[angersock]

Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?"

Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.

[javajosh]

That's a terrible thing to say to your leader. Indeed, if you really believe it, you should leave, roughly for the same reasons in the OP's article! That is, you don't have the time or the knowledge to mentor a CEO.

Far more actionable is when an executive seems to be operating under an incorrect assumption about the world (people, customers, technology, etc) and you offer what you believe is a solid refutation of their incorrect belief, ideally without ego or rancor. Employees that can do this consistently are extremely valuable to an organization.

[MollyR]

Yea, It can get you fired. I've seen it happen. This article is too idealistic, and doesn't take into account businesses have business politics or peoples ego's.

[pnathan]

You realize that this article is from a pretty noted VC, right? He's pretty familiar with reality.

[thomasatethose]

is vc behavior homogenous? probably not. I think both pieces of advice are valid. know who you are dealing with, and if you don't know make the error on the safe side.

[harryh]

Sure there is. You go talk to the CEO and say "I think you're sucking at leading and sales. And I think that because of reasons X, Y & Z."

They might not listen to you but you can certainly tell them.

[nostrademons]

Better is "Why aren't we doing X, Y, and Z to improve sales?" That phrases it in a positive tone, with concrete solutions, and gives the CEO an opportunity to tactfully tell you why your model of the world may be wrong.

Beware that very often the response is "Well, I never considered that, but it sounds like a good idea. Why don't you lead a project to do X, Y, and Z and we'll see how it turns out? Oh, and be sure to get your regular work done too."

[lotsofmangos]

Better still...

Remember that idea you suggested last week in the pub of doing X Y and Z. Well, we started doing it on the side and it is increasing sales. Should we start doing it officially?

[mpdehaan2]

Or better "have we possibly considered" vs "why aren't we doing" :)

[q2]

>>> Oh, and be sure to get your regular work done too.

In a fixed day, is it possible to do regular work and also extra projects?

I think, if offered solution appears reasonable to management,then some of daily responsibilities need to be shifted to remaining workforce temporarily till that pilot work gets completed.

[harryh]

I agree on both points. Though I would point out that #2 can, in some situations, be a big opportunity.

[jnem]

I disagree. Ive seen too often the person who is willing to say X,Y,Z is wrong, but cant offer a solution to solve X,Y,Z. Its the solution that matters. Bringing your CEO or any higher-up a problem without a solution is just adding to the noise that busy person already has to deal with. The whole purpose of an employee is to take an existing or new problem off of the CEOs plate.

[TheOtherHobbes]

This is fine in theory, but most solutions require time, resources, people, money... all things that employees lower down the hierarchy are unlikely to have.

If you're saying 'Bring a suggested solution but don't try to implement it without buy-in', that's a slightly different process.

The issue of who notices/fixes/prioritises/analyses tactical and strategic problems, and who assigns resources for the fixes, can make or break companies.

It's not a simple problem. I suspect a lot of popular solutions are probably sub-optimal.

[jnem]

True, if we get down to the nitty gritty, its not as simple as I portrayed. My intent was to say, bring an idea for a solution, don't just bring a problem. If I had two employees who came to me with the same problem, and one came prepared with a recommended solution and the other one didn't, it would be clear to me who the more valuable employee is.

[Retra]

If my CEO is going to demand internal pre-prepared solutions to everything, then I'd demand that they be competent enough to not need my input anymore.

I mean, "hire someone who knows how to fix this" is obvious enough that it needn't be stated, nor defended behind this "bring an idea for a solution, don't just bring a problem" talk.

Which frankly sounds like something a motivational poster writer should be saying, not someone concerned with running a business. Platitudes are rarely the solution to a meaningful problem, in my experience.

[jnem]

No one said demand.

[harryh]

You're 100% right and I definitely should have said that. Presenting a good solution to the problem is critical.

[q2]

If you visit a doctor with a problem, will you go along with possible solutions or you will point out problem and expect solution from doctor?

If you are QA engineer, you will point out issues with the tool but making reasonable and appropriate solution is developer's job. Is n't it?

You can point out the problems with your car but you cannot fix them and may be mechanic/engineer can offer solutions.

So I disagree that people should not point out issues if they do not know solutions.

CEO's need not have to solve all on their own and they can route them to appropriate experts for solutions. If that is not possible to solve immediately, offer a time line. If CEO still think, that is not problem/issue at all, let him offer convincing reason. So we have multiple options here rather than suppressing discussion.

Many managers use this type of logic to suppress debate,dissent,discussion ...etc and gradually people shut their mouths even if problem is right in front of their eyes. I think this is avoidable.

[EpicEng]

Good luck with that. Easy to say, but, in practice, that will lead to a negative result most of the time.

[zhte415]

My company have this kind of activity each year. Teams of people from different functions identify problems, present them and their proposed solutions, what's thought needed to get it done. Present to everyone present including the GM. It can get pretty direct, but question asking and feedback are not allowed.

A month later, the chance to apply for any role (or create a new role) is offered to everyone in the organisation, again done so presenting to VPs and the GM.

I'd not encountered this in a large company; this company is around 150 people.

[falsestprophet]

If your command of the language is limited to "unfortunately (you're) sucking at", then you ought to keep these thoughts to yourself.

[fixxer]

I say it with my feet.