Client asks for a change and doesn't like it....
Out of context: Reply #11
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Totally disagree. Your client is your client. His boss is his boss, not yours. Most likely, your client can find someone new should they want to. Not to mention, they can talk badly behind your back and turn the boss against you, should they want to.
Getting in the middle of things that are far out of your control will make you look bad and you'll lose. Boss is NOT going to fire his employee, which has value beyond one project, you don't. Even if the boss recognizes it is your client's error, he's still going to keep his employee. If his employee and you have a problem, you go and they find a new person to hire.
All about investments. You are a nothing but a service, his employee is an investment of his.
That said, there are very tactful ways to cya. You have to be clever and make it known that you prefer another option, but thought the client's change was a choice.
Something like this "design is a very subjective thing. Personally, I prefer the square buttons over the round ones [the round being the client's] and find that user's generally respond better to them due to blah blah blah blah." Finish with something about great design is a team effort that benefits from experiments and team efforts.
Pat your client on the back while making it clear that you knew the correct direction. Win win.
All this stuff about telling people to screw off and throwing someone under the bus will just leave you without a job. Client and boss will find another designer that doesn't back stab/talk badly (as surely your client will cya when you leave and make you look bad).
Client is your client. Client's boss is NOT your client. If a marketing manager hires you, they are the one that will hire a replacement. The CEO hired them to do that. Don't go around someone's back, esp when you have no control on what gets said when you are gone.
Never, ever, make someone look bad in front of their boss. Regardless of how right you are. You will lose.