0You may ask me why I need to manage my manager or the way I prefer to call it – Lead my boss?
Let’s see why! Because it:
- Makes your job easy.
- If she is on your side, your chances of climbing the ladder are high.
- Insight into opportunities and changes ahead of real-time.
- You have a stress free environment to operate.
Read on if you also believe that there is a merit in managing your manager. The first step towards it is knowing your manager really well. Like:
- Is she a listener or a reader?
- She likes an overview or has an eye for detail?
- How often she wants you to report?
Find out the answers to these and more and then adapt to the communication style.
Now, in real world, challenges will come for sure. The right way to bring up an issue with your manager is to:
- Describe the problem.
- Identify the solution / options / approach.
- Explain the consequences.
- Take accountability.
Okay, what do you have to do? Here is a quick rule book for you. Follow it along and ask me questions when you get stuck:
- Accept the fact that she has been given responsibility to manage your work.
- When she asks you to bring a fish, bring her back a whale. It means delivering more than you are supposed to. Go that extra mile.
- Build on your and her strengths and make her look good.
- Bring solutions, not questions.
- Try not to complain or whine or cry in front of her!
- She is not your friend, maybe on the social media but not really. You can be friendly without being friends. Know the difference!
Remember you have to manage her, not transform her. Understand your boss! She is your Career Catalyst.
Now let me ask you a question, which pointers you think you can go back and start implementing at your workplace?
