In many company get-togethers a favourite topic with employees is to complain about their boss. The fact is: “the other person is always rash, but it takes two to make a crash”.
Here we share some guidelines that can help you to establish good rapport with your seniors and help them to do their job better. Ultimately, it will mean success for both of you as a team.
Your Boss is not God:
Believe that your boss is human like you. He is capable of forgetting and making mistakes. Think on issues where he might miss out and go out of the way to help him in doing things right. He will be more comfortable and will greatly value your support. Some seniors may not express this in words, but inwardly most would appreciate.
You will do well if you understand your senior’s pressures, strengths and limitations so that you can take care of his / her requirements more effectively.
Don’t Spring Surprises:
You might be working closely on an assignment and knowing the status much better than your senior. You see that things are going fine so you feel that there is no need to keep him updated – “I will give him a pleasant surprise after 2 weeks”. But at times the pleasant surprise might become unpleasant for him because he might not have made any plans for the same.
Some employees think that they are self sufficient and do not feel the need to seek help from the senior. However, in certain situations the senior might be able to help them with needed resources and timely decisions.
Here we share some guidelines that can help you to establish good rapport with your seniors and help them to do their job better. Ultimately, it will mean success for both of you as a team.
Your Boss is not God:
Believe that your boss is human like you. He is capable of forgetting and making mistakes. Think on issues where he might miss out and go out of the way to help him in doing things right. He will be more comfortable and will greatly value your support. Some seniors may not express this in words, but inwardly most would appreciate.
You will do well if you understand your senior’s pressures, strengths and limitations so that you can take care of his / her requirements more effectively.
Don’t Spring Surprises:
You might be working closely on an assignment and knowing the status much better than your senior. You see that things are going fine so you feel that there is no need to keep him updated – “I will give him a pleasant surprise after 2 weeks”. But at times the pleasant surprise might become unpleasant for him because he might not have made any plans for the same.
Some employees think that they are self sufficient and do not feel the need to seek help from the senior. However, in certain situations the senior might be able to help them with needed resources and timely decisions.
Tell the truth:
Do not try to hide the facts while communicating with your boss. Everyone likes to hear good news, but at times this may not be possible. How you present the information depends on the situation but an honest feedback to your senior will help him to be better prepared and also to support you effectively. Of course the language you use is very important, as explained below.
Communicate in a Positive Manner:
Nobody likes to hear negative words like “no” or “not possible”. So, we must use positive words like “yes we could do this, but what if ....” or “I will try this and come back to you if I need your support”.
Ask for a personal review with your boss sometimes so that you can present the data and difficulties to him before he calls for it.
Some seniors are the “reading” kind. If you present information to them on paper you will get a better response. Others prefer to “listen”. Adopting the appropriate communication style will work wonders for you.
Initiative:
If you are offered an opportunity to work on a new project, be prepared to go the extra mile even if there is some risk of failure. Whether you are successful or not isn’t as important as the fact that you took the initiative and made a genuine effort.
Lateral Thinking:
Try to look at problems in different ways and offer creative solutions to problems. Your senior will love you for it just like Emperor Akbar loved his minister Birbal.
Try to ask questions in team-meetings whereby by you can help the group to look at things in a different way. You will be appreciated for your creative approach.
Cordial relations:
It never pays to be on bad terms with your senior or to distrust him / her. At times you might need to make special efforts to maintain cordial relations with your senior, but the responsibility rests on you.
It is also advisable to participate actively in various company functions, whether they are job-related or social, as it can reduce the barriers between us and our seniors.
Know your Boss’ Expectations:
The subordinate who simply assumes that he knows what the boss expects is in for trouble. Some seniors spell out their expectations very clearly but many do not.
Your organization might have a formal arrangement for spelling out expectations on the job, but requirements keep changing. So, the ultimate responsibility of finding the boss’ expectations rests on you.
Keeping Promises:
It is easy to commit deadlines but may be difficult to achieve at times. No one is deliberately undependable, but if your boss is not able to believe your commitments, it is not a very great scenario.
Plan carefully before you make promises and make sure that you fulfill them. If you realize that you will need an extension, ask for it well in advance.
What if the boss is angry?
He / she is human and can go off the handle at times. Just relax and put your listening skills to best use. Let him / her finish speaking, DO NOT INTERRUPT.
Maybe jot down what he says and promise to revert after some time. Chances are that mostly he / she will be in a better mood to listen when you meet again.
