7-28-10 Is It Better To Beg Forgiveness?

Here’s an interesting question….. Is it better to beg forgiveness or to ask permission? Hmmmmm…..

Guess that depends on the situation, of course. But in the business world, I learned early on that it is better to take action and then beg forgiveness if something goes awry.

Oh sure, there are times that it is absolutely mandatory that you ask permission. Like when you are about to commit the company to a multi-billion dollar contract, well then, you should probably ask a couple of people if it is okay. There is a line here that you must not cross…. And that line will vary depending on your boss of the moment, your situation, your company, etc.

But, for most of the day-to-day business activities, I never really had much luck with asking permission. It gives people the opportunity to delay your actions -- even when their agreement wasn’t really needed. It also gives people the opportunity to torpedo your actions -- if it is something they don’t want. Or, heaven forbid, it gives someone the opportunity to say no. And if that someone is your boss, you can consider the door to be firmly shut to your idea. No amount of finagling will get you back to yes.

My policy is to assume that I have the authority (and responsibility) to do something until someone (usually my boss) tells me different. Have I screwed up with that attitude? Occasionally, yes. Hence the idea of begging forgiveness. It is real easy to say, “I’m sorry, but I thought that was my responsibility. I’ll not do that again”.

Interestingly, people (my boss, specifically) have always been willing to accept that and we move on.

Here’s something even more interesting. I’ve gotten feedback in the past that I was rated highly in evaluations because of my willingness to take the initiative, make a decision, and implement a plan. If I hadn’t assumed the appropriate authority, that would have never happened.

So remember, you are an executive. And you are in charge. Act like it.

Cheers!

6-18-10 Expectations

The US Open started yesterday. And with almost 2 rounds complete, the leader is at 2 under par. While I know that Pebble Beach Golf Course is a difficult course, my expectations were that the pros would come out shooting very low scores. Why? Because like many sports fans, my expectations are based on past performance. Last week, at the St. Jude Classic, the winner was 10 under par. And the week before, at Jack’s Memorial Tournament, the winner was 18 under par. Of course, I didn’t take into account the course, the conditions, the competition, or the players. But those were my expectations.

The same expectations exist for the new and/or aspiring executive -- whether we like it or not. I’ve mentioned in the past that the executive is usually promoted to the exec ranks because of his/her past performance. The expectation is that the outstanding performance that got you this far will continue. And that expectation is without regard to the conditions of your previous jobs.

Is that realistic? I guess that depends on your situation. If you are promoted to an area where you are familiar with the people and the processes -- in that they are similar to what you have done in the past, then yes, it is realistic. Because the skills that got you this far will be the same skills that can carry you forward. However, the caveat here is that you can’t blindly follow the same path that you’ve used in the past. You are an executive now. You have other resources available to you -- and you are expected to learn how to use them.

However, if you are promoted to an unfamiliar area, then past performance may not be the best indicator of how you will do in the new job. Sure, some of your skills will be translatable. However, many will not. It is up to you to decide which will work.

One final word. It is also up to you to manage expectations. Huh? Yes, within reason, you CAN manage the expectations of your boss, your peers, and your staff. Obviously, don’t over-promise. But perhaps it isn’t quite so obvious that you shouldn’t under-promise. Figure out what you can deliver to the position, and how you will deliver it --- then make sure that they know your plan.

Cheers!