A senior analyst at an investment bank had been managing a project for an important client for the last year and a half. He was cruising along, leading an effective team, and enjoying a great rapport with his client. He was known for speaking his mind, and standing by his team, even if it meant crossing swords with other departments at times. While things seemed to be going well, he was often troubled by a shadow of doubt that lurked around his relationship with his boss. His boss was a bit of an enigma to him, rather hard to please. He was not able to lay his finger on the missing links in their relationship, but was convinced that the chemistry was not quite right!
Many of us experience these pangs of uncertainty, as we get ensnared in the labyrinth of transactions and the motions of managing the task and the team. Ensconced in this narrow outlook, and missing the bigger picture, we often fail to engage with and harness the support of other important stakeholders, like the boss, which is so crucial for career mobility and success.
Here are some strategies for catapulting your boss into your strongest supporter.
What are his goals?
Tune in to your boss?s needs, goals, priorities and preferences. Synchronise your goals with his, aligning them to perfection. For instance, proposing an additional headcount for your team may be an act of harakiri, if his aim is to reduce headcount. A better strategy would be to identify activities that may be at risk of taking a back-seat in the absence of incremental headcount, and proactively brief him about it. Think win-win. Work towards his success, because your success depends on his!
What are his problems?
What keeps your boss awake at night? Is it a conflict between two team members, adjustment with a new boss, or the possibility of missing the annual target? The first trick is to be in the know, by keeping your antennae tuned to your environment. And, second, to put on your thinking hat, identify and proactively share some out-of-the-box ideas to address these issues.
What is his style?
A discrepancy in your boss?s working styles could impede an otherwise harmonious relationship. So, understand his preferred style and flex yours to suit his. For instance, your boss may be a stickler for time showing up for meetings way before time. And you may be prone to getting cowed down by those urgent issues that stick out their ugly heads just as you are stepping out for a meeting, causing those invariable, inevitable delays! Similarly, he may have a proclivity for transacting business verbally, while you might have a preference for voluminous written reporting, or conversely, he might expect to see the minutes of a discussion on paper, while you may tend to jump into action at the close of the discussion, finding it quite unnecessary to put things in writing. And there are numerous such examples! He may have a preference for diving into business without preamble, and you may prefer to first break the ice with a chat around Sachin?s elusive hundredth century or the Paes-Bhupathi discord. Minor irritants like these may be tenaciously at work digging into the cement of your relationship! It?s important to understand his working style, and more importantly yours, and bridge the gap, if any.
Do you communicate?
Do you keep your boss posted about the developments in your team, or loop him in about a target or a deadline that is likely to be missed? Bad news, remember, if shared early enough, assumes shades of goodness! And when the impending bad news does become a reality, despite your best effort, does he first hear it from you, or does someone else beat you to it? People don?t like surprises, especially the nasty ones. And your boss is no exception! Further, it is imperative that you keep your boss informed about those coveted occasions, when you get a call from his boss asking for some information, rather than being smug in nursing your ?little secret?. This won?t do your relationship much good!
What are his pet peeves?
Is he irked by workstations that are shabby, or team members who are not smartly turned out? Have you heard him complain about the indiscriminate wastage of printing paper or the invariable delays in the circulation of the monthly department meeting minutes? Reinforce your relationship by suggesting some working solutions and taking the lead in rallying the team for resolving these issues.
Are you his cheerleader?
Have you leveraged opportunities for promoting your boss by speaking positively about his achievements, working style or people management skills? Earn his goodwill by making him look good before his stakeholders. But a word of caution, as there?s a thin line between promotion and sycophancy! Play within the ethical boundaries, voicing only what you feel intensely and believe in strongly, else this is bound to be counterproductive.
Do you really know him?
Understand him as a person, not just a manager. Identify common grounds by learning about his interests, family, goals and personal pressures. This could trigger a rapport, which could form the basis for a deeper, stronger relationship, transcending the workplace.
Have you introspected?
Introspect honestly. Do you have the appeal to draw people to you? Build the reputation of a performer par excellence, and keep yourself current by constantly learning and reinventing yourself. Develop a pleasant demeanour and render yourself likeable through your helpful and appreciative attitude. Adopt an assertive communication style emanating self-confidence!
Managing up really translates into engaging with your boss by establishing an excellent teamwork, and performing at a level where you become indispensable. Kaviarasu R, chief manager, learning and development, Asian Paints Ltd, says, ?Managing up entails a clear understanding of each other?s expectations and needs. It constitutes resilience that keeps the jarring noises out through regular dialogue, and reinforces trust. The relationship reflects a perfectly synchronised dance, where the dancers move in unison, anticipating moves, creating space, and responding to the unspoken cues seamlessly.?
Peter Drucker, the legendary management guru, wrote in his widely acclaimed book, The Practice of Management, ?You don?t have to like or admire your boss, nor do you have to hate him. You do have to manage him, however, so that he becomes your resource for achievement, accomplishment, and personal success.?
The author provides training and consultancy services in the area of people development, and can be reached at charu.sabnavis@gmail.com