Tuesday, August 14, 2018
I Often Had To Be Devil's Advocate - Raining On Parades And Other Thoughts
By: Donovan Baldwin
Years ago, as business manager for a small, nonprofit, mental health center in Milton, Florida, I often had to be "Devil's Advocate" when some exciting plans were made.
It happened so often that, at one meeting, the executive director shook his head sadly and said, "Don. I keep you around just so you can tell me what I cannot do."
That's okay, he later got booted out for doing things he shouldn't have... like asking me to run two sets of books... but that's another story.
More likely than not, in most cases, I was being "negative" because I knew we didn't have funds for some new project, or that it was against the stipulations which came with the money we DID have.
Also, part of the reason, was personal... I don't like finding out why something should NOT have been started in the first place, once I'm into a "project". I considered it part of my position to prevent waste and abuse, even if it began with the best of intentions.
One other reason, in this particular instance, was that no other executive level decision maker in the organization had any real business experience or training. To them, a good idea, was an automatic, "Yes! Let's do that!"
Then they would get all excited begin talking excitedly back and forth, and start planning and projecting... until I had to do my "ahem" thing. Once I had their attention, I explained why it couldn't be done.
Not fun.
I don't like raining on people's parades... but, you know what?
Sometimes the parade DOES get rained out.
As a father, an army sergeant, as manager of various businesses, as the adult, I've had to be the one to say, "Sorry. No can do."
It's great to have wonderful plans and ideas, and to throw yourself wholly into some plan or project, but, sometimes it just ain't gonna happen.
Some poor "boss" is going to say, "No", and everybody's going to be mad at him or her... not understanding the reason behind the decision.
Years ago, as business manager for a small, nonprofit, mental health center in Milton, Florida, I often had to be "Devil's Advocate" when some exciting plans were made.
It happened so often that, at one meeting, the executive director shook his head sadly and said, "Don. I keep you around just so you can tell me what I cannot do."
That's okay, he later got booted out for doing things he shouldn't have... like asking me to run two sets of books... but that's another story.
More likely than not, in most cases, I was being "negative" because I knew we didn't have funds for some new project, or that it was against the stipulations which came with the money we DID have.
Also, part of the reason, was personal... I don't like finding out why something should NOT have been started in the first place, once I'm into a "project". I considered it part of my position to prevent waste and abuse, even if it began with the best of intentions.
One other reason, in this particular instance, was that no other executive level decision maker in the organization had any real business experience or training. To them, a good idea, was an automatic, "Yes! Let's do that!"
Then they would get all excited begin talking excitedly back and forth, and start planning and projecting... until I had to do my "ahem" thing. Once I had their attention, I explained why it couldn't be done.
Not fun.
I don't like raining on people's parades... but, you know what?
Sometimes the parade DOES get rained out.
As a father, an army sergeant, as manager of various businesses, as the adult, I've had to be the one to say, "Sorry. No can do."
It's great to have wonderful plans and ideas, and to throw yourself wholly into some plan or project, but, sometimes it just ain't gonna happen.
Some poor "boss" is going to say, "No", and everybody's going to be mad at him or her... not understanding the reason behind the decision.
Labels: business, devil's advocate, donovan baldwin, mental health, Milton Florida
