End Around

The "End Around" (coming from the Football play) is also a business term used. In football it is considered a trick play and in business one could also think of it as a trick - or more likely the better term is also trying to "blind side" the boss.

Like football this play rarely works - yet it is tried by many (usually the naive). When I hear criticism of the boss - or a salesman trying to go around the protocol of the decision process, I just roll my eyes. Nothing good is going to come of this.

If I have learned one thing in business and life, it is to not criticize the boss to or with other people. It is just a different form of gossip and yields no value to any productive solution to a conflict. Also thinking you can get the sale by just going directly to the top is futile. Hierarchies have a purpose and like military order - protocol. Violating that protocol strikes at the very essence of methods, standards and organizational stability.

I have always found confronting the issue with the boss brings much better results.

It Ends UP!