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Is it not possible to make it clear that your 2 cents is just a suggestion? This just seems like bad communication, and regardless of whose fault that is, the boss might as well try to solve it.
No it's really not possible. Whatever you say, it's going to weight down their thinking.
Is it not possible to make it clear that your 2 cents is just a suggestion? This just seems like bad communication, and regardless of whose fault that is, the boss might as well try to solve it.
So no, it is not something simple like "bad communication".
I think one of the main problems here is that people in power often feel like they have to justify themselves by giving technical feedback, even when it's not appropriate.
A better way to approach this situation: "That's great! Love it! Out of curiosity, what inspired you to choose those colors and fonts?" Then, they still have ownership, but they also are given the chance to justify their choice and it starts a conversation that could lead to improvements, if necessary.
This is where coaching skills as a manager can prove useful. If you feel there are some minor changes that could be an improvement, but don't want to impose your will/opinion, coaching ('ask') can be a better response than managing ('tell').
For example, you might ask "If you had to improve anything, what would you change?" It's an open-ended question that will encourage your team member to think. They can reply "Nothing" if they're confident in the final solution, or they may propose some tweaks they weren't fully happy with - "I'm not sure if that's the right shade of blue" or "I think that's the right call to action, but maybe we could get another opinion". If those are reasonable improvements, empower them to implement the additional change; if you disagree with the extras they raise, tell them you consider the version they proposed to be superior, which empowers their original decision.
Just don't be the manager who expects a detailed response and change every time ... then you're right back to where you started.
[1] See point 5 https://blog.codinghorror.com/new-programming-jargon/
Maybe rather than avoiding giving helpful feedback, they should work on fostering better employer - employee relationships
"They should work on fostering better employer - employee relationships" is non-advice, it's just a goal statement. Kind of like telling a runner that they should try going faster.
Is it not possible to make it clear that your 2 cents is just a suggestion? This just seems like bad communication, and regardless of whose fault that is, the boss might as well try to solve it.
It's a "suggestion" from a direct superior in a hierarchical power structure. A little bit of communication isn't going to change the context. So no, it is not something simple like "bad communication". I think one of the main problems here is that people in power often feel like they have to justify themselves by giving technical feedback, even when it's not appropriate.
It is "bad communication" in that the person in power is communicating their desire in a way that is perceived, even if just a little bit, as being a command. And I do believe there are effective ways to mitigate this.