You’re not responsible for the bad decisions made by the people who have positional authority over you. Do your best. Warn them about the risks. Let yourself feel disappointed by their decisions, but don’t ever accept responsibility for them. If you did your best to warn them, then you took your responsibility seriously. That’s enough.
UPDATE: I added some clarifying points in light of getting some of this wrong. I believe the underlying point still stands.
No. I believe I understand why you think so, but just no.
At best, covering your ass means gathering evidence about how much you tried to warn the people making decisions, in order to avoid or deflect blame when things go wrong and someone starts wandering the countryside looking for people to blame. I’m not suggesting that. I’m not even suggesting saying “I told you so.” when things go wrong.
Quite often, at least how I’ve seen it, covering your ass involves not even trying to do the right thing or, perhaps, pretending in public to do the right thing in order to have a plausible excuse when things go wrong. That’s also not what I’m advising.
I’m advising not to accept responsibility for other people’s bad decisions. If you genuinely did your best to influence their decision and they chose poorly anyway, don’t take responsibility for that choice. The responsibly remains with the person who had the authority to decide.
For example, if the OP decides to listen to you instead of to me, that’s not my responsibility. I’ve tried to explain my position, but the responsibility for choosing what to believe belongs with them. I’m most definitely not covering my ass; I’m recognizing that I’m not responsible for replacing OP’s judgment with mine. If they ask me for more information, I have the responsibility to provide it. If they ask me to clarify my position, I have the responsibility to do that. But I am not responsible for convincing them nor for their final decision.
You’re not responsible for the bad decisions made by the people who have positional authority over you. Do your best. Warn them about the risks. Let yourself feel disappointed by their decisions, but don’t ever accept responsibility for them. If you did your best to warn them, then you took your responsibility seriously. That’s enough.
CYA in a nutshell
UPDATE: I added some clarifying points in light of getting some of this wrong. I believe the underlying point still stands.
No. I believe I understand why you think so, but just no.
At best, covering your ass means gathering evidence about how much you tried to warn the people making decisions, in order to avoid or deflect blame when things go wrong and someone starts wandering the countryside looking for people to blame. I’m not suggesting that. I’m not even suggesting saying “I told you so.” when things go wrong.
Quite often, at least how I’ve seen it, covering your ass involves not even trying to do the right thing or, perhaps, pretending in public to do the right thing in order to have a plausible excuse when things go wrong. That’s also not what I’m advising.
I’m advising not to accept responsibility for other people’s bad decisions. If you genuinely did your best to influence their decision and they chose poorly anyway, don’t take responsibility for that choice. The responsibly remains with the person who had the authority to decide.
For example, if the OP decides to listen to you instead of to me, that’s not my responsibility. I’ve tried to explain my position, but the responsibility for choosing what to believe belongs with them. I’m most definitely not covering my ass; I’m recognizing that I’m not responsible for replacing OP’s judgment with mine. If they ask me for more information, I have the responsibility to provide it. If they ask me to clarify my position, I have the responsibility to do that. But I am not responsible for convincing them nor for their final decision.