Be Better Guys

Before going to my desk one morning, I stopped to talk with a colleague about an issue we were working on. During the chat, I received an email via smartphone, “Meet me at my office at 9:30 for a 10:00 meeting with The Boss of Bosses,” from our respective head honcho.  Hmmm. I noticed the other person copied on the email, an upper-level manager, a handler I worked with on a project put to bed more than a year ago. While the project we worked on is considered successful, with plaudits and cheers from various corners of the universe, this was done before the Boss of Bosses arrived. The good news was that he was aware of the work and reviewed it thoroughly. The bad news? He had some comments and suggestions on how to improve it—that is, improve the product more than 1 year after its successful release to the public. Since that time, I moved to a new office, but due to my expertise in certain areas, I still have collateral duty in my old shop. I quickly start thinking that this can’t be good.

In the world of office intrigue there are few situations as troubling as “The Ambush.” As a highly functioning cog in the machine, you hope that your efforts support the organizational values, and vice versa. Change, however, is inevitable. Managers, systems, support staff in organizations change. When this happens, values can change, leaving the chance that a previously highly considered idea or product is open to scrutiny. Not that it’s a bad thing: evaluating production and making adjustments to improve them is a smart practice. Yet, no one wants to feel like their work is being criticized, especiallyout of the blue and without warning. I felt like Frankie Five Angels in Godfather II when he found out his crew were being passed over for the family’s greater interests, except without turning State’s evidence or having to commit suicide in the bathtub, I hoped.

That was where I found myself, on the verge of some meeting that had the looks of being devastating. I spoke with my handler, who was equally as nervous. Our Boss and some other Capos were attending as well. The crew ventured to the Boss of Bosses office for the sit-down with more than a bit of trepidation As the lot of us sat listening to his evisceration of the product, most of his attention was turned toward me. He had questions. The Boss of Bosses was not a patient man. Something was going to have to happen. So, what do you do when the Ambush happens to you?

1. Have Your Story Ready. I had a chance to explain the history behind the product to the Boss. And while we couldn’t get an earlier sit-down with the Boss of Bosses, she knew where we were coming from and how to begin working toward a solution.
2. Recognize Where the Attack is Coming From: This situation likely has little to do with you or your performance. In my case, the product was deemed beneficial by the end user (people with relatively little knowledge of the topic matter needing rudimentary introduction). However, the Boss of Bosses, a high-level power user, saw it as an insufficient resource in need of serious upgrade. From his POV, the product was a mess. Which leads to,
3. Don’t Get Defensive. Remember, as Michael Corleone told his brother Sonny in The Godfather, it’s not personal, it’s strictly business. Not getting bent out of shape is easier said than done, but consider this: It’s not in your position description to get heated about criticism, justified or not. Getting torqued out prevents you from seeing the opportunity, which is the higher-ups are aware of your work and you have a chance to turn a negative situation into a positive one. For me, it started with listening to what the complaints were and providing alternatives to fixing the situation. “We can have some supplemental materials developed in the interim while we identify a long-term revision that makes the most sense for the organization.”
4. Know Who Your Allies Are: Fortunately for me, several people involved in related projects were in the meeting with us. None of those people entered or exited thinking that I’d screwed the pooch. One of the Capos began suggesting ways to avoid the “nuclear option” the Boss of Bosses wanted and allowed me and my handler a way to be engaged in the solution. Hence, no one got knocked off.

The long and the short of the story is that while a revision of some sort may have to be made, the product led to a renewed focus company-wide on development in that area, which was acknowledged to be as a direct result of our work. Instead of being a problem, we were spearheading a new directive. Lemonade was just made out of lemons.