The management psychology side of this wants a sequel from some veteran who was in the meetings and is now ready to confess:
> ... wrote in the number: -2000.
> I'm not sure how the managers reacted to that, but I do know that after a couple more weeks, they stopped asking Bill to fill out the form, and he gladly complied.
Bill — but what about the rest of the team? The devil’s answer: They were expected to keep supplying the number, because line management was forwarding the stats up, having previously “sold” upper management on their value. And to admit error on such a fundamental is career-threatening.
> ... wrote in the number: -2000.
> I'm not sure how the managers reacted to that, but I do know that after a couple more weeks, they stopped asking Bill to fill out the form, and he gladly complied.
Bill — but what about the rest of the team? The devil’s answer: They were expected to keep supplying the number, because line management was forwarding the stats up, having previously “sold” upper management on their value. And to admit error on such a fundamental is career-threatening.