Azelma wrote:
Given the current things being discussed, the idea would be to make everyone eligible, but then try to weed people out.
I'm sure people love being "weeded out". Great for morale!
Azelma wrote:
We have 15 people. Tickets to the conference are ~$800 per person (yeah they rake you over the coals), 2 nights in a vegas hotel...that'll run you about $400 per person (probably more), air fare, 400-600 per person (depending on deals etc.). Let's say food, cabs, etc will end up being about $200 per person (I think I'm underestimating there)
So you're looking at ~$2k per person, times 15, thats $30k. Really anything above $20,000 for this type of thing is absurd since it doesnt impact our bottom line in any way...really it's about relationship building, and any employees would be going just to sessions (as they don't interact with our business partners)
Then it's a frivolity and shouldn't be done at all. Your argument boils down to "two for me, none for you".
What's your basis for saying 20k is okay but 30k isn't?
Azelma wrote:
Aestu wrote:
Also, another option would be to simply guarantee that those who can't come this year will be permitted to go next year, denying invitations to those who came this year as need be.
Have proposed this.
How? To whom? How was the proposal received?
Azelma wrote:
I would have to go, as I need to meet with our partners and build relationships. The employees wouldn't be doing this, they would be going just to attend the seminars. However, depending on how this all shakes out, I may have a tantrum and say "fine, I'm not going."
I'm not saying we can't ever come to an agreement. But the harsh realities are that I don't have that much pull. I can voice my opinions, but at the end of the day, if someone has more ownership than I, they can pull rank quite easily.
Claiming that this meeting is about "relationship building" directly contradicts your claim that it "doesn't affect the bottom line". It does or it doesn't. Which is it?
I don't buy the BS about the necessity that you form the relationship either. You could just as easily have someone else do it and say you had a cold. This would have the added benefit of bringing that person into the loop, so your "relationship" has a broader base on your end.
Are you on the board or an employee? If you're part of the leadership and "don't have much pull" in an organization of 15 people then you suck at your job. If there were 15 people on the board, or your organization was in the thousands, I could see one middle manager or exec not having much pull. But if you're part of the leadership of such a small organization and can't get people around to your views then it begs the question how valuable you really are.
Basically this is just Azelma being Azelma. Being selfish, getting called on it, then inventing a lot of self-serving tripe about how he shouldn't have to deal with unpleasant emotions.
EDIT: Eturnal's suggestion is a practical one. Put it down to RNG. Another solution might be letting anyone go who wants to, then spreading the butter thin enough to cover the bread. Cut perks such as the food allowance. Another solution might be to reorganize the thing as a "company vacation" and bill it to sick time, effectively reducing the cost to less than zero.
