Walking back into a ****storm tomorrow

[ThrowMeAwayTheVeryNextDay]

I've been away on holiday for a week, back in the office tomorrow. There was a bit of a crisis happening before I went so I wrapped up as much as I could and did a decent handover. It's all blown up, my boss (CEO) has been sending furious emails and I've spent the week keeping a face on for DH and the DC while lying awake for hours at night thinking about it. My team have handled it like troopers but have also been messaging me and have set up a meeting first thing tomorrow before CEO gets in so I'm not blindsided, bless their thoughtfulness.

I'm going in extra early to clear my desk before my team get in, in case I'm getting fired. I don't know how I'm going to hold it together TBH. I've told DH that it's bad, but not how bad. He just said it's a bank holiday, don't worry about it until tomorrow. I'm tired, my holiday was ruined and I just want to go in and get it over with.

With my CEO, as long as I own whatever I’ve done, he’s generally fine. It’s when people try and deny/lie/evade the blame he gets pissed off. So just own it.

Also, Can you divide and conquer? I’d chat to key stakeholders (for me it would be 2 investors who are key to my role), to talk through a mitigation plan, then go in to speak to the CEO with a plan in place, with some waters already smoothed. It won’t be as bad as you think it will.

I hope it goes well tomorrow, OP.

I agree.

OP, I wish you a good night's sleep and all the best for tomorrow. Things may not be as bad as you fear. I'm sorry you're going through this, I feel your anxiety but it really will be all right in the end. x

Good luck for tomorrow. I am walking into a shit show tomorrow. I am over worked and cannot keep the plates spinning I have dropped one. plus I have to organise a number of high level people who cannot do the simplest task by themselves. It’s a joke! Sick of work and the constant stress. I feel for you OP.

Sending you calm and peace vibes.
Hindsight is fucking fantastic.

You did what you thought was the right call at the time with the info you had.

I hope tomorrow isn't hellish.

All the best for tomorrow OP. My question for your CEO if he complains about you not being available on holiday was why the F wasn’t he?!?

I'll give that podcast a listen on my way in. I have no contact at all with the investors so can't talk to them, but can get the VPs on board.

Off to try to get some sleep now. Good luck @Behappyplease - I'm sorry you're facing this too.

so its basically an axe capital type situation with axe on the warpath ? @ThrowMeAwayTheVeryNextDay

I think go in with your head held high and be v clear on why you made the decisions you did based in the evidence available to you at the time. Whose fault is it that you didn’t have the other evidence?

Agree. You made the best call you thought at the time.

I hope its okay tomorrow but either way dont beat yourself up over it.

I hope you get some sleep!

Oh op, unless you've broken the terms of your contact or any internal policies they cannot fire you. You did the best you could with the information you had. Nobody has ever been fired for trying to do the right thing.

Hope it's not as bad as you're dreading xx

How available was HE on HIS holiday? I'm sorry he spoilt yours!

who could/should have given you the information you are now aware of that would have changed your decision?

don't fall in your sword! Take responsibility for your decision. But stand firm on making that with information you had

But can you outline a plan to remedy or minimise the problem. Keep looking forward. ( I know eady for me to say) But it's true. By now everyone will be past what went wrong. They ought to be!
Tell him how wonderful it will be by Christmas.
Best Wishes

Once I forgot to order jam ingredients for the hammy dodger machine and then went on holiday. Sounds similar pickle.

Joining the chorus of well wishes and good luck for the morning.

Good luck tomorrow @ThrowMeAwayTheVeryNextDay

Keep a cool head and lay out the facts.

Your team is behind you, you’ve got this.

Remind yourself you made the best calls you could based on the information you had available to you at the time. And you were absolutely entitled to go on your booked holiday after handing over in a professional manner, which you did. Also remind yourself that the CEO also went on his/her booked holiday when all this kicked off ... and you were expected to field calls and work on yours. Were they? Personally, I would point out you want some of that time back in lieu.

You did your best, that’s it!

CEO needs to learn to manage situations rather than implode.

I suspect we’re in similar roles so know only too well how you’re currently feeling. Go in to tomorrow with a clear overview of the due diligence you did to reach your original approach, along with anything you can do to mitigate the current sentiment/shift narrative. It never feels like it in the moment, but very few of these storms can’t be weathered x

Thinking pickle is similar was your first mistake...

Exactly this. This is what 'the buck stops here' means. That's why he's CEO and what he's paid for. Good luck tomorrow and keep your cool.

You’ve got this. Whatever happens by tomorrow night at least you’ll have certainty. You did the best you could in the situation and with the facts available.

My prep for tomorrow would be:

Plan out the various outcomes that could happen so at least you know how you would deal with them and can walk in prepared.

Tell someone you trust the worst case scenario so it’s out in the open.

Have all the facts and your narrative clearly set out and be clear, factual and unemotional (but stand up for yourself).

Hopefully they’ll be fair but just in case, work out what you’d do if the CEO tries to throw you under the bus.

Good luck!

Sounds like it’s fine for the ceo to switch off on holiday… and in your absence treat you like a scapegoat . I’m sure they get paid a lot more than you to be available at all times to make such decisions. As many others have said, you made the a decision in good faith with the best information you had available at the time. Hope it goes okay tomorrow

Thinking of you, hope you get some sleep. Best info at hand is your mantra. Good luck.