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BLUF: Should I ask my manager to take my name off a report he submitted?

My manager asked me to do some work on a project. Collect some data, analyze it, and draft a conclusion with recommendations. There was some existing data and I collected some new data. Based on what I know and experience, I am unable to draw any conclusions from the data set. I told this to my manager and that I recommended taking a new data set with more controlled conditions. In general, he agreed, however he then asked me for the data I had to date.

My manager has now submitted a report to the company with some estimates and conclusions along with the set of data that I supplied to him. I do not think that the data, in its full form, provides for the conclusion that is made in the report.

Should I ask my manager to take my name off the report, or take some other course of action?

Thank you for any help your experiences may provide in this situation.

TomW's picture
Training Badge

You provided data, the manager drew different conclusions than you did (or could), and then the manager submitted it.  Your manager probably needed to submit the report before you could collect more data. Happens all the time.

Why would you want your name removed?

acao162's picture

No unless someone could die, and I mean that literally.  If the conclusions he has drawn mean that a life would be in danger by using the conclusions, you have an obligation to speak up.

Otherwise, I agree with TomW.

AB_76's picture

 Unless this is the proverbial hill you're willing to die on, I'd recommend just letting it go.  There isn't a diplomatic way to tell your boss "I don't want my name associated with that crummy report you submitted".  Just learn from it and move on...in my humble opinion.  

Black_Caps's picture

 Thank you for the advise. I certainly don't want to die on this hill. Even though I think the filed report is ignoring data contrary to the stated conclusions, I will just have to wait and see if anyone else does too. I guess I will worry about it if and when someone asks me directly if I agree with the report. Of corse my answer then will have to be that I have nothing negative to say about my manager's findings.

enlightened_managing's picture

You fulfilled your obligation when you shared your concerns with your manager.

Also nothing in this world needs (or can be) 100% accurate. There are probably good reasons that your manager thought a ballpark figure or maybe a guesstimate were good enough. His/her call; no worries.

"Of course my answer then will have to be that I have nothing negative to say about my manager's findings." YESS!!

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gabriel

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Singers's picture

You sound like a high C like myself - If I was in your shoes I would learn from this.

You will never get perfect data, if you are asked for a similar task in the future, where you boss most likely have to submit the report within a certain time frame, draw the best conclusion that you can and if you have any doubt, question marks etc, possibly include a note on those.

Your boss asked for analysis & a conclusion and only got the analysis - If I was your boss you hadn't completed the task given to you in the expected time frame. The way you described this I dont believe it was a matter of life and death, but more a question about a conclusion/recommendation.

Kind Regards
Mads Sorensen
Disc 4536