
Ask HN: Should I take an idea to the chief executive? - ch215
I have a suggestion which could add a six-or-seven-figure income stream to a business I&#x27;ve not long joined. I&#x27;m a lowly worker, on the first rung of management, and the company employs thousands.<p>I&#x27;m considering whether to email the idea to the chief executive. I just don&#x27;t want to see it lost in layers of management and I&#x27;m not sure who else can make it happen.<p>I lack self-confidence so I&#x27;m worried about overstepping the mark and I could do with some reassurance that it&#x27;s not a rash, ill-judged decision. What do think? Is taking an idea to the top a no-no?
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greenyoda
How receptive your CEO would be to an idea from an unknown employee is very
much dependent on your company's culture and your CEO's personality. I think
that the main risk would be not from the CEO (who would probably just ignore
your idea if they thought it was worthless), but from your manager, who might
be upset that you didn't get their advice or approval before approaching the
CEO. It would be hard for someone who isn't familiar with your company's
culture and politics to give you useful advice, so you might get a better
answer by asking a co-worker in your company who has been around longer than
you have (and who you trust to be discreet).

Also, a six-figure income stream may not be worth the trouble for a business
that's big enough to employ thousands of people (I'm guessing at least
hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue). It may seem like a lot of money
to you, but it could be a drop in the bucket for the company and a distraction
from their core lines of business.

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ch215
Thanks for your sage words. It's not massive money in the grand picture, I
know, but neither is it insignificant in a rapidly declining industry, such as
print journalism. However, I glady take your points aboard and I'm glad I
asked HN!

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brudgers
Sleep on it for a few days. Think about your motivations. Consider how
complete is your understanding of the particular business and industry. Ask
yourself if the prospect of six figure savings is a big enough number to
deserve the CEO 's attention or if it is something rightly delegated to a
lower level [e.g. it's rounding error at big companies].

Finally, the fact that you are asking indicates unfamiliarity with the
existing corporate culture...unsurprisingly for a recent hire. My advice is to
watch and learn and figure out why things are done the way they are done and
what forces are really in play.

Good luck.

~~~
ch215
Thanks for your thoughts, sound advice. It's not something I want to jump
into. You are likely right about trying to target the "right" person.

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Tomte
So because you have no trust at all in the abilities of your direct superiors
you want to mail the big boss?

Depends on him and your superiors, but generally it's a very bad idea. You
always go through your direct superior first.

If your idea is "lost in the layers" you can still cut through the layers, if
you really must.

Going to the big boss directly will probably result in two things: he will
dismiss it without a second thought. And your direct superior will not be
happy.

And btw, six or seven figures are nice, but that's not automatically a good
idea, even if your estimate was correct.

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ch215
Thanks for your thoughts, you make good points. I'll likely play it safe and
ask my manager to send it up the chain to the appropriate person.

It's not so much about having no trust in my superiors. I work at a newspaper
company but in editorial and the idea is on the business side of the "church
and state" divide.

It's an ailing industry, which could do with any revenue stream it can get its
hands on, and I just want to help where I can.

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ascendantlogic
Why exactly are you not running with this idea yourself?

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ch215
In a nutshell: I can't. Some say there's no such word but I _can 't_ magic up
the infrastructure needed. The firm I work for is hundreds of years old and
it's an idea that only such an institution could implement. Thanks for your
question though, it gives me something to think about, namely how I could
perhaps adapt the idea. Who knows? Maybe there is a start-up in there
somewhere.

~~~
ascendantlogic
There is no such word. If it's capital intensive you may need to convince some
VCs to front a decent amount of money but you should investigate all your
options.

