# Possible mutiny at my company (what to do?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 2, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844 "2014-06-02T16:23:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/21 "2014-06-03T19:29:06Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Handle it like adults? > > Call a meeting and say that a director has a problem with how the CEO’s managing the company and would like to the Board to vote in favor of ousting him. Let each side present their arguments on why he should go/stay and solicit opinions all around. After the meeting, research the possible positives and negatives of making such a move, along with maybe getting the input of candidates that might replace the CEO and their plans on governing the company should it fall to them. Have all the department heads weigh in, take a poll of employees, and then have a vote of the Board on the final decision once all the facts come in. That sounds like step-by-step instructions for getting fired. Agree with most posters here that this is something you don’t want to involve yourself in. The director is going to do what he’s going to do, but it’s not likely to work out for him - people seldom get to choose their own bosses. It might be entertaining, though, so keep us updated! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/22 "2014-06-03T19:31:52Z")
Do they not keel-haul people for mutiny anymore? > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah, it’s not _Game of Drones_. Well played. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/23 "2014-06-03T19:32:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah, it’s not _Game of Drones_. It’s _A Song of Ice And Fired_. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/24 "2014-06-03T19:46:09Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Handle it like adults? > > Call a meeting and say that a director has a problem with how the CEO’s managing the company and would like to the Board to vote in favor of ousting him. Let each side present their arguments on why he should go/stay and solicit opinions all around. After the meeting, research the possible positives and negatives of making such a move, along with maybe getting the input of candidates that might replace the CEO and their plans on governing the company should it fall to them. Have all the department heads weigh in, take a poll of employees, and then have a vote of the Board on the final decision once all the facts come in. And wear a chicken suit while you do it. What could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/25 "2014-06-03T19:55:45Z")
When I sat on the board at our local PBS station the only time we discussed employment was in executive session after the door closed and the secretary put down her recording pad. Since your compatriot is not a board member the subject will be brought up in open session and it will be recorded for the CEO to see. Stay away from this thing. You’re not involved. Keep it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/26 "2014-06-03T20:01:05Z")
No matter what - either getting involved or butting out, you might make sure your resume is up to date. Just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/27 "2014-06-03T20:27:33Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > This is my best advice: shut the hell up and keep your head down. It doesn’t involve you and you don’t want it to. That’s the best advice you’re going to get today. I concur. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/28 "2014-06-03T20:36:53Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Handle it like adults? > > Call a meeting and say that a director has a problem with how the CEO’s managing the company and would like to the Board to vote in favor of ousting him. Let each side present their arguments on why he should go/stay and solicit opinions all around. After the meeting, research the possible positives and negatives of making such a move, along with maybe getting the input of candidates that might replace the CEO and their plans on governing the company should it fall to them. Have all the department heads weigh in, take a poll of employees, and then have a vote of the Board on the final decision once all the facts come in. This is sarcasm, right? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/29 "2014-06-03T20:39:17Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > That sounds like step-by-step instructions for getting fired. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > And wear a chicken suit while you do it. What could go wrong? Possibly, I get why things are the way they are. But isn’t that plan better? Shouldn’t businesses be more open about how they make decisions, and aren’t businesses better for it if it isn’t run by backroom deals and backstabbing? If people don’t like the CEO, why shouldn’t there be a public and open forum to air grievances? I think that would make any business better and more efficient cannot fathom why we never see or hear about companies who try something different than the standard bureaucratic shit ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/30 "2014-06-03T20:52:59Z")
[QUOTE=YogSosoth;17430630 If people don’t like the CEO, why shouldn’t there be a public and open forum to air grievances? [/QUOTE] Three words: Employment at will. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/31 "2014-06-03T21:21:03Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > If people don’t like the CEO, why shouldn’t there be a public and open forum to air grievances? Believe it or not, the CEO _doesn’t_ report to the employees, he reports to the _board_. They base their assessment of his performance on shareholder value, as chiefly represented by stock price. Yes, a far-sighted one will pay some attention to employee morale, but chiefly as a means of keeping turnover at a healthy level, reducing hiring costs and learning-curve costs for the sake of the bottom line. An employee with a grudge of some kind but not the sense to handle it professionally does not have veto power over the CEO, nor should he. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/32 "2014-06-03T21:28:34Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > It’s _A Song of Ice And Fired_. By George HR Martin 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/33 "2014-06-03T21:54:05Z")
