How Do Bosses Impact Your Career Growth and How Can You Manage Difficult Ones?

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, I came across a post in our Cite HR section where an employee was facing issues because of his boss. The boss was not effectively communicating about the employee's performance to the top management. Let's initiate a constructive discussion about the role of bosses in your career. What do you think? How significant is the role of bosses in shaping your career? I believe advancing in your career can be nearly impossible if your boss is not supportive. At times, bosses may hinder progress due to reasons like competitive personalities, fear of talented subordinates, political biases, poor management, and inadequate listening skills. When an employee performs well but faces challenges due to their boss, how can their performance be evaluated? This situation can profoundly impact an employee's career. My concern lies in how to manage such bosses who are hesitant to communicate about your performance with top management due to fear or lack of knowledge. How can we guide bosses to align with our requirements and contribute to organizational growth effectively?

What are your thoughts?

Thank you.

Hi Abhishek,

I completely agree that your career is in your boss's hands, but not completely. If you are working well and giving your best to the company, you always have proof of the work being done by you. If your boss can't really appreciate your work, he can't spoil your career either.

If you think that there are some issues despite your hard work and giving 100%, and your boss is unhappy and not communicating regarding your performance to the management, then you need to sit with him and ask where you lack according to him so that you can work on those points for the future. Discuss your career plan, be open with your boss, and ask where you can improve.

After all, a boss is a boss no matter how he/she is. Try to maintain good relations. I am strictly against "CHAAPLUSI," but yes, always support your boss so that he supports you to meet your requirements as well as organizational growth.

Thanks,
Vineet

Thanks for the reply. My answer is in bracket.

You always have the proof of the work being done by you. If your boss can't really appreciate your work, he can't spoil your career also. Yes, he can, and I am saying this only. When it comes to career advancement, clearly the boss can play a significant role.

If you think that there are some issues despite your working hard and giving 100%, your boss is unhappy and not communicating regarding your performance to the management, then you need to sit with him and ask where you lack as per him so that you can work on those points for the future. Reviewing your performance with the boss, discuss your goals, and agree on action steps to reaching those goals. It sounds simple, but often managers and their employees never probe these issues. Some bosses are very mindset; you cannot change them. I found many people in my career, and some persons are very rigid to change their mindset.

Try to maintain good relations. I am strictly against "CHAAPLUSI," but yes, even I. I don't like buttering, but some bosses like chaplusi/buttering. If you will not do, they will not appreciate your work. Working with such people is really pathetic. I am really happy with my boss; he is a broad thinker and very good. But what about others?