So… what happens when your boss refuses to set your work priorities? This is a case of a boss failing to be a boss… failing to take responsibility for their work and their role as a leader. It is an example of what I call the “absentee boss.” The best response (in most cases) is for you to take advantage of the freedom your boss is giving you, and take initiative to do your job in the best way possible – to make a decision; solve a problem; set a course of action; obtain results. The likelihood of a positive result is greater if you have a good sense of what your boss would most likely prefer. This is a strong argument for getting to know your boss’s likes and dislikes; values and priorities; pet peeves and personal preferences. Watch the video, and see how to take charge and say it in the best way possible:
By the way… if YOU want to be a great boss, help your team members to understand YOUR likes and dislikes; values and priorities; pet peeves and personal preferences. Teach them how to think like YOU think. They will be better equipped to carry out your assignments; obtain the results you want; do their work in a way that best reflects you and your desires; and help you break out of your way of thinking and doing things when a better approach is needed.
Does this make sense? Drop me a line and let me know what YOU think!
How do you communicate to your boss that your workload is unrealistic or unworkable without sounding like another “whiner” or negative, complaining employee? Is it better to just keep quiet about it and muddle through? The clear answer is NO… you MUST give your boss feedback about the reality of your workload. Here’s what time management expert Mark Foster says about this: “Your boss has the responsibility of seeing that you are well-managed and properly tasked, and it is your responsibility to provide him or her with the information and feedback to do that well.” The key is to figure out HOW to give that feedback in the best way possible. Watch BossByte #2 and I’ll show you EXACTLY how to do that!
So… what do you think? Weigh in on this blog and give me some feedback. I’d love to hear from you! BTW… Many thanks to all of you who sent me some great words of appreciation and encouragement for this new venture. I promise to do my best to keep it filled with smart managment advice and lots of practical tips.
Welcome to the inaugural post of my new blogsite!
You can look forward to a series of posts designed to help you HAVE a better boss and BE a better boss. That is the purpose of this new site and content.
Is it really important to build a good relationship with your boss? Here’s what author Shawn Achor says about that relationship in his thought-provoking book, The Happiness Advantage: “…the boss/employee relationship…is the single most important social bond you can cultivate at work. Studies have found that the strength of the bond between manager and employee is the prime predictor of both daily productivity and the length of time people stay at their jobs.”
Achor cites a Gallup study estimating that U.S. companies lose $360 billion each year from lost productivity due to employees who have a poor relationship with their immediate supervisor. He also quotes the results of a study at MIT that found that employees with a strong tie to their manager brought in more money than those with only weak ties. An even more expansive Gallup study showed that employees who agreed with the statement, “My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person” were found to be more productive, contributed more to profits, and were significantly more likely to stay with their company long-term.
Simply put, your boss is the gatekeeper to your success in your organization! So it’s a good idea to build as positive a relationship with your boss as you possibly can. You don’t have to be unctuous or servile do this (in fact, that approach will actually accomplish the opposite result). But you DO have to cultivate the relationship carefully, intentionally, and strategically.
I will help you to do that!
You should know: many of these posts will parallel and expand the BossByte videos I will be posting on YouTube, with links from and to my websites. Become one of my subscribers on YouTube and you will be able to keep up with the videos I am posting. Sign up for the RSS feed and you will be notified every time a new blog is posted.
Here’s the first BossByte video (take a quick look… it’s SHORT… and let me know what you think about it!)
This first post is about the first BossByte, which advises subordinates to accept assignments from their boss with a positive, “I’ll take care of that right away” response. Bosses LOVE that! One of the easiest ways to earn your boss’s favor is to take assignments without complaining, whining, back-stepping, offering excuses, or presenting resistance. Just smile… and DO IT!
But… what happens when you are faced with an unrealistic workload? How do you commjunicate that to your boss without sounding or looking like a loser or lagger? Stay tuned for the next BossByte video and blogpost–I’ll tell you EXACTLY what to do!
In the meantime…
I’d love to hear from YOU. What do you think about this business of building a good working relationship with your boss? Do you agree? Do you have any questions about it? Are you wondering how to go about it? Or are you facing some daunting challenges in trying to do it effectively?
I’d love to have you weigh in on my blog. Let’s get a dialog going. You may discover that you are not alone in your struggles with your boss!
