Your boss has a responsibility to help you be productive; but this is a partnership that requires you to be proactive in ensuring an open, honest and mutually beneficial process that facilitates this. Get R.E.A.L by demonstrating;
RESPONSIBILITY: Don’t just do tasks; make proper choices, solve problems that emerge and do things when you say you will. Being responsible includes having a strong work ethic and keeping a positive attitude when the going gets tough and rough. Focus on the right priorities. If you work with the same boss for more than a year, ensure that you demonstrate increasing capability year on year to strengthen their confidence in you.
ENGAGEMENT: Keep a conversation going with your manager. Know what your boss’s full scope of work is so that you keep your bit in perspective. Don’t surprise them with bad news or leave important work undone. Don’t be so attached to the way you like to do things that you fail to adapt to a way that works for both your manager and you. Engaging with your manager regularly helps you identify what’s changing and what’s on the horizon. It also helps you be aware when he or she is extremely busy and will appreciate not coming to them with issues are not urgent or critically important at that time.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Personal accountability should be paramount, take responsibility for your own performance. Know the performance metrics your boss pays attention to. Don’t do anything that will let he or she or indeed others question your integrity. Don’t complain without making effort to improve things. Highlight potential problems quickly and indicate what you are going to do about it. Don’t put problems on the boss’ shoulders, if you need help be specific about what you need.
LEADERSHIP: Show you can operate different situations. Don’t get stuck in ‘how great your previous boss was’’ and hope your new boss becomes like them. Every boss is different and must deal with their own challenges in their own way. Don’t let all your discussions with your boss be about problems, show that in time of trouble you can fix things and in stable times you can fly higher and sail further. Let the mention of your name bring positive attributes to mind.
Now take action: What can you do to improve how you work with your boss?
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