Escalation Tact

[Weezy1973]

Hello,

 

Here is the situation:

 

My boss rolled out a new procedure last fall the was to be used as a stop gap for a previous procedure that was failing to do the job. The stop gap was good in concept, but the details were never sorted out. Unfortunately the stop gap has become our new official procedure and there are a number of fundamental flaws that have to be sorted out and never were.

 

I've brought this up with my boss a number of times in meetings, and he says he agrees with me, but then ignores it and continues on as if none of these underlying flaws exist. Today a colleague of mine and I were discussing it and he had also brought forward similar concerns, and was also ignored.

 

Now we've put together a document outlining the flaws and also with a number of solutions to attack each point (again, these have all been discussed in meetings, but ultimately ignored). My question is this:

 

How do we bring this up with our boss? Do we just have a meeting with him and discuss the points made in the document? Do we send it in an email to both my boss and his boss (i.e. escalating it up a step)? This issue definitely needs action, but nothing is happening and me and my colleague are getting extremely frustrated and we're not sure how to get heard.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Edited February 18, 2015 by Weezy1973

[OpenBook]

Don't escalate it! Set up a meeting with just your boss. Before the meeting, go over your solutions in the document with a fine-tooth comb to make sure you've got all your i's dotted and your t's crossed. Also identify where you can help implement the solutions; it will carry a lot more weight if you offer to do the heavy lifting, rather than assign tasks to others.

 

Also while you're reviewing it, put yourself in your boss's shoes and try to anticipate any objections he might have to the solutions you're proposing. His plate is bigger; he has to manage the group effectively and answer to his own higher-ups.

 

Also keep in mind that when you previously brought up these issues with your boss in meetings - especially if it was in front of a group of people - he may have taken it like you were attacking/working against him, since the stopgap process was his idea in the first place. Make sure your approach assures him you are on HIS side and your intention is to make HIM shine.

 

Never underestimate your boss's ego. Especially in front of other people. It can make or break your career.

 

Good luck! It's great that you're trying to fix the problem rather than just complain about it.