How to Help Your Boss Succeed
Minimize interruptions.Time is your boss' most limited resource., Learn how and when to interrupt., Know how to communicate in an emergency., Know what information helps them best make a decision., Provide data in the right volume and format., Keep...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Minimize interruptions.Time is your boss' most limited resource.
Interruptions not only take up time, but people lose their train of thought and take additional time to recover.
At least bunch up your questions to cut down on the number of interruptions. -
Step 2: Learn how and when to interrupt.
Each person has different preferences as to what media they prefer to work withas well as when during the day they prefer to deal with interruptions.
Do you use IM, drop into their office or send them an e-mail or a phone call? It's critically important for you to understand your boss' preferences in this area. , If there is a crisis affecting a client, how soon should you notify your boss? Should you make a call at 2 AM to let them know or just email them? , Again, each boss has different preferences in how much information they need, what types of information, when, etc.
Here are some alternatives.
Just present the problem, they'll solve it.
Generally, however, bosses don't want to see problems without a recommended solution.
Present the problem and a single recommended solution.
Some bosses will trust your judgment and go with your recommendation.
Other bosses want to see alternatives along with pros and cons.
Present the problem and several alternative solutions, along with a recommendation.
For some bosses, alternative solutions are just a waste of effort, but other bosses demand to see alternatives. , Some people want to see just a few summary numbers, while others want pages and pages, seen from a variety of angles.
For format, some want to see pie charts, bar charts with trends, etc. to summarize data at a high level.
Others will want to see tables of numbers.
Also watch to see what font and point size your boss and peers prefer. , For some bosses, going to a meeting without a notebook and pen is considered an insult.
A 6" by 9" spiral bound notebook is a good idea, since it keeps notes in date order and you avoid filing.
One notebook serves for all your meetings. , For some odd reason, this topic is frequently omitted.
It's very important for your boss to tell the group about the expectations of his/her boss.
Don't rely on your boss to do their job perfectly (more on this later), so try to augment your boss' skills with your own reminders. , This is a no brainer.
Your boss may forget, but don't you be caught forgetting.
Be sure you understand when the task is due, what's expected, etc. , Equally important as the previous step.
Don't let requests drag on.
Set your own deadline of when you'd like a response from your boss.
On that date, the issue gets promoted from chronic to acute.
Example: on Jan 2nd you give your boss your training plan for the year, asking for their approval.
By Jan. 16th the lack of response from your boss begins to annoy you
- it's become a chronic problem.
Yes, it doesn't get any worse each day (you can bear it), but it's still a problem.
So you set Feb 1st as the critical date.
On that date, treat the lack of a response as acute
- it's suddenly a serious problem and talk to your boss.
This keeps the problem from festering until May 15th. -
Step 3: Know how to communicate in an emergency.
-
Step 4: Know what information helps them best make a decision.
-
Step 5: Provide data in the right volume and format.
-
Step 6: Keep a notebook for meetings.
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Step 7: Ask your boss what's going on elsewhere in the corporation.
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Step 8: Keep an accurate record of what your boss has asked you to do.
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Step 9: Keep an accurate record of what you've asked of your boss.
Detailed Guide
Interruptions not only take up time, but people lose their train of thought and take additional time to recover.
At least bunch up your questions to cut down on the number of interruptions.
Each person has different preferences as to what media they prefer to work withas well as when during the day they prefer to deal with interruptions.
Do you use IM, drop into their office or send them an e-mail or a phone call? It's critically important for you to understand your boss' preferences in this area. , If there is a crisis affecting a client, how soon should you notify your boss? Should you make a call at 2 AM to let them know or just email them? , Again, each boss has different preferences in how much information they need, what types of information, when, etc.
Here are some alternatives.
Just present the problem, they'll solve it.
Generally, however, bosses don't want to see problems without a recommended solution.
Present the problem and a single recommended solution.
Some bosses will trust your judgment and go with your recommendation.
Other bosses want to see alternatives along with pros and cons.
Present the problem and several alternative solutions, along with a recommendation.
For some bosses, alternative solutions are just a waste of effort, but other bosses demand to see alternatives. , Some people want to see just a few summary numbers, while others want pages and pages, seen from a variety of angles.
For format, some want to see pie charts, bar charts with trends, etc. to summarize data at a high level.
Others will want to see tables of numbers.
Also watch to see what font and point size your boss and peers prefer. , For some bosses, going to a meeting without a notebook and pen is considered an insult.
A 6" by 9" spiral bound notebook is a good idea, since it keeps notes in date order and you avoid filing.
One notebook serves for all your meetings. , For some odd reason, this topic is frequently omitted.
It's very important for your boss to tell the group about the expectations of his/her boss.
Don't rely on your boss to do their job perfectly (more on this later), so try to augment your boss' skills with your own reminders. , This is a no brainer.
Your boss may forget, but don't you be caught forgetting.
Be sure you understand when the task is due, what's expected, etc. , Equally important as the previous step.
Don't let requests drag on.
Set your own deadline of when you'd like a response from your boss.
On that date, the issue gets promoted from chronic to acute.
Example: on Jan 2nd you give your boss your training plan for the year, asking for their approval.
By Jan. 16th the lack of response from your boss begins to annoy you
- it's become a chronic problem.
Yes, it doesn't get any worse each day (you can bear it), but it's still a problem.
So you set Feb 1st as the critical date.
On that date, treat the lack of a response as acute
- it's suddenly a serious problem and talk to your boss.
This keeps the problem from festering until May 15th.
About the Author
Joan Fisher
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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