BOSS - Not the bachelor of Social service sorts that i am going to talk about..... This is our real world, real-time boss :-)......
Most of us keep wondering about this person called Boss... He might have been your best friend till yesterday and the day he/she becomes your superior, the entire vision changes in a minute...
A few lucky ones have a great rapport with their managers...... but there are quite a few who never manage to make it click....
Invariably, when people think of managing someone at work they think of it as a one way street. They think of their boss managing them. Yet, in my small little experience of 4 yrs, I've found that bosses also need to be managed.
Bosses need to be managed by their people because they often over- or under- manage them. For example, they over-manage by micromanaging and continually checking on a project's status. They under-manage by not giving their people enough direction, detail or feedback.
These kinds of problems occur for a number of reasons. Managers are often promoted from technical positions and they have rarely been trained to have good people skills. Many times, they also don't have any good role models for what a manager should do. And they rarely get feedback as to how they're doing.
So, if you have a boss who over- or under- manages you, what can you do to get what you need from him or her? How can you effectively manage your boss? Can't figure out what makes the boss tick?
Bosses need to be managed by their people because they often over- or under- manage them. For example, they over-manage by micromanaging and continually checking on a project's status. They under-manage by not giving their people enough direction, detail or feedback.
These kinds of problems occur for a number of reasons. Managers are often promoted from technical positions and they have rarely been trained to have good people skills. Many times, they also don't have any good role models for what a manager should do. And they rarely get feedback as to how they're doing.
So, if you have a boss who over- or under- manages you, what can you do to get what you need from him or her? How can you effectively manage your boss? Can't figure out what makes the boss tick?
Ask yourself these 10 questions and you may arrive at a better understanding of the boss -- and a better work life for yourself.
What is your boss trying to accomplish?
What are your boss's goals? (These may be different from what the boss is trying to accomplish.)
What does your boss want you to accomplish -- and how does that relate to question #1?
Is your boss ambitious or content?
If your boss is ambitious, is it about substance or recognition -- or both?
Why is your boss the boss? Why did they pick your boss for the job?
Are you more ambitious than your boss?
What do you want out of your current position -- and is this compatible with your boss's goals and ambitions?
Do your goals advance your boss's ambitions -- or conflict with them?
What kinds of problems most worry your boss? What kinds of victories most please your boss?
What is your boss trying to accomplish?
What are your boss's goals? (These may be different from what the boss is trying to accomplish.)
What does your boss want you to accomplish -- and how does that relate to question #1?
Is your boss ambitious or content?
If your boss is ambitious, is it about substance or recognition -- or both?
Why is your boss the boss? Why did they pick your boss for the job?
Are you more ambitious than your boss?
What do you want out of your current position -- and is this compatible with your boss's goals and ambitions?
Do your goals advance your boss's ambitions -- or conflict with them?
What kinds of problems most worry your boss? What kinds of victories most please your boss?
But if you are of the "dont care" types, remember that some day you will be the boss. You too will understand.. Until then just 2 mandatory rules before signing off:
1. Boss is always right
2. If boss is wrong, please refer to rule # 1......
:-) :_) I dont know why....but i love these 2 rules....... all time classic....
God hasnt made a boss out of me yet ;) so I am also following the above 2 rules.
1 comment:
Hey Aparna,
Nice to see that you write so well.... The 2 rules are the best that you follow , I would try to do the same now on :)
All da Best ......
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