To survive in a work environment, always bear this in mind “We are right, but the Boss is always righter” Should we then not tell the Boss when he is doing something really wrong? The approach is important. Telling the Boss outright and backing your claims with well-researched and well documented proof is a Career Suicide. It only shows that you have been planning this assault for some time and no boss will take that kindly. So, how? Here some wise thought you should consider.
Why Are The Boss Always Right?
Bosses can have personal chats on their mobile phones for hours, but all eyes are on the workers if their phones ring. Bosses arrive late, leave early and take long lunch breaks, but workers have to watch the clock. When Bosses make mistakes, they frame them as the company's mistakes. When workers make the same mistakes, their careers are on the line.
It can be argued that these bosses and managers have earned their rights to be treated differently. However, isn't it also true that their remuneration and incentive package would have taken care of these perks and benefits? Here, when we speak of favoritism and preferential treatment, we are referring to things that are done outside of these contracts, the unwritten and unspoken words.
What Should I Do?
Wait for the opportune moment
Just as there are stormy days and fair days, human moods change. Have a 'weather-check' of the Boss with his secretary or personal assistant. Also, even dictatorial leaders will sometimes ask for opinions or suggestions, just to be seen as being open even though their minds may be sealed and locked. Take this chance to highlight your concerns.
Give actionable suggestions
A bulk of the time, we criticize for the sake of criticizing. Any negative feedback that contains no suggested actions to remedy a situation is as good as a scolding, do that to a boss and you can be punished for insubordination. Throw in some workable solutions, let the Boss stamp his authority by deciding on which approach to take. His pride in thinking that he made a decision to curb a crisis will override any unpleasant feeling he might have against you for raising a negative feedback.
Be tactful in your speech
No matter how serious the fault is, never reprimand your Boss. Give him a face-saving exit. For instance, words like “Boss, your idea is great and will certainly boost our bottom-line. I am wondering if you had a chance to look at our report on what our competitors had come up with. That report was on your desk last month, but we admit that on hindsight we should have arranged to brief you on the numbers and sources.” Quite obviously, it is a slap on his face for not reading the report, but put it in this manner, it gives him an opportunity to blame his tight schedule for not being able to pore through the complex figures in the report.
Stay clear of emotions and personal attacks
If you are angry about something, scream at your home pillow and lash out at the bathroom mirror. When you report to work, do not bring these emotions along with you. Be calm and factual when you speak to Bosses about mistakes they have made. Avoid using unnecessary adverbs and adjectives like “very grave mistake”, “absolutely ridiculous”, “utterly unthinkable”. If you sense that the issue is getting hot, find an excuse to postpone the meeting and give each other a cooling-off period.
Praise publicly but blame privately
Any situation that is unpleasant should be discussed in private.
Report to Boss's boss
There is a natural inclination to bring the matter to the top, the Boss's boss. Unless it is a fraud that you have uncovered and you are prepared to look for another job, you should be slow to climb over the Boss's head. While the CEOs, executives and chairman at the helm often leave their doors open for any sort of feedback, chances are they will be understanding to people in their 'inner circles'.
In Deal with Difficult Boss
Why Are The Boss Always Right?
Bosses can have personal chats on their mobile phones for hours, but all eyes are on the workers if their phones ring. Bosses arrive late, leave early and take long lunch breaks, but workers have to watch the clock. When Bosses make mistakes, they frame them as the company's mistakes. When workers make the same mistakes, their careers are on the line.
It can be argued that these bosses and managers have earned their rights to be treated differently. However, isn't it also true that their remuneration and incentive package would have taken care of these perks and benefits? Here, when we speak of favoritism and preferential treatment, we are referring to things that are done outside of these contracts, the unwritten and unspoken words.
What Should I Do?
Wait for the opportune moment
Just as there are stormy days and fair days, human moods change. Have a 'weather-check' of the Boss with his secretary or personal assistant. Also, even dictatorial leaders will sometimes ask for opinions or suggestions, just to be seen as being open even though their minds may be sealed and locked. Take this chance to highlight your concerns.
Give actionable suggestions
A bulk of the time, we criticize for the sake of criticizing. Any negative feedback that contains no suggested actions to remedy a situation is as good as a scolding, do that to a boss and you can be punished for insubordination. Throw in some workable solutions, let the Boss stamp his authority by deciding on which approach to take. His pride in thinking that he made a decision to curb a crisis will override any unpleasant feeling he might have against you for raising a negative feedback.
Be tactful in your speech
No matter how serious the fault is, never reprimand your Boss. Give him a face-saving exit. For instance, words like “Boss, your idea is great and will certainly boost our bottom-line. I am wondering if you had a chance to look at our report on what our competitors had come up with. That report was on your desk last month, but we admit that on hindsight we should have arranged to brief you on the numbers and sources.” Quite obviously, it is a slap on his face for not reading the report, but put it in this manner, it gives him an opportunity to blame his tight schedule for not being able to pore through the complex figures in the report.
Stay clear of emotions and personal attacks
If you are angry about something, scream at your home pillow and lash out at the bathroom mirror. When you report to work, do not bring these emotions along with you. Be calm and factual when you speak to Bosses about mistakes they have made. Avoid using unnecessary adverbs and adjectives like “very grave mistake”, “absolutely ridiculous”, “utterly unthinkable”. If you sense that the issue is getting hot, find an excuse to postpone the meeting and give each other a cooling-off period.
Praise publicly but blame privately
Any situation that is unpleasant should be discussed in private.
Report to Boss's boss
There is a natural inclination to bring the matter to the top, the Boss's boss. Unless it is a fraud that you have uncovered and you are prepared to look for another job, you should be slow to climb over the Boss's head. While the CEOs, executives and chairman at the helm often leave their doors open for any sort of feedback, chances are they will be understanding to people in their 'inner circles'.
In Deal with Difficult Boss
CareerBuilder.com suggest the following strategies to keep in peace with your boss:
Take a look in the mirror.
Maybe you’re being a pain in the neck, too. Clean up your act, concentrate only on work and see whether things change.
Focus on the boss’s needs.
Employees who perform well, make the boss look good and are easy to manage generally find themselves in his or her good graces.
Show your worth.
Document your achievements and call them to your supervisor’s attention. Offer new ideas and solutions to business problems.
Stop disagreeing.
Don’t dispute every idea your boss has.
Get buddies.
Find other sources of support and mentoring at your company.
Get a life.
People who have interests outside of work are not only happier, they also are able to put things in perspective and are more productive at work.
Have an exit strategy.
The goal is to outlive your boss. But have a contingency plan in place that includes negotiation strategies for your severance package, current resume, names of recruiters and several references.
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