Dear All,
Your boss is not your best friend, nor is he a monster. He is a fallible human being like everyone else. He is not all-knowing and neither does he have extrasensory perception. If you are lucky, you might get a boss who is competent, a good mentor interested in your advancement, and confident in your abilities. But that is not always the case.
So, how do you manage a not-so-great relationship with your boss? Whether you agree or not, the onus of maintaining a functional relationship rests with you. All you need to do is take charge and see how you can get a handle on the situation to steer it back to functionality. The key lies in understanding him/her and generating a certain self-awareness so that you can adapt accordingly.
Understand Your Boss
Managing the relationship with your boss requires that you gain a clear understanding of your boss and his context. This includes understanding his/her:
- **Goals and Objectives:** Get a clear picture of his organizational and personal goals and objectives. Informal chats with him and his peers, to whom you have access, can help you gain a firm understanding.
- **Pressures:** What are the pressures he is facing from his superiors, peers, or clients/customers? Stay alert to cues.
- **Expectations:** Some superiors spell out expectations clearly, but most might not be very clear. Get them clarified by asking questions and staying alert to hints and feedback. It is important to be patient and not to take things at face value. Test out your assumptions.
- **Work Style:** Work styles are varied, and small differences in work styles can cause friction, which, when left unattended, can lead to major communication breakdowns. To get a clear understanding, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- How does your boss want to receive information? Understand how your boss likes to receive information—face-to-face, memo, e-mail, or weekly staff meeting—and manage the information flow accordingly.
- What info does he want to receive? Some bosses need to have a pulse on the situation, so their comfort level lies in knowing every detail. He might expect you to hold nothing back and share all the information pertaining to your work. Others would rather delegate and expect you to come to them only with major issues. Get it clear and adapt accordingly.
- How much info does he want to receive? How much information your boss needs about what you are doing will vary significantly depending on the situation he or she is in and the confidence the boss has in you. Managing this upward flow of info can be challenging, especially if your boss does not like to hear about problems. One way to get around it is by utilizing the MIS. Another is to just bite the bullet and communicate the good or bad news immediately.
Understand Yourself
You are not going to change your basic personality or that of your boss. But self-awareness of things that make you click, those which facilitate as well as those that impede working with your boss, can make your relationship more effective. Knowledge of how your colleagues perceive you or taking cognizance of what your previous boss has to say about your work style can help improve your self-awareness and make for effective relationships.
- **Expectations:** Be clear about your expectations. It is your responsibility to communicate your expectations to your boss and find out if they are realistic. Get acceptance from the boss on the ones that are important to you.
- **Idiosyncrasies:** What are your idiosyncrasies? Do you have any innate predispositions towards authority figures? Some people tend to rebel when facing a very directorial boss, while others look at the boss as an all-knowing, caretaking father figure. Having either of these tendencies can have a negative impact on your career. But being aware and adapting accordingly can help you overcome this challenge.
Adapt/Respond/Communicate
Once you have a clear understanding of your boss and yourself, you can take necessary steps suited to the situation. Though the superior-subordinate relationship is one of mutual dependence, it is also one where the subordinate is more dependent on the boss.
You might resent that, on top of all your other duties, you have to take time and energy to manage your relationship with your boss. But this activity is of prime importance and can greatly simplify your job. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for what you achieve in an organization. You need to establish and manage relationships with everyone on whom you depend, and that includes the boss.
From India, Mumbai
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5Your boss is not your best friend, nor is he a monster. He is a fallible human being like everyone else. He is not all-knowing and neither does he have extrasensory perception. If you are lucky, you might get a boss who is competent, a good mentor interested in your advancement, and confident in your abilities. But that is not always the case.
So, how do you manage a not-so-great relationship with your boss? Whether you agree or not, the onus of maintaining a functional relationship rests with you. All you need to do is take charge and see how you can get a handle on the situation to steer it back to functionality. The key lies in understanding him/her and generating a certain self-awareness so that you can adapt accordingly.
Understand Your Boss
Managing the relationship with your boss requires that you gain a clear understanding of your boss and his context. This includes understanding his/her:
- **Goals and Objectives:** Get a clear picture of his organizational and personal goals and objectives. Informal chats with him and his peers, to whom you have access, can help you gain a firm understanding.
- **Pressures:** What are the pressures he is facing from his superiors, peers, or clients/customers? Stay alert to cues.
- **Expectations:** Some superiors spell out expectations clearly, but most might not be very clear. Get them clarified by asking questions and staying alert to hints and feedback. It is important to be patient and not to take things at face value. Test out your assumptions.
