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Speaker- Trainer- Consultant |
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| February 20, 2012 | Issue No. 75 |
Dear
Happy President's Day! While many of our past Presidents made courageous decisions with great vision, I would bet that their ability to manage their staff was often lacking. When a leader manages their staff effectively, they are providing relevant and timely feedback on their performance along with tools and processes to improve in those tasks most critical to their job.
As I mentioned in last week's Monday Motivation, it is rare, but not impossible, to find a leader that is both a visionary problem solver and has the ability to manage their staff effectively. Today's newsletter will address what you can do to begin to manage your boss, if they are not effective in managing you.
Happy managing upward!
Diane
P.S. I want to especially welcome my newest readers from last week's Express Employment Lunch and Learn Series in Albert Lea and Owatonna, Minnesota!
P.S.S. Please email any questions you would like answered regarding workplace communication to diane@dianeamundson.com and you may find your question as the topic of my next newsletter. Also, if you have a friend or co-worker that is interested in receiving this newsletter, direct them to my website at www.dianeamundson.com and have them click on the button to sign up for this free newsletter. |
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How to Manage Your Boss
" We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within."
Earl Nightingale
Are you currently working for a company where you rarely see your boss? Or, if you do see your boss, it is only when you make a mistake? It can be easy to become a victim in this situation and complain to your co-workers and family members that you have a loser for a boss, but fortunately, there is an alternative solution! Instead of waiting for your boss to act like a boss and provide feedback and resources for you to do your job at a higher level, create a plan where you will begin asking for what you need. Another way to say this is you will be learning to manage your boss!
Now, you may be thinking at this moment that you like the fact that your boss is not around much or they don't talk with you much, because then you have the freedom and autonomy to do what you think is right. You may even fear being micromanaged if you start managing your boss. The only problem with this scenario is that you need your boss's approval to get ahead in your current position or get promoted to the next level. Usually your direct boss needs to know how great you are in order to mention to other boss's that you would be great in other positions with greater responsibility and pay.
So, how do you manage your boss effectively without being condescending or demanding? Years ago I had the opportunity to become trained in Ken Blanchard's Situational Self Leadership. This training helped me to realize that our work destiny can be in our own hands and that a few small steps could help any employee gain more skill and recognition at work....which could lead to a promotion.
So, here are the steps that I learned and share with you today:
- Identify the top 3-5 tasks that you must do well in your job to excel.
- Meet with your boss to confirm that these tasks are the most important
- Look at each task and ask yourself on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest score, how competent and committed are you to each task. Make sure to separate the ranking of competency of each task and commitment for each task
- In those tasks where your competency is low you will need to ask for more direction from your boss. By direction I mean...have them or someone knowledgeable in the task show you how to do the task better. Ask your boss to clarify roles, provide timelines, set goals, develop action plans, establish priorities and evaluate your work.
- In those tasks where your commitment is low you will need to ask for more support by having your boss listen to your fears and ideas, ask for your input in decisions about the task, praise you, build rationale or the 'why" to your task, facilitate problem solving and share information about your boss's experience with this task.
- Schedule weekly or twice a month, one-on-one meetings with your boss to go over the direction or support you need with each of the tasks that are so critical to your success. Your boss is not scheduling or leading these meetings and does not create the agenda...you do.
Question: Are you stagnate in your career or do you have a boss that is not providing you the feedback you need to get to the next level?
Action Needed: Begin taking charge of your own career by following the six steps listed above to manage your boss for future success. When your boss becomes aware that you are serious about becoming a better employee, they will become serious about finding that next opportunity for you. |
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About Us
Diane Amundson is the owner of Diane Amundson & Associates. She has been training, speaking and consulting for over sixteen years in the areas of leadership, creativity, generational diversity, team building, sales communication, conflict resolution and strategic planning. She has worked with Fortune 500 Companies like General Mills and Pepsi Cola along with numerous school districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has co-authored a book titled Success Strategies: A High Achiever's Guide to Success. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and has served as Adjunct Professor of Organizational Behavior at Winona State University.
She is a Rotarian that has traveled the world on humanitarian projects in Mongolia, India and Brazil.
Her style of speaking is informative and highly interactive.
Diane Amundson & Associates
Phone: (507)452-2232 Fax:(507)452-0090 24456 County Road 9 Winona, MN 55987 |
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