MrHard - 7:06 pm on Nov 9, 2009 (gmt 0)

This actually always occurs even on small projects you just don't notice it as much.

When there is more then two people involved and things are not put in writing (or everyone is not copied on each and every email) the details will differ for each person.

It happens with written contracts too, just not as bad. The courts are filled with people who have contacts but can't understand what is written there for some reason.

Even if you are all on the same conference call, over time each person will interpret the facts differently and have a different understanding of the end project.

The CEO gets caught in the middle, and justifies their job by resolving the "difficulty". But if they have enough contrary info (or time pressure due to delays working out minute details which can seemingly never be resolved verbally) will try to hire someone else.

People are basically pack animals. I think this place may see your firm as an outsider. This means you have not settled into your place the pack. This means you will either have to make submissive gestures towards the CEO, or snap at them. If you snap they may kick you out, if you submit you may be humiliated and accept the scraps the higher members of the pack leave behind.

This is why it can be helpful to have a negotiator or "pleasant personality who can deal with the CEO" (submissive gestures), while the other one can maintain a stronger role with other members of the project like the marketing analyst you mentioned who appeared out of knowhere). One of the things Henry Kissenger did so well was that he was a very powerful man and perceived as such, yet he could make genuine submissive gestures to other leaders at the proper times.