- **Work Style:** Work styles are varied, and small differences in work styles can cause friction, which, when left unattended, can lead to major communication breakdowns. To get a clear understanding, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- How does your boss want to receive information? Understand how your boss likes to receive information—face-to-face, memo, e-mail, or weekly staff meeting—and manage the information flow accordingly.
- What info does he want to receive? Some bosses need to have a pulse on the situation, so their comfort level lies in knowing every detail. He might expect you to hold nothing back and share all the information pertaining to your work. Others would rather delegate and expect you to come to them only with major issues. Get it clear and adapt accordingly.
- How much info does he want to receive? How much information your boss needs about what you are doing will vary significantly depending on the situation he or she is in and the confidence the boss has in you. Managing this upward flow of info can be challenging, especially if your boss does not like to hear about problems. One way to get around it is by utilizing the MIS. Another is to just bite the bullet and communicate the good or bad news immediately.
Understand Yourself
You are not going to change your basic personality or that of your boss. But self-awareness of things that make you click, those which facilitate as well as those that impede working with your boss, can make your relationship more effective. Knowledge of how your colleagues perceive you or taking cognizance of what your previous boss has to say about your work style can help improve your self-awareness and make for effective relationships.
- **Expectations:** Be clear about your expectations. It is your responsibility to communicate your expectations to your boss and find out if they are realistic. Get acceptance from the boss on the ones that are important to you.
- **Idiosyncrasies:** What are your idiosyncrasies? Do you have any innate predispositions towards authority figures? Some people tend to rebel when facing a very directorial boss, while others look at the boss as an all-knowing, caretaking father figure. Having either of these tendencies can have a negative impact on your career. But being aware and adapting accordingly can help you overcome this challenge.
Adapt/Respond/Communicate
Once you have a clear understanding of your boss and yourself, you can take necessary steps suited to the situation. Though the superior-subordinate relationship is one of mutual dependence, it is also one where the subordinate is more dependent on the boss.
You might resent that, on top of all your other duties, you have to take time and energy to manage your relationship with your boss. But this activity is of prime importance and can greatly simplify your job. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for what you achieve in an organization. You need to establish and manage relationships with everyone on whom you depend, and that includes the boss.
From India, Mumbai
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To effectively manage a challenging relationship with your boss, it's crucial to understand both your boss and yourself. Here are practical steps to navigate this situation:
Understand Your Boss:
- Goals and Objectives: Gain clarity on your boss's organizational and personal goals by engaging in informal discussions with him and his peers.
- Pressures: Identify the pressures your boss faces from superiors, peers, or clients to comprehend the challenges he deals with.
- Expectations: Seek clarity on your boss's expectations through questions and feedback to align your work accordingly.
- Work Style: Understand how your boss prefers to receive information and tailor your communication to suit his preferences.
Understand Yourself:
- Expectations: Clearly communicate your expectations to your boss and ensure they are realistic and acknowledged.
- Idiosyncrasies: Recognize any predispositions you have towards authority figures and adapt your approach to foster a positive relationship.
Adapt/Respond/Communicate:
- Take necessary steps based on your understanding of your boss and yourself to improve the relationship.
- Manage your relationship with your boss as a vital aspect of your role, as it can simplify your job and enhance your overall performance. Remember, you are accountable for your achievements within the organization.
From India, Gurugram
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Understand Your Boss:
- Goals and Objectives: Gain clarity on your boss's organizational and personal goals by engaging in informal discussions with him and his peers.
- Pressures: Identify the pressures your boss faces from superiors, peers, or clients to comprehend the challenges he deals with.
- Expectations: Seek clarity on your boss's expectations through questions and feedback to align your work accordingly.
- Work Style: Understand how your boss prefers to receive information and tailor your communication to suit his preferences.
Understand Yourself:
- Expectations: Clearly communicate your expectations to your boss and ensure they are realistic and acknowledged.
- Idiosyncrasies: Recognize any predispositions you have towards authority figures and adapt your approach to foster a positive relationship.
Adapt/Respond/Communicate:
- Take necessary steps based on your understanding of your boss and yourself to improve the relationship.
- Manage your relationship with your boss as a vital aspect of your role, as it can simplify your job and enhance your overall performance. Remember, you are accountable for your achievements within the organization.
From India, Gurugram
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Managing Your Boss.ppt
Five Ways ... To Deliver as per Boss Expectations .pdf