Bosses are all around; even at home! Very often, one may tend to think why I should care or what I can do about the boss. Especially, in so called modern societies or cultures or generation, it is common to think why I shall bother, it is his/her (boss’) job to be nice and treat me properly. I should mind my own business. Firstly, you are in same business, your boss is. Secondly, it is nothing but your over or under confidence speaking. When it starts to hurt you, you would blame everyone else except self. It may not then even occur to you that rather than boss’ behavior impacting you, you could have influenced his/her behavior!
So, it is not a bad idea, to find a good way to click with your boss. How? You might have received or read several advices how to do this. Let me share with you some straight forward steps to click.
Lot of published material talks to 3 to 13 types of bosses! Let me classify them as:
- Aggressive
- Action oriented
- Pragmatic
- Work-to-rule
- Dogmatic
- Action dis-oriented
- Submissive
In real life, I do not think that a given boss would exactly fit in one category. He or she would always show one dominant trait out of 7 above and rest of his or her characteristics would overlap with one or more of other traits.
Before we proceed further, let me share my general counsel:
- Accept your boss without resistance or reservation, as he or she is.
- Avoid comparing your boss with anyone else.
- Abstain from criticizing your boss to any one, not even in your bed room.
- Aim of this post is not to give you any handle of one up-man ship on your boss; but to create understanding on how to align for a smooth ride.
- Analyze in which category, dominant trait of your boss falls and which one is 2nd most prominent trait for him/her.
Universal Formula for all kinds of Bosses
There are certain things that you should do; as these would work with all bosses or rather all kinds of people, regardless which category or class they come from:
- Greet your boss, when you meet him (without gender bias, I would now be using word – him) 1st time in the day, by looking into his eyes and with smile and subsequently give a smile at each encounter.
Key is that you do this with your inner feelings to wish him indeed good. I have seen in many western countries and even elsewhere, people do this; but mechanically with no feelings attached. That won’t work! And do this whether you are at trouble with him or not!! - Ask him on his face what makes him happy and what his expectations are.
- Whether planned or unplanned meeting with him, try and find out the purpose and prepare your points before hand. Never miss to carry pen and paper; but never carry prior notions or bias.
- Never defend or justify your doings or points; instead explain facts as they are and seek his support or suggest solutions.
- If in doubt, raise a question to him and if you have no answer to give, seek time to come back.
- If he pats your back, never forget to tell him that credit goes to his backing, and never bite at anybody’s back.
- Blame or criticize no one; instead just state what others have or could have done.
If you can imbibe these 7 habits in your character, 90% of your job is done!
Now, you can proceed to research, which category your boss belongs to and what simple things that you can do to deal with him.
Dealing with Aggressive, Action oriented, Work-to-rule and Dogmatic bosses
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