Do’s and Don’ts in Dealing with Your Boss

I've said before that I think the two keys to career success are having quantifiable accomplishments (or delivering results, if you prefer) and having a great, positive attitude. I write about the former a bunch, so I really liked the book highlighted below since it covers the latter.

That said, today's excerpt is somewhat about having a positive attitude and somewhat about simply doing what the author thinks is best when dealing with your boss. Look them over and let me know what you think of the list.

The following is excerpted with permission from The Power of a Positive Attitude: Discovering the Key to Success by Roger Fritz (AMACOM 2008).

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“I am not saying a Positive Attitude can make you successful. I am saying a Positive Attitude will make you successful.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Nobody, but nobody is more important to your job satisfaction and happiness, your progress and development on the job than your boss. Some people are lucky to be assigned to a boss who is a good leader, teacher, and mentor, while others may work for one who is the opposite.

No matter who the fates give you as a supervisor, you can make the most of it by studying your boss’s goals, style, and work habits and then tailoring your actions accordingly.

Linda learned very early in her assignment to the Purchasing Department that Carol, the purchasing manager, was the kind of person who was meticulous in her work and expected her people to be the same. She observed that Carol was always at her desk ten minutes before starting time, that she organized her work carefully, and that there was a place for everything and everything was in its place. Linda’s previous boss had been much more casual, and Linda’s work habits when working for him reflected that. She resolved to change her methods of operation. She came in a bit earlier than her boss, set up her desk in a very organized manner, and even dressed more conservatively. This immediately set the stage for a successful relationship with Carol and led to a long, happy employment and rapid advancement.

Do’s and Don’ts in Dealing with Your Boss

Here are some basic guidelines that will help you develop coping strategies for dealing with your supervisor.

The Do’s

• DO watch the example of the people who get along with your boss. They, after all, have learned how to cope. Try to learn from them and follow their example.

• DO consider that you may be partly responsible for your poor relationship with your supervisor if you have one. Remember it takes two to tango. And while you can’t change your boss, you can change how you behave, so take responsibility and take action to make positive change happen.

• DO try to make your employer’s job easier by offering to take responsibility for those tasks that he may dislike doing.

• DO keep track of your boss’s mood swings. Observe the times of day and the days of week when he is in the most receptive frame of mind.

• DO tell the boss how you feel about her treatment of you. Don’t hide your feelings. Wait until she has cooled down to discuss how you feel, and then talk calmly and, of course, in private.

• DO monitor your progress. If you are not having the success you desire, reevaluate the way you are dealing with your supervisor and take another tack if necessary. Be patient. Don’t expect it all to happen at once.

The Don’ts

• DON’T dispute your employer’s authority, even if you disagree with her judgment in a particular situation.

• DON’T take criticism as a personal attack. Even if your boss is out of line, it will help to distinguish between your job, which may be bearable, and your boss, who may not be.

• DON’T put yourself in a position to be criticized by seeking the boss’ approval when it isn’t required. Do some things, and tell him about them . . .later.

• DON’T malign your boss by gossiping behind her back. Be loyal!

• DON’T go over the boss’ head unless it’s absolutely critical such as an emergency or crisis situation. Violating the chain of command almost always causes more problems than it solves.

• And above all, DON’T lose your self-respect. If your coping strategies have failed and a transfer is impossible, do what you have to do to keep your self-esteem, even if it means finding a new job and a new boss.

“Final judgment about people must be based not on words or intentions, but evidence and results.”

Comments

[FinanciallySmartServices]

A positive attitude indeed will make one successful when he/she decide to put it in practice. A positive attitude is like having a saving account, each time you deposited a small amount inside there is growth. At the workplace each time you practice something with a positive attitude then you will always benefit from it whether it be financial or personal growth.

[Middle Management]

my boss has a very sarcastic side to him. when approaching him for guidance on an issue, there never seems to be a stright answer. it becomes a bit rediculous at times because I know it is coming. it has been a struggle for me not to throw the sarcasm back at him because i'm not sure if that is what he expects... wonder if this is a good conversation to have with him some day??

[Revanche]

The interesting thing I observed about a former boss was that he expected very different behaviors from his personnel. As his "second in command" I was expected not to have a real opinion when he asked for one - I was to parrot the party line. If other staffers offered their (often contrarian) thoughts, he welcomed them, or acted as though the staffer provided value to the conversation. He even acted on some of their suggestions, though he'd discounted mine when they were identical.

The overriding theme I could discern was that because I indicated that I cared about my job and performance, he could take me for granted, and set about wooing the other less dedicated employees when they were blatant about putting themselves first.

It wasn't a gender-bias, but it was strange.