How far would you go to help your boss? Would you call in a bomb threat? That’s what one admin did in an attempt to delay a flight out of Miami International Airport—so her boss wouldn’t miss it. It’s an extreme example, to be sure. But most of us have felt tempted, at some point, to go overboard to help a manager we’re loyal to.
Lee’s immediate supervisor left the organization, so now she reports to a higher-level director. In their meetings, the director seems distracted and bored, even though Lee takes extra time to prepare. “My preparation is usually met with a very brief response or a push off to another manager,” she says. “What can I do to make our meetings more engaging?”
It’s 4:30 p.m., and one of your bosses has finally given you the documents you expected to receive that morning—the documents you need in order to wrap up a task by the 5:30 p.m. deadline. This is your biggest pet peeve—receiving things late (and without warning), but being expected to complete the task on time. What to do?
Fortunately, most admins have strong partnerships with their managers or see ways to build that bond. But some admins are still struggling through their relationships with lousy bosses. Is the solution to quit? Not with unemployment rates above 10%. Here’s another option: Negotiate with your boss, the way the FBI negotiates during a hostage situation.
Question: “I have a new boss and she is so disorganized. She has piles and piles of papers and complains that she can never find anything. How do I get her to organize her desk?”
When you’re thrust into working environments, you deal with all sorts of people on a daily basis. If you don’t get along with some of them, the hours can drag on. If these people are your bosses, the days can seem like torture. Here’s how to manage your manager.
When a control-freak boss monitors your every move, you and your co-workers may be tempted to rebel. Instead, don’t let your annoyance show. “Getting visibly irritated when he leans on you will only make him think he needs to keep an even closer eye on you,” says Albert J. Bernstein, a clinical psychologist and author of Am I The Only Sane One Working Here? Here are more strategies:
The fringe benefit of making your boss look good? You look good. Make these two proactive habits part of your repertoire: 1. Prototype your work. 2. Deliver bad news early.
Question: “I work for a manager who thinks I can read her mind. She rushes up to my desk and says something like, ‘Did he come pick it up?’ Because I have no idea what she’s talking about, I ask what she means. Then she looks at me like I’m an idiot for not understanding. This happens all the time, and I’m starting to get really irritated. How do I deal with her weird communication pattern?”
Reduce the odds that a conversation will bog down when people take things too personally by avoiding statements that begin with “you.” … Learn how you can add more value at the office by conducting your own “listening tour.”… Stay current on technology by signing up for free e-newsletters. …
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