Seven Things You Should Stop Doing to your Boss
by Anthony Demangone
We all have bosses. I have one. Even if you’re a CEO, you have a boss. More likely, bosses.
I’ve written before how great managers see themselves as servants. They look for ways to make your job easier. To clear the path. To knock down walls. They protect you. Inform you. Arm you with knowledge.
So, why not return the favor?
Looking at the world through the prism of service is a two-way street. With that in mind, here are seven things you should stop doing to your boss.
- Stop assuming your boss has all the answers. Most bosses have one or two areas of expertise, such as accounting, compliance, finance, etc. You were hired to bring something to the table. Weave that “something” into the reports and feedback you give your boss. Making decisions is tough. When you highlight a problem, include a proposed solution. A good boss will appreciate it.
- Stop assuming your boss remembers what you said, verbatim. Your boss has more on her plate than you likely think. You may have addressed an issue a few weeks ago, but your boss may need you to walk her through it again…minutes before a board meeting. When your boss asks for a report or email that you already said, refrain from stating “I sent it to you last week.” That doesn’t really solve the problem at that moment. In fact, what you’re really saying is…Silly you, I already sent that out. Did you lose it already?
- Stop hiding bad news. Sometimes, problems go away on their own. But that is the exception. If you have a problem, don’t sugarcoat it or hide it. Give a clear overview of the problem, as well as how you’d go about solving it.