Managing Your Boss
Are you working in a happy company or law firm where employees feel comfortable managing upward? Do the leaders in your organization have a healthy mindset about employees’ desire to be effective and get things done? Does your company or law firm have respectful boss-subordinate relationships?
One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “Do we have a healthy organizational culture where there is great two-way communication between the boss and managers?” Emotionally intelligent leaders pay attention to all work relationships.
Are you a leader who models open communication by creating a workplace culture and climate where fully engaged employees can achieve their best? Are you able to create a high performance workplace where employees are fully engaged and aligned with the organizations’ vision? Do organizational leaders encourage employees to manage upward?
Managing Upward
There will always be those who view the concept of managing upward as flattery and manipulation. Others hold the common belief that if bosses are wise, they don’t need to be managed and such efforts will be viewed solely as attempts to play office politics.
But managing upward is not about ambition, promotions or raises. It’s about the job and how to be effective at getting things done. How do you acquire the resources, information and advice you need, as well as the permission to keep moving ahead?
The answers always point to whoever has the power: the boss. Failure to make this relationship one of mutual respect and understanding limits your chances of succeeding.
Here’s a review of key points from a classic Harvard Business Review article originally published in 1990, and it remains pertinent today.“Managing Your Boss” was written by Professors Emeriti John J. Gabarro, PhD, and John P. Kotter, PhD.
Mutual Dependence
Two people can be temperamentally incapable of working together. Personality conflicts occur all the time. But when they happen between bosses and managers, differing personalities are only a small part of the true problem.
People usually have unrealistic assumptions and expectations about the nature of boss-subordinate relationships. They fail to recognize that it’s one of mutual dependency between two fallible human beings, so they avoid managing the relationship altogether or do so ineffectively.
Some managers behave as though their bosses are not dependent on them. They don’t see how much the boss needs their help to do his job efficiently; how their actions can severely hurt him; and how they truly need to be cooperative, dependable and honest.
Other managers see themselves as completely independent of their bosses. They gloss over how much information they need from the boss to perform their jobs well.
A boss can play a critical role in linking managers to the rest of the organization, making sure priorities are consistent with organizational needs and securing necessary resources. But some managers see themselves as self-sufficient.
Other managers assume the boss is a clairvoyant who will magically know which information or help is needed and magically provide it. This is dangerously unrealistic.
Managers must recognize that mutual dependence between two fallible humans requires two components:
1. Having a good understanding of the other person and yourself, especially regarding strengths, weaknesses, work styles and needs
2. Using this information to develop and manage a healthy working relationship—one that is compatible with both individuals’ work styles and assets, is characterized by mutual expectations and meets the other person’s most critical needs.
Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become an inspiring leader who knows your own strengths and weaknesses and the needs of employees. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged with the strategy and vision of your company or law firm.
I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].
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