I work a job that is similar in the project manager/team member situation and deadlines. Were all grown fucking adults, your boss should be able to take you on your word. Agreed - but, I believe in the 'trust but verify' especially when it's a critical deliverable. Anyhow, its unheard of for me, for the Project Manager to take the fall completely on his own in a situation where something like this does occur. In a situation if anyone got fired, in my line of work it would be the developer and the project manager would probably get reprimanded not fired. True - but if the **** up were at a higher level and more critical - i.e. merger/acquisition falls apart then the guy in charge is going to get canned. This wasn't an innocuous matter - it was an absolutely critical deadline that had to be met.
Its not the least bit odd to you that the GM gets fired and the one who orchestrated the **** up gets promoted? You are looking at this from a completely philosphical view that isnt based in reality. Regardless of whether the GM is ultimately responsible HE ISNT THE ONE THAT FUCKED UP. It doesn't matter who fucked up - whether it was the secretary, kid in the mailroom, or Stan Jr. It's Dale's responsibility.
Im not saying Dale isn't ultimately responsible, but really, i wish the real world worked how you say it does, because whenever I am not managing a project, i can just **** off, and possibly get PROMOTED to his position when my PM gets canned for it, see how stupid that sounds? That part is messed up I agree - IF Stan really was the guy who fucked up then him getting promoted doesn't make sense. That's why I don't believe it was Stan
Again im not saying the Boss shouldn't get punished, but its rather hilarious you see nothing odd about the underling the boss was supposed to be checking up on fucked up, and not only didnt get punished, but got promoted for it, thats not the way it works in my business. It doesn't work that way in my business either, but I don't believe we have the full story and if Stan Jr did indeed mess it up then he's probably still there because of daddy Bowman. You can't fire Stan Jr without losing daddy senior.
I bounce all over the place from team lead to team member and there have been fuckups and miscues aplenty and have never seen events take place like they did with Dale, I have never ONCE seen a PM or Team Lead fired for a team members ineptitude (in my career I have seen this several times if the **** up is big enough) EVER and its even more foriegn to me that that team member would get promoted to the fired team lead/PM's position upon that persons firing.