4 Tips to Work Well With Your Boss
1. Give Your Boss Feedback
One big complaint some employees have about their bosses is that they never get enough feedback. They’re disappointed when their good work isn’t acknowledged. They’re frustrated when they don’t think they’re receiving enough support.But consider this: How much feedback are you giving your boss?
Employees often forget that their bosses are human, too, with the same feelings and same insecurities that the employees have.
Make sure you give positive feedback to your boss when he or she has helped you. Your boss is eager to know whether what he or she said or did made a difference. Your boss also will be more inclined to help you out again
This doesn’t mean gratuitous feedback. Most people can see through B.S. But sincere thanks can go a long way to developing a richer and more meaningful relationship with your boss.
It’s one of those truisms of life – most people respond to positive feedback whether they are the boss or the employee.
Related Article: How to Look Credible When it Matters Most
2. Learn Your Boss’s Style
One of the secrets of success in your career is learning your bosses’ preferred communication style:- Do they prefer email, a phone call or an in-person visit?
- What’s the best time of day to deal with them?
- Do they prefer a “just-the-facts” presentation or do they enjoy having a more-expansive conversation?
- Do they have a sense of humor? Do they want you to have a sense of humor?
- Do they care about your personal life?
Related Article: 10 Ways to Be More Efficient at the Office
3. Use Email Professionally
People now have access to you 24 hours a day. Be careful how you use it. Like a cigarette box, email accounts should come with a warning label: improper usage can be hazardous to your career.
Your boss might send plenty of emails, some that might tick you off. Never respond in anger or haste. Take time to collect your thoughts. If in doubt, write the email, save it and come back to it when you’re less emotional. Then you can decide if you still want to send it. Some of the best emails are the ones you never send.Emails are a great way to keep your boss informed and also provide a record of your correspondence. When you just have conversations with people, people can later deny saying something. If you have it in an email, you’ve got documentation.
A good rule is if you have an important conversation with your boss, follow up with an email outlining what was discussed. This is especially important if you’ve agreed about undertaking a project and want to be clear on the parameters and the deadline.
Related Article: 4 Strategies to Put Your Career on Steroids
A reminder: in this era of texting, people often take short cuts in their communication. Don’t do that in an email. These are business correspondence, not notes to a friend about where you are going to party this weekend. Make sure you use proper grammar and spell check the email.
Don’t forget: you’re in a business setting. Don’t mix your work life with your personal life. If you have personal emails to send, have a personal email account and don’t use the company account.
No comments:
Post a Comment