Still, sometimes, as a business, you have to venture out into new and uncharted territories… be it a new product or service or trying to market your offerings to a new audience. You're never guaranteed to see returns, but making informed attempts will hopefully yield some interesting results, even if it's a slow burn. Keep doing what you're doing for long enough, and your current business will stagnate if you never branch out. 

Regardless of whether or not these new ventures were a good idea or not, it's always frustrating for the staff who warned against them in the first place when they're suddenly swept under the rug and never mentioned again without acknowledgment of their apparent failure after being forced down everyone's throats for so long.

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    2. 3. HI-HC Design Homepage AL He (Email) Download H1-Head Video Medu Phone
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    "I already said we were going to do it, so just do it."

    I work on an IT team for a small company, and one of the things we support are marketing campaigns for our company. So to set the cast, let's call my boss Kathy and there's Peter the sales manager. Peter has this brilliant idea of targeting a cross section of two audiences for a new marketing campaign. He pitches it in a meeting and everyone gets super excited about this. After the meeting Peter asks Kathy to set it up.
    via oldButNotTooTired
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    Kathy pushes back immediately saying she is confident that this new audience is not worth our time, and it is maybe 200 potential customers (out of 200K). Now Peter has a LOT of sway in the company and doesn't want to admit he made a mistake about 'his' customers and said 'well I already said we were going to do it, so just do it.'
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    So I put in the requirements and it is worse than Kathy thought: 47 people. Once again, this is escalated to Peter, who insists we just do it and he complains we are behind schedule on getting this done (admittedly it has been a few business days because we did not prioritize this stupid request). I pass along the new audience to our marketing folks who design a campaign, setup a couple of new pages on the website etc.
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    Now re: profitability: Our average transaction sales are pretty small, but a lot of repeat transactions from our customers. But just with the time I've spent on it there is no way this campaign is paying even my salary, much less everyone else who spent time on it. Kathy doesn't want me to spend another second on it, BUT... Peter, who again, we have kept in the loop this entire time, wants to see it in our Power BI reports for the sales team and the C suite.
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    Normally something this small would be rolled up into an "Other" category, but hey Peter wants to see it so I make sure that it is listed. In the updated bar chart there is a line of text at the bottom, no bar associated with it because after 4 weeks: Clicks: 2 Sales: $0
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    I was not at the meeting after this went live but I heard Peter went on a long spiel about the growth potential of this new campaign. Kathy and I are confident he's going to put it in his self review about how innovative he is. Assuming he still has a job.
    via oldButNotTooTired
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    SkwrlTail 4 hr. ago Watch out for him slinging blame, accusing "naysayers" of "sabotaging him" or whatever. Coolbeanschilly · 3 hr. ago That's the beauty of Kathy and OP having set up the email chain to show that there was proper communication of this to Peter, thus the CYA has been completed.
    via oldButNotTooTired
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    • Coolbeanschilly · 3 hr. ago A wonderful story, I just hope that you and Kathy have downloaded all the relevant emails to a personal account, just to prevent them from "mysteriously" disappearing due to Peter following the Principle named after him.
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    MiaowWhisperer 4 hr. ago Thank you for making click stats amusing. I usually find them so depressing.
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    grauenwolf 4 hr. ago · edited 2 hr. ago tl;dr; Seeing the high per-click cost of advertising, Peter devises a new marketing strategy that is guaranteed to save money.
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    the-exiled-muse 2 hr. ago • If you get an update on this, would you please let us know? Thank you. • old ButNotTooTired OP 2 hr. ago You bet! After telling this story, now I think I understand what Peter might think: This group will grow significantly over time. I can't explain more publicly but I'm in the data,
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    and I know that even in a 'good' year we never have exceeded ~70 people in this intersection. So there will undoubtedly be follow up from him where he hopes to see growth and this to pay off.
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    RedRabbit37 - 2 hr. ago I am scared of what the cpm is. Bet Peter talks up 5+% ctr and how the engagement is well above average.
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    • NPHighview 3 hr. ago Maybe try the "union" of the two audiences, rather than the "intersection" of the two audiences. Or wait for Peter to insist that's what he meant.
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    Cfwydirk 4 hr. ago Sales people can be a different breed. Smarter than you or Kathy, (in his mind) he thinks you are support personnel to help him achieve his goals. Peter must be pretty good if he holds sway in the company allowing him to compel you to do his bidding. Hope it only cost a few days of your pay.
    via oldButNotTooTired

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