Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making

by Tony Fadell

And yes, you’ll probably drive your boss nuts. Going around your manager is always touchy. I drove my managers completely insane every time I sidestepped them to reach out to some other executive. So if they ask, tell your boss what you’re doing—and tell them why. This is a time to ask for forgiveness, not permission. Explain that you’ve talked to them (and you should have first) but nothing is getting fixed. Tell them what you’re worried about and your proposed solutions; explain who you’re reaching out to and what you hope to accomplish. But if you take this route—if you go around your boss and start making a fuss all over the company—make sure the issues you’re raising are not about yourself. I remember we had a huge all-hands meeting at Apple once—these meetings would only happen two, maybe three times a year. And a guy stands up during the Q&A and starts asking Steve Jobs why he didn’t get a raise or a good review. Steve looks at him in stunned disbelief and says, “I can tell you why. Because you’re asking this question in front of ten thousand people.” He was fired shortly thereafter.