#139 from R&D Innovator Volume 4, Number 1          January 1995

FORUM—from our readers

My Boss, the Expert

I’m vice president of R&D in a small company.  Like me, our company president has a Ph.D. in chemistry.  While that makes it easy for me to explain technical matters (I don’t have the burden of translating technical jargon), there’s a downside--his scientific “expertise” too frequently interferes with our research.

The president received his Ph.D. over twenty-five years ago, and he only spent a couple of years in a research position.  Most of his career has been in the business side of several companies.  I’m pleased that he is sufficiently interested in our research that he attends most of our monthly technical meetings.

The problem is, however, that he often suggests research approaches which my scientists and I feel aren’t the best way to go.  Once he’s made his suggestion--even if we tell him why it won’t work--there’s no getting away without at least trying his scheme.  He responds to criticism with, “Give it a try.  I’m sure it’ll work.”  With him, that means “end of discussion,” and we go ahead eventually to accumulate data that proves him wrong.

I don’t mind showing him these data, but he mostly shrugs it off, and even downplays his role in making the dead-end decision.  Although this has gone on for years, he hasn’t yet figured out that his “scientific” input is detrimental to our research and, therefore, to the company.

I think I’ve finally figured out a “work-around” for this problem.  When the president suggests an experimental route, I say, “Sounds good, but let’s get some background data to help support your idea.”  Then we work in the direction we believe is most promising.  When he attends our technical meeting, I find a way to explain our research as an effort to prove out his suggestion.  For instance, I may say, “These experiments will show the best way to tackle your idea.”

Then, when we have positive results, I make the point to the president that his idea led to our success.  If I make that point in front of other executives, he just beams!  It seems that all he wants is recognition that he is still a 'scientist'.

The solution was quite simple, but didn’t occur to me for a long time.  Previously, I just griped about the diversions we were “forced” to take.

It doesn’t bother me that he gets credit (mostly undeserved), but this experience highlights the importance of considering social aspects when doing technical work.  Often, as researchers, we ignore these aspects--usually to our detriment.

Anonymous