What are some possible consequences of contacting the CEO of my company?

[Papa Hogan]

As an employee with a supervisor and district manager directly above me, what could happen if I go around everybody with an idea that would most certainly save the company thousands of dollars? I'm pretty sure I won't get terminated...maybe just a stern talk.

Thanks for your opinions!

 

[Vic Vega]

You will make enemies no matter what the outcome. Be prepared.

 

[mmntech]

Quit job, start business in same industry, apply own idea, profit?

 

[Papa Hogan]

You will make enemies no matter what the outcome. Be prepared.

I already went above them both once. My supervisor told me not to contact the REGIONAL manager again. That doesn't apply to the CEO, right?

Quit job, start business in same industry, apply own idea, profit?

This company is big. It would be extremely difficult and expensive to get into the industry. I like the job, but I'd rather make a biiiiiiiiit more money.

 

[Matthiasa]

Thousands of dollars is well below CEO level unless it's a tiny company, thus the email would likely just get deleted.
Where I work the chain of management isn't really that solid so company wide ideas are likely to be taken to the top fairly quickly, and presented by those who thought of the idea.
Ideas from others typically aren't stolen and claimed as ones own and if one does so they get called out pretty quickly.

 

[ultimatebob]

Your mid level managers will be pissed off because you went over their heads and/or stole their ability to take credit for your idea.

Oh... And the CEO will likely not pay any attention to your idea because they probably do not know you personally. They'll feel like you're wasting their time, and there is a good chance that someone already came up with this idea before and it was shot down.

Unless the CEO is a golf buddy of yours, don't do it.

 

[Papa Hogan]

Your mid level managers will be pissed off because you went over their heads and/or stole their ability to take credit for your idea.

Oh... And the CEO will likely not pay any attention to your idea because they probably do not know you personally. They'll feel like you're wasting their time, and there is a good chance that someone already came up with this idea before and it was shot down.

Unless the CEO is a golf buddy of yours, don't do it.

What if I have a powerpoint presentation to offer?


...and I should learn to play golf.

 

[Matthiasa]

At most it would be to their secretary, executive assistant, who would then decide if it was of value.
Still, the dollar amounts listed means it should probably just go to your manager.

 

[PottedMeat]

email bomb the board of directors with your idea

 

[Papa Hogan]

At most it would be to their secretary, executive assistant, who would then decide if it was of value.
Still, the dollar amounts listed means it should probably just go to your manager.

Damn! I was almost looking forward to my supervisor demanding that I quit speaking to managers higher up than he is.

The dollar amount saved would be about $16000/ year.

 

[ultimatebob]

What if I have a powerpoint presentation to offer?


...and I should learn to play golf.

Yeah... you should if your bosses play it

Odds are that the Powerpoint presentation will never get opened if you e-mail it to him.

Does company have any kind of scheduled special "brainstorming sessions", like Facebook's Hackathons? That would be a good time to present your idea to the company when the bosses are listening.

That said, I find myself not following my own advice. Hell... just today I bypassed a division VP and went straight to our COO with a problem. One of the VP's incompetent employees screwed up a big customer order, and it wasn't going to it get fixed before shipping even after warning the employee and his boss about the problem twice.

That's a special case, though... I'm sure that I pissed off the VP, but the COO was just as pissed off at him

 

[Matthiasa]

That is definitely to low to go above your manager, assuming that was a company wide value.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Chances are they have some political reason why they don't want to implement it, otherwise it would have been done already. Companies tend to have lot of red tape and politics and the bigger they are, the worse this gets, and the more inefficient this is.

As an example of how hilariously inefficient stuff can get, to install a couple fluorescent lights where I work it cost's like 10 grand. It has to go through the maintenance contractor, which then subs it out to another contractor, which subs it out to a sub contractor, which then has it's own contractors etc... There will be a team of like 20 guys involved during the entire process.

Hospitals are even more hilarious when it comes to stuff like this. It would probably cost more like 100 grand and be done wrong.

 

[homebrew2ny]

In the corporate world there is a chain of command, regardless of the information being communicated (with few exceptions) you will simply be viewed as someone who can not or will not adhere to formal policy with regards to internal communication.

Believe it or not, most CEO's have better things to do then listen to a low ranking employee on how to save a few bucks. They are big picture guys, they hire people to handle anything else, the very same people you defiantly want to cut out of the loop for no apparent reason other than to not follow proper procedure.

 

[Papa Hogan]

I don't get why company managers don't have the time to speak to their employees. Don't they think lowly employees are worth talking to? And I don't get why my immediate managers get pissed when I email THEIR managers. To me they are all managers. Who cares? I'm not big on the thought that you must follow the chain of command.

In the corporate world there is a chain of command, regardless of the information being communicated (with few exceptions) you will simply be viewed as someone who can not or will not adhere to formal policy with regards to internal communication.

Believe it or not, most CEO's have better things to do then listen to a low ranking employee on how to save a few bucks. They are big picture guys, they hire people to handle anything else, the very same people you defiantly want to cut out of the loop for no apparent reason other than to not follow proper procedure.

