Is it easier to get forgiveness or permission

Where you work is it easier to get forgiveness or permission?

  • It's easier to get forgiveness.

    Votes: 6 100.0%
  • It's easier to get permission.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6
G

Gerry Quinn

#11
30 years ago I began my engineering career with a family owned company run by the sons of the founder. These guys didn't know anything about engineering but knew that they needed the capability in order to be in business.
I was in charge of design and development. In this position I could assess the need for additional improvements in my processes or the addition of more capability.
I developed a plan for the development of software for performing seismic analysis of piping in nuclear power plants. I presented the plan to the sons along with my guess at the ROI. They turned me down flat.
For those of you who know anything about the analysis work that was performed on nuclear power systems, you know that we lost millions by not participating in that business.
After that I never asked for permission to develop anything, I just did it. I went on to develop several analytical programs that did allow us to generate millions in engineering labor dollars.
How did I get to do this? They had no control over where the labor dollars went, so I buried the development costs into other projects.
When I acquired contracts based on my software, they never asked me where I got the software. They were just happy to see the dollars.
Keep in mind, I never attempted a project based on a whim, my odds of success were always high. But I could never convice this bunch of boobs. They thought that they were to only ones who knew anything. So going around them was the only way to success.
 
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R

Rachel

#12
Gerry Quinn said:
30 years ago I began my engineering career with a family owned company run by the sons of the founder. These guys didn't know anything about engineering but knew that they needed the capability in order to be in business.
I was in charge of design and development. In this position I could assess the need for additional improvements in my processes or the addition of more capability.
I developed a plan for the development of software for performing seismic analysis of piping in nuclear power plants. I presented the plan to the sons along with my guess at the ROI. They turned me down flat.
For those of you who know anything about the analysis work that was performed on nuclear power systems, you know that we lost millions by not participating in that business.
After that I never asked for permission to develop anything, I just did it. I went on to develop several analytical programs that did allow us to generate millions in engineering labor dollars.
How did I get to do this? They had no control over where the labor dollars went, so I buried the development costs into other projects.
When I acquired contracts based on my software, they never asked me where I got the software. They were just happy to see the dollars.
Keep in mind, I never attempted a project based on a whim, my odds of success were always high. But I could never convice this bunch of boobs. They thought that they were to only ones who knew anything. So going around them was the only way to success.
I don't think I would have lasted long enough there. Sounds like you did a lot of work for little recognition.
Not that the recognition is all that it's about, but it's important to me. Maybe I'm just young and still need reinforcement from management that my ideas and efforts are worthwhile. Who knows?

I voted that it's easier to get permission. We are a similar company - small, micromanaged, founder still works there, and the common sentiment from top management is that they want the staff to work on their own - without handholding from the top dogs. Yet, whenever I send anything out the door to a customer, it has to be reviewed by the president before I can send it. Otherwise, wrists will be slapped.

How's that for backwards?
 
E

engjane

#13
Rachel said:
I voted that it's easier to get permission. We are a similar company - small, micromanaged, founder still works there, and the common sentiment from top management is that they want the staff to work on their own - without handholding from the top dogs. Yet, whenever I send anything out the door to a customer, it has to be reviewed by the president before I can send it. Otherwise, wrists will be slapped.

How's that for backwards?
Maybe its a female perspective that makes it different - I dont know.....
I voted permission as forgiveness is something that is, in my opinion, very hard to truely get.
If you had chosen a different word - perhaps "overlook", I might have thought differently.
Someone always ribs you for the things you did wrong (or reminds you or rubs it in or distrusts you in future).

Does this make any sense? :2cents:
 

Caster

An Early Cover
Trusted Information Resource
#14
Godd for you

leanne said:
I work for a large publicly held company. My stock portfolio includes stock from my employer. I am a stakeholder in all decisions that I make.

My decisions are always tempered by answers to the following:

Would I be unwilling to go up in the aircraft fitted with my product that is impacted by this decision ?
Would I be bothered if this decision were plastered over the front page of the Dallas Morning News?

If the answer to either of the above is yes, I look for an alternate solution...
Leanne - you go!

If only Enron, Martha, dubya, Nortel, and an almost endless list of CEOs thought and behaved the same as you we'd have a much better world to work in.

Top management doesn't always make ethical/informed decisions. Another thread examines this in terms of sociopathic behaviour. I find this idea very interesting.
 
M

michelle8075

#15
I am voting for Permission.

My "better half", well he always assumes it easier to get forgivness. His current theory on this is that I would not have allowed him to get certain things (can you say "Hot Tub" we didn't have a deck big enough for and now there is more $$$$$ an work involved?) if he first got my "permission". However, on every occassion he did something without my "permission" he regrets it. It has turned out, he wished he would have gotten permission before. Now he is regreting his decision, and I would have been right. LOL!
 
C

Craig H.

#16
michelle8075 said:
I am voting for Permission.

My "better half", well he always assumes it easier to get forgivness. His current theory on this is that I would not have allowed him to get certain things (can you say "Hot Tub" we didn't have a deck big enough for and now there is more $$$$$ an work involved?) if he first got my "permission". However, on every occassion he did something without my "permission" he regrets it. It has turned out, he wished he would have gotten permission before. Now he is regreting his decision, and I would have been right. LOL!

Uhh, wait a minute. Lets hear what you have to say AFTER you get in the hot tub!!!
 
M

michelle8075

#17
Craig H. said:
Uhh, wait a minute. Lets hear what you have to say AFTER you get in the hot tub!!!
NO COMMENT! I PLEAD THE 5th :lol:


However, if he first got permission, I would have noted that the deck was not big enough and that we would have to pull permits add on, etc. etc.

Now, he is upset because he is not very handy as a carpenter, and now has to figure out how to build a deck. We do live next to a carpenter, but he won't be available to help until near the end of summer. So, now my better half is upset because he might have to pay to have this done..........

Also, there was the Harley incident, the race car incident, the four wheeler incident....... the jet ski incident............. :whip: (I am not in anyway against having fun or being able to have some nice "toys", but you have to look at your finances and what is more important to you).

All in which he said "I wish I would have asked you first". He has a "slight" problem with impusle purchasing! I tend to be more of the lets think about this first type of person.

So, if you see a Hot Tub for sale..... well you can safely assume it is probably mine :biglaugh:
 
C

Craig H.

#18
Harley, race car, four wheeler and jet ski "incidents"? At least there is less chance of an unplanned hospital visit with a hot tub!

:lmao:
 
M

michelle8075

#19
Craig H. said:
Harley, race car, four wheeler and jet ski "incidents"? At least there is less chance of an unplanned hospital visit with a hot tub!

:lmao:
:tg: Ummmmm.......(LOL) you need to meet my husband........ he can make even the hot tub dangerous. Well let's just say that him and his friends believe that it is a "tub o' fun" that they can practice cannon balls in at 2am at night. Spashing water all over the doorwall. They also believe that is is hilarious to play "Look I am floating face down" and running and leaping over the side of the hot tub as a fun event! :bonk: Last time they got together I found an empty beer can, a black paper clip binder, and a lighter torch floating in the water. Yes... I am scared! Let's just say maybe I should take this as a sign and run for it..... how's the weather where your at? :lol:

Anyway, nothing against having fun, and really I rather them "playing" in the backyard supervised! At least they are living life up and having a great time. I used to be a life guard, so maybe I should get the red bathing suit and whistle back?
 
D

Don Palmer

#20
Seize the day

84.62% responded "It's easier to get forgiveness."
15.38% responded "It's easier to get permission."

Thanks
 

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