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Decode the manager's style
- Never make assumptions. Don't assume the communication style that works with the previous boss is going to work well with the new boss.
- Ask the boss how he/she would like to receive communications from you.
- Scan the environment. Is everything so fast paced that the boss has little time for the details and barely time for the facts?
Dictatorial managers
- Give orders
- Make all the decisions
- Allow very little discussion
- Surviving this kind of boss requires you to pick your battles, do your job well, and anticipate your boss's needs
- Don't communicate
- Believe people know what to do without being told
- The best way to manage this type of boss is to ask clarifying questions, keep them informed, and learn to manage your own performance. One way to do that is to hand your boss a self-evaluation several weeks before the performance review is due. This ensures that the great work is recognized, since this type of leader manages from a distance.
- Control everything
- Follow all the rules
- If you have a boss like this, you'll want to learn the rules and follow protocol. Then do whatever you can to get your boss promoted.
- Value input
- Recognize the contribution of others
- If you are fortunate to have this type of boss, always be prepared and be ready to present ideas, and don't forget to demonstrate your appreciation for having such a great boss.
Manage your boss
- Your boss is not a mind reader -- tell them what you are thinking for feeling. While it may be hard for you, your boss will appreciate it when you share what's one your mind, as long as you do so in a respectful and constructive way.
- The more you tell your boss, the easier it gets.
- Bosses want to be managed.
Building a strong relationship quickly
The quicker you build relationships, the better your position with those above you and around you.
- Demonstrate confidence. Fake it till you make it rings true when positioning yourself as peer with those senior to you. It is important to present yourself as someone who can handle whatever may come your way.
- Be consistent to deliver results.
- Stand your ground. People want to know that you have a backbone.
- Admit when you are wrong. Nobody likes a know it all.
Avoid relationship mistakes
- Don't mistake your boss for a friend. Maintain the boundaries with your boss and give them the respect they deserve.
- Don't go over your boss's header without first giving him an opportunity to address your situation. It reflects poorly on your boss, and it can do significant damage to your relationship and your reputation.
- Don't lie.
- Never break your boss's confidence. When you work closely with someone, it is not uncommon to share some of your frustrations or information about your personal life. If you boss confides in you, keep it to yourself. Violating his confidence will result in a breach of trust.
Office politics exists in every organization. Politics isn't just about manipulation -- it is also about using power effectively. Power is the ability to get things done through other people.
- position power: the formal authority you have based solely on your position.
- personal power: your ability to influence others.
- know other players who would help and who would not
- think before moving
- learn from your mistakes
- play quietly
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Ensure your next play is the right move
- Observe what is going on around you
- What are the unwritten rules?
- Ask the people who have been in the organization for a while to share the experience with you.
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Acquire power in the workplace
- Be transparent -- when you are asked for something to be done, give a reason. When you help people understand why they're doing what they're doing, you allow them to feel like part of the process. When you help people understand why they're doing what they're doing, you allow them to feel like part of the process.
- Be authentic. When you help people understand why they're doing what they're doing, you allow them to feel like part of the process.
- Put others first. Be the person who is always looking for ways to help others. This will help you to build a strong relationship, which is really what personal power is really about. And put others first. Be the person who is always looking for ways to help others. This will help you to build a strong following, which is really what personal power is really about.
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Maximize your power
Position power should be the last tool pulled from your tool belt when trying to get people to do something.
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Three ways to avoid getting burnt
Refrain from aligning too closely with one person in the organization. If this person falls out of favor, you'll likely go down as well. Instead, focus on being your own person and building a stellar reputation.
- Presenting your own work.
- Volunteer to attend meetings when your boss is unable to participate. Doing so will help you gain more exposure. Another area where I have seen people get burned at work is mistakenly believing they can go over the boss' head and live to tell the tale.
- Do follow the chains of command.
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Work with a younger boss
- Give your boss a chance. Good leadership is regardless of age.
- Listen more and talk less.
- Resist the temptation to teach your boss everything you think they should know.
- Take time to observe this person in action before forming an opinion.
- Invite your boss offsite for coffee or lunch and use this time to get to know your boss and to gain insight as to what they value and how they prefer to communicate.
- Then ask your boss for feedback.
- Allow your boss to mentor your. Be open to the possibility that there may be areas where your boss really does know more than you do.
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Be an employee, rather than a parent
- Ask for advice.
- Look for ways to help your boss at ease.
- Use appropriate language.
- Avoid giving advice on personal matters, even if asked.
- Have a sense of humor.
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Put your younger boss at ease- Be clear about your goals. If you don't want your boss' job, tell him so. This noble move will set the stage for your relationship to develop positively. Now, if you do want to advance to his position, the quickest way to do that is to help him get promoted. Make it clear to your boss that your goal is to help him succeed and then do everything you can to ensure that happens.
- Always have your manager's back.
- Keep your boss informed.
- Recognize the success of your boss.
- Follow the chain of command.
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Use storytelling: share stories of projects where you've had success and be sure to talk about the results, not just activities.
Take the lead. Don't wait for someone to give you an assignment, step up and take on the problems that need to be solved. Connect with people who can help you improve your ideas and ask for their input.
Share your findings. In today's work environment, it's the collaborators who are held in high esteem. If you want to be noticed, share what you know.
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Common myths about self-promotion
What if you did a self evaluation three weeks before your review and you gave it to your boss? Your self evaluation would include the things you've achieved, as well as some areas for needed development. I've found, that when people do this, the boss incorporates much of that self evaluation into the review.
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- Write down an accomplishment that most people don't know about you.
- Now, the next time you see an appropriate opening, I want you to weave your story into the conversation.
- Conviction and confidence are vital when promoting yourself.
- There are a number of ways you can pump up the volume to be noticed. You can volunteer to take on the projects that are most visible, then share your progress and accomplishments when working on important projects.
- Showcase your people. When they look good, you look great.
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Step into strategic bragging
- So make a list of five things your boss should know about you, your education, awards you've won, volunteer work, and past successes. Now that you've got this list, choose one or two things that are applicable to your current situation, things you'd be remiss if you didn't share with others.
- Take those relevant items, work them into two or three sound bites, and practice what you'd like to say.
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