“It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.” This quote is attributed to Grace Hopper (1906-1992), a US Naval officer and pioneer in the field of computer engineering. It is fairly common to hear this quote, or variations of it, referenced in conversations regarding employee initiative and its impact on the manager-employee relationship.
“I would rather my employees ask permission because ultimately I am accountable for their judgments and actions.” A preference for permission-seeking reflects a manager’s values of compliance, respect for authority and organizational hierarchy. It can also reflect the manager’s need to have control, perhaps due to fear of being blamed for the actions of those who report to them. In the extreme, those who have a tendency to micro-manage expect their employees to get their approval before taking most any action.
There are liabilities associated with this management style. One is that is slows down processes, and deters an employee’s ability to be responsive to situational or customer needs. It can negate the concept of employee empowerment, and limit the employee’s ability to stretch and grow. It also can send the unspoken message to employees that the manager cannot trust them to do a good job on their own.
“I would rather my employees seek forgiveness than ask my permission. I hire good people and trust them to do their job.” A forgiveness-seeking style, on the other hand, reflects a manager’s comfort with employees taking initiative and some risk-taking. They may have a reputation for being more “hands off,” and operate with inherent trust in the employee’s capability. If an error in judgment is made, it will likely be treated as a learning opportunity.
Employees who need a high level of structure, direction or approval will generally feel more comfortable and compatible with a manager who operates in that style. However, they may feel vulnerable and cautious with a more “hands-off” boss, and perhaps feel disappointment at what they perceive as not having a supportive manager.
When hiring employees and establishing expectations it is important that managers discuss the important issue of initiative, judgment and risk-taking in employee’s role early on in their relationship. The best preventive approach is to identify situations that are likely to occur, and come to a mutual agreement as to how they might be navigated.
A healthy balance in any manager is to hire right, train well, communicate guidelines and expectations and then give the employee room to do his job within those parameters and without micro-managing.
While an employee may not be 100% on target with interpreting his manager’s intentions, he must have a balance between asserting his own judgment, and anticipating when his actions might have negative consequences for his manager, team or organization.
The higher the stakes of a situation, the more appropriate it is to expect that the manager to be included in the loop, if not for the purpose of obtaining permission, then at least to inform of intentions ahead of time. No manager wants to be “surprised” or caught unaware by an employee’s actions.
Ask permission? Or beg forgiveness? While there is no definitive “right” way, both styles have their advantages and disadvantages. Since it is an important aspect of performance success and working relationships, this topic warrants open and honest discussions to minimize misunderstandings and conflicts down the road.
