Keep Your Boss in the Loop and on Your Side

Getting, and keeping, the boss on board is one of the unsung arts of management. Without support from those higher up, your unit loses access to the resources necessary for success. Did you ever try to improve your working relationship (not private relationship) with your manager? Do you know how to negotiate with the person you report to? How did you usually present problems or opportunities to your boss, and was that very effective?

Without a strong relationship with your manager, misunderstandings and lack of communication can divert time and attention from customers and competition. If you neglect this relationship,
your goals and priorities may be at odds with those of your manager, leading to frustration and discontent for one or both parties.

A weak relationship between you and your manager can have negative consequences for the broader organization as well:

1) Without a commitment to shared goals and objectives by you and your manager, bottom-line results for the organization as a whole may suffer; 2) Communication breakdowns can lead to misunderstandings and poor morale, resulting in less than effective performance; 3) … …

Fortunately, despite differences in style and philosophy between you and your manager or your boss, there are strategies that you can use to increase your effectiveness and make your work life easier.
1. Find out what is important to your boss and make it important to you. If your boss is fanatic when it comes to deadlines, then do your best to get everything in ahead of schedule.

 2. Make note of anything that you and your boss have in common. From non-work related points of interest like pets, golf and ,jogging, to professional ideals. In general conversation, find an opportunity to make your boss aware of your similar interest.

 

3. Agree with your boss, more often than not, without compromising your own values. This way, when the two of you do disagree, your boss won't view it as "disagreeing" but rather, a "different outlook."

 

4. Look for opportunities to "make something happen". For example, there are always projects and assignments that others don't have "time" to do. Find one that you can do and volunteer to Do It! Your boss will appreciate it and remember it in the future.

 

5. Do not throw the racial or the gender card when your boss picks on you for not doing what you were told to do.

 

6. Be as supportive as you can in controversial situations, even if you really don't like your boss' behavior. This puts you in a position to be honest with your boss without seeming confrontational.

 

7. Respect your boss' time; do not stand at his or her desk chattering away when clearly they are busy.

 

8. Make your boss look good. Realize that their success is your success.

 

9. Help your boss. Every boss has that one project that they never have time for and it stresses them out. This is where you come in. Find out what project it is and complete on your spare time, such as a day off. Since your boss hadn’t completed it, it is probably a somewhat insignificant project so it won’t take much time for you to complete it and your boss will love you for doing that.

 

Working as partners, you and your manager can make significant contributions to achieving results beyond your work group.


So, work with your boss more effectively toward mutually agreed-upon goals that are in the best interests of you, your manager, and the organization.