Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 7th September 2008

Dilbert//7085, first published eighteen years ago on Sunday 7th September 2008

Tags

reject proposal reason level of management authority get fired starve to death repharse question

Official transcript

The Boss says, "I reject your proposal."

Dilbert says, "Is there any particular reason this time?"

The Boss says, "At my level of management I don't have the authority to approve anything important."

The Boss says, "But I do have the authority to reject things."

The Boss says, "If I don't reject proposals, there's nothing for me to do."

The Boss says, "If I do nothing I'll get fired. I might never get another job. I could starve to death."

The Boss says, "So I have to reject everything you propose or else I might die."

Dilbert says, "What am I supposed to do now?"

The Boss says, "Can you rephrase that question in the form of a proposal?"

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

I REJECT YOUR PROPOSAL.

IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR REASON THIS TIME?

AT MY LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE ANYTHING IMPORTANT.

BUT I DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REJECT THINGS.

IF I DON'T REJECT PROPOSALS, THERE'S NOTHING FOR ME TO DO.

IF I DO NOTHING I'LL GET FIRED. I MIGHT NEVER GET ANOTHER JOB. I COULD STARVE TO DEATH.

SO I HAVE TO REJECT EVERYTHING YOU PROPOSE OR ELSE I MIGHT DIE.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?

CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT QUESTION IN THE FORM OF A PROPOSAL?

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

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