If someone tells you to do a task, they likely have a vision of what the final product will be. Simply trying to fulfill that task, especially in a qualitative environment like PR, is difficult to nail exactly right.

But, bringing creativity to the task, making the work your own so that it extends beyond the initial request can be a good way to avoid that confrontation. Of course, explaining upon submission to your manager or boss the approach you took, with research or methodology behind your reasoning, will make sure that the difference in the final product from expectations won’t be viewed negatively.
Or, if they are negative, it won’t be because you failed to do the task ‘right’.

Learned this lesson the hard way at my first PR job.

I took great delight in mentioning that http://boycottblackboard.org is my site, and I went on to expain why. Shocks and suprises, felt great.

Of course I’m not suggesting that you always do the opposite of what you’re told. As Justin points out, that act will wear thin pretty quickly. The idea of adding value to what you’re already expected to do is what’s key.

Sonya, you’re right to note that having done your research *first* always helps when you’re suggesting an alternate tactic or approach. You can know your stuff in your own brain, but you need to be able to explain yourself when trying to get buy-in.

Chris, by all means encourage folks from your Google Group to leave comments here and continue this comment thread!

Just cross posted the link to a google group.

An innovator does what he / she is told, with alterations.

A person who is told to do A and instead consistently does B isn’t innovating or disrupting — that’s called “derailing,” and it’s bad for business.

(At my gf’s day job, she frequently finds her tasks have been accomplished by people who didn’t want to do their own work, so they did hers instead… meaning hers was done twice, and no one did theirs…)

Another good reason to not do exactly what you’re told is to find out more about how your management *really* thinks and works, as opposed to what they told you in the job interview. How risk-averse are they, how tolerant of dissent, out-of-the-box thinking, or new ideas? If all they want are yes-men, or are defensive about their ideas or insecure in themselves and their ability to govern, you should know that, and decide if that’s the right place for you.

JoeC