When I was growing up, “Because I said so” was the final word when uttered by my parents. There was no arguing or further justification; the decision was made.
However, today, people from pre-schoolers to presidents are unwilling to accept the initial answer from anyone. I heard someone describe it as living in “the appeal culture”, where if you don’t like something, you appeal it to the next level.
Whether parent to teacher > principal > superintendent or employee to boss > boss’s boss > CEO, this unwillingness to accept a decision that doesn’t go your way diverts time and energy as the appeal process lingers on.
There are certainly times when a higher authority needs to review a miscarriage of justice, but further pursuit is often unwarranted. Before you escalate a grievance or decision to the next level, consider whether there was an actual wrong or whether it’s just something you don’t like.