I could do the job of any of the managers at the company. But golf may be necessary at that point.

 

[glenn1]

Damn! I was almost looking forward to my supervisor demanding that I quit speaking to managers higher up than he is.

The dollar amount saved would be about $16000/ year.

And your manager can easily "save" he company even more than at by firing you.

 

[homebrew2ny]

I don't get why company managers don't have the time to speak to their employees. Don't they think lowly employees are worth talking to? And I don't get why my immediate managers get pissed when I email THEIR managers. To me they are all managers. Who cares? I'm not big on the thought that you must follow the chain of command.

It does not really matter what you think about company policy with regards to communication. The chain is there to use, for the benefit of the company, not for you personally. It has nothing to do with you being a lowly employee but rather they simply have much more important things to do then to do your direct managers job.

 

[Red Squirrel]

To the company, you are just another cost. If they could replace you with something cheaper they would, and lot of companies are doing it. It's called outsourcing. The corporate world is a brutal one and is not in the interest of the employees or the customers. Only the share holders and execs. You are better off just doing what you have to do, not more, not less.

 

[Chapbass]

I don't get why company managers don't have the time to speak to their employees. Don't they think lowly employees are worth talking to? And I don't get why my immediate managers get pissed when I email THEIR managers. To me they are all managers. Who cares? I'm not big on the thought that you must follow the chain of command.

I could do the job of any of the managers at the company. But golf may be necessary at that point.

This is why you aren't a manager yourself

 

[JulesMaximus]

Possible consequences?

You get fired.
You alienate your boss... and his boss by going over their heads.
Nothing.
All of the above.

That's about all I got.

 

[baydude]

dumb idea. just do your damn job

 

[Matthiasa]

To the company, you are just another cost. If they could replace you with something cheaper they would, and lot of companies are doing it. It's called outsourcing. The corporate world is a brutal one and is not in the interest of the employees or the customers. Only the share holders and execs. You are better off just doing what you have to do, not more, not less.

That only applies to public companies... or rather it doesn't necessarily have to apply to private companies.

But then again where I work is just kind of weird for a billion dollar company.

 

[Papa Hogan]

It does not really matter what you think about company policy with regards to communication. The chain is there to use, for the benefit of the company, not for you personally. It has nothing to do with you being a lowly employee but rather they simply have much more important things to do then to do your direct managers job.

So I should just know my place and not speak to any managers except the local ones? What if in doing that, I deprive myself of a deeply rewarding relationship?

I should thank you for gracing this thread with your encouragement to stay at the same level and never break any unwritten rules.

 

[homebrew2ny]

So I should just know my place and not speak to any managers except the local ones? What if in doing that, I deprive myself of a deeply rewarding relationship?

I should thank you for gracing this thread with your encouragement to stay at the same level and never break any unwritten rules.

Are you delusional?

Jobs that incorporate a hierarchy of management do so for the betterment of the company without regard to creating 'deeply rewarding relationships' outside of a professional one. Your direct manager is your 'go to' guy with anything work related needing assistance, direction, or advice. That is why he was hired and in that position. If it is something he can not provide then it is up to him to 'flag' it up the chain, and so on.

This is not rocket science, this is practical business management and communication 101. And as a point of fact, once you make it to a senior management position you are all but told flat out NOT to have personal relationships (of any accord) with your direct reports or those below. Each level of management has a specific segment of capability, each responsible for those below and required to communicate to those directly above.

You can disagree with this all you want, and if you see this as a means to discourage yourself from meaningful relationships then so be it. Perhaps while at work you should focus more on doing a quality job, following proper procedure, and a bit less on meaningful relationships with those well above your pay grade.

And by the way, this is direct and honest advice coming from someone in a senior management position for one of the largest companies in the world, so even though your 'thank you' was sarcastic in nature, my 'your welcome' is not.

 

[Papa Hogan]

Are you delusional?

Jobs that incorporate a hierarchy of management do so for the betterment of the company without regard to creating 'deeply rewarding relationships'. Your direct manager is your 'go to' guy with anything work related needing assistance, direction, or advice. That is why he was hired and in that position. If it is something he can not provide then it is up to him to 'flag' it up the chain, and so on.

This is not rocket science, this is practical business management and communication 101. And as a point of fact, once you make it to a senior management position you are all but told flat out NOT to have personal relationships (of any accord) with your direct reports or those below. Each level of management has a specific segment of capability, each responsible for those below and required to communicate to those directly above.

You can disagree with this all you want, and if you see this as a means to discourage yourself from meaningful relationships then so be it. Perhaps while at work you should focus more on doing a quality job, following proper procedure, and a bit less on meaningful relationships with those well above your pay grade.

And by the way, this is direct and honest advice coming from someone in a senior management position for one of the largest companies in the world, so even though your 'thank you' was sarcastic in nature, my 'your welcome' is not.

Thank you again for fitting me into your busy schedule. Mr. CEO