We are in the middle of a remodel that involves a kitchen, 3 baths, a laundry, a screened in porch, windows and hardwood floors.
So.. I says to the super: I want to take up the base before the hardwood installer gets here.
Super:Yup sounds good.
Then Bossman stops by: Nope, the painter doesn’t want to have to paint it so leave it alone, and the floor man says he can work around it.
Me:OK
super: boss says we should take up the base.
Me: Oh did he change his mind?
super: thats what he said yester day.
Me: Ok cause I talked to him last week.
Boss(next day) : I never said that, leave the base. well what do you think.
Me: I think we should take it up to make things easier.
Boss: well we need find out what the floor guy wants, ask super.
Me : who will ultimately be making the decision?
Boss: well that would the floor man, have super call him.
Super: I’m sure he said take it up, but maybe he didn’t.
Me: I need a decision some time.
Super: It took me a week to get a hold of floor guy I’ll try and call him back.
Me: Whack whack whack wack…….(hitting head against wall)[we’re only talking 40′ of base here!]
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Edited 8/27/2003 5:55:35 AM ET by Mr T
Replies
Indecision. My biggest point of frustration. I had a boss 15 years ago that I don't think made 2 decisions a week. Um, well, damn, what do you think? Yeah I see what you mean but do you really think it will be ok? I hate that and immediately want to choke whoever is doing it.
You know, when you think about it most of the time those decisions won't massively affect anybody anyway. Just a judgement call so lets make one and get something done! You have my sympathy. DanT
not to decide is to decide
J Joplin
bobl Volo Non Voleo
not to decide is to decide
No it isn't, Not when you come back and second guess a decision that YOU had an opportunity to make in a timely manner.
If I ask, and you hedge, you loose the right to say "well I think we should have".
Any idiot can look back on a mistake and pick a better course!
Foresight is one of the things that customers are paying a contractor 50$ an hour for.Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
I agree with everything you said, but you're wrong in saying bobl/Janis are wrong.
Put another way by Rush ("Freewill"):
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
It's just that particular choice is almost always wrong.If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
I worked for a guy who would have the seven leads do it all their own way then would pick the way he liked and then make the other six redo it.
So there was always six p*** offed leads. They just weren't always the same guys.
We learned to discuss it amoung ourselves and all do it the same way.
Len
Nail his left foot shoe sole to the floor. That will keep him busy (out of your way) for a week walking in circles trying to decide what to do about it.
Excellence is its own reward!
I'll decide, Take The Base Off!, and tell 'em both I said so<G>
EliphIno!
Edited 8/27/2003 6:17:42 PM ET by bucksnort billy
taking charge and responsibility like that will only get you...
more responsibility!
No wonder you are the guy in charge.
I remember a job I had where I once took the bull by the horns and made a decision to keep the job moving. Told the guys, if anyone challenged us on it, to go ahead and tell'em I was the one...
It turned out to be an unfavorable decision with the guy in charge.
But he put me incharge of the next job and gave me a raise, because he wanted people who could act and make decisions and take the heat..
Excellence is its own reward!
Sonny Lykos sent me an excerpt about decision-making from this book. I found it interesting.
Leadership Lessons of Ulysses S. Grant
The author is Bill Holton, Ph.D.
In the book, the author quotes from memoirs of Grant and other people in his command and even his enemies, then comments about the lessons learned from their comments.
Under Decision Making:
The semantics of decision-making demands choosing, not choice. The difference between making a decision and deciding is considerable. Grant recognized it. Deciding is looking for what is right. A decision is acting, hoping the choice is right. "Not to decide" as Grant warned, "wastes both time and money and may ruin everything." Having one answer does not require a decision, only compliance - and maybe guts. Having many answers demands a decision-making process to get the right answer.
There are really just two outcomes to any decision-making process; either you alter the outcomes or you alter yourself. When you cannot eliminate problems, you must manage them instead of allowing them to manage you. Until leaders can integrate into one analytical process the semantics of decision-making, particularly its impact on people, there can be no discipline, no science of management.
T...you`re not working for my old boss here in NY is ya?
Had I not left to go on my own, I woulda killed him.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Take off the base.
It is easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.This jobless recovery has done more to promote the consumption of exquisite chocolate than the finest chocolatier. Cost be damned.
Your boss reminds me of my first year in the gaurd. At annual training my section cheif couldn't make up his mind to save his life. We kind of guided him in the direction we thought was best (a tricky thing when you're an E2 or E3 and he's an E6). He'd periodically get angry because we weren't showing him the proper respect.
Nice guy, but no we had no respect for him as a leader. He wasn't cut out for it. One instance another section invited us to participate in some training exercises with them. You guys want to come, we're leaving right now. Seemed like a good idea, so the rest of us tryed to talk him into it. Didn't work. But, I'll never forget about 45 minutes later him walking back up to us and saying I think we should go with them. Great, they left 35 minutes ago and they're somewhere within this 100 sq. mile training area, let's go.<G>
Great guy, but his indecision would drive you insane. In a war it'd have likely gotten you killed. Spent another 8 years around him, but they shuttled him off to commo repair. If your commo's down he has to come fix it, but he doesn't have to really make any critical decisions or lead anyone.