> [@Winston\_Smith](#): > > No, I don’t have any direct ties to it. I thought that foreknowledge of the event somehow obligated me to tell the higher-ups, but I think that was just naiveté on my part. I’m going to stay out of it and deny any knowledge of it should anything actually happen. Here’s a gem I’ve been saving my whole career just in case. Publisher at a newspaper I was working at was going to be replaced by corporate, new editor knew it, told other upper management, went and told publisher. Publisher called corporate and he and editor ended up getting boot together. Upper management was questioned if they knew about it, one director said he’d heard about it - but he was in a stall in the rest room, didn’t recognize the voices. He kept his job. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/34 "2014-06-03T21:59:22Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Believe it or not, the CEO _doesn’t_ report to the employees, he reports to the _board_. They base their assessment of his performance on shareholder value, as chiefly represented by stock price. Yes, a far-sighted one will pay some attention to employee morale, but chiefly as a means of keeping turnover at a healthy level, reducing hiring costs and learning-curve costs for the sake of the bottom line. > > An employee with a grudge of some kind but not the sense to handle it professionally does not have veto power over the CEO, nor should he. I wouldn’t call for a single low level employee to have that power, but I think the Board should take employee feelings into consideration. I’m not so fond of how corporations are run now so ideally, I would like all non-management employees to be represented at the Board by an elected union member so that any decision the Board makes takes into account the feelings of the employees. But aside from that, even if we’re just speaking of the Board and the upper management itself, in the circumstance of the OP, if some member feels that CEO isn’t doing its job, it should fall to management to not hold secret backdoor meetings but to allow the process to play out fairly. The director and the CEO should both be given a forum to present their cases so that the Board can decide whether or not the CEO should stay. Seems that’d be the smart way to run a business instead of something like out of the Star Trek Mirror universe assassination-as-promotion method ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/35 "2014-06-03T22:04:30Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Possibly, I get why things are the way they are. But isn’t that plan better? Shouldn’t businesses be more open about how they make decisions, and aren’t businesses better for it if it isn’t run by backroom deals and backstabbing? If people don’t like the CEO, why shouldn’t there be a public and open forum to air grievances? I think that would make any business better and more efficient cannot fathom why we never see or hear about companies who try something different than the standard bureaucratic shit Yep, the person described in the OP sounds like a backstabber and a jerk. Yes, there should be open forums to discuss issues. Yes, there is often way too much bureaucratic baloney. But I fail to see what your ridiculous suggestion has to do with any of that. Besides, even if he wanted to do it, what possible authority would the OP have to: – Call a meeting unrelated to his particular work area, especially with VPs, C-levels and board members? – Speak for the person who is rumored to have a problem? – Open a public debate about the CEO’s performance? – Call a board meeting at all? – Ask higher-ups to argue their positions? – Collect additional opinions about this matter that is none of his business? – Launch an investigation into the pros and cons of ousting the CEO? – Interview candidates the CEO position? – Require department heads to take a stance on the matter? – Conduct a poll of the employees? – Ask the board make a decision on ousting the CEO. How would he even get the people to COME to such a meeting? What’s he going to do? Send an outlook invitation that says “2 PM, Conference Room 3. Subject: Joe Smith wants to oust the CEO. Let’s discuss!” > [@YogSosoth](#): > > But aside from that, even if we’re just speaking of the Board and the upper management itself, in the circumstance of the OP, if some member feels that CEO isn’t doing its job, it should fall to management to not hold secret backdoor meetings but to allow the process to play out fairly. The director and the CEO should both be given a forum to present their cases so that the Board can decide whether or not the CEO should stay. Seems that’d be the smart way to run a business instead of something like out of the Star Trek Mirror universe assassination-as-promotion method Are you 12? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/36 "2014-06-04T03:06:28Z")
I would give it a good leaving alone. And update the resume, back up my data offsite, and prepare to network, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/37 "2014-06-04T03:12:09Z")
> [@Doug\_Bowe](#): > > When I sat on the board at our local PBS station the only time we discussed employment was in executive session after the door closed and the secretary put down her recording pad. > > Since your compatriot is not a board member the subject will be brought up in open session and it will be recorded for the CEO to see. > > Stay away from this thing. You’re not involved. Keep it that way. A thousand times this. Keep your eyes open, your head down and your mouth shut - that’s my motto! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/38 "2014-06-04T06:27:39Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I wouldn’t call for a single low level employee to have that power, but I think the Board should take employee feelings into consideration. I’m not so fond of how corporations are run now so ideally, **I would like all non-management employees to be represented at the Board by an elected union member so that any decision the Board makes takes into account the feelings of the employees.** That’s how they do business at Wal-Mart! I think that’s the place you’d want to work. You know, where every cashier, clerk and box boy is an Associate, and they all have seats on the Board! ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/39 "2014-06-04T07:03:15Z")
A Song of Ice and Fired - A Game of Drones A Clash of PowerPoints A Storm of Words A Feast for CEOs A Dance with Directors The RIFs of Winter A Dream of Hiring ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844/40 "2014-06-04T07:05:51Z")
I’ve got a better idea. Walk into your neighborhood coffee shop and call a meeting about whether the barrista is doing a good job. Conduct a poll of your fellow coffee drinkers and submit a report with your findings to the management of the shop. Make sure to have a representative of the barrista’s union there. Also, inform the board that the lemon scones are always a bit dry, they should keep them in a sealed container not sitting out on a plate. I’m sure everyone will appreciate your efforts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-mutiny-at-my-company-what-to-do/689844.md?page=3)