How to Read Your Boss

You CAN learn how to read and manage your boss and better understand his or her needs, tendencies, emotional triggers. The relationship between boss and worker could be so much better if each party would learn to properly “read” the interpersonal signals that are generated as they work together. Unfortunately, most people—boss and worker alike—miss the clues that signal how best to interact and successfully manage a given situation for mutual benefit. But, there is hope. Learn how to read the signs to manage your boss by taking these steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Start learning how to manage your boss by identifying his or her preferred personal and leadership styles. Each individual has a distinct personal style with patterns of behaviors and emotions. This style affects actions, words, relationships, and the work environment. Everyone wants to gain acceptance over the long term, so people typically adjust their behavior according to how they think other people expect them to behave. This is true regardless of your level or status in an organization. Managing up successfully requires finding out more about your boss' personality and how it can be accommodated in a comfortable working relationship that interacts best with your personal style. This is especially helpful when dealing with a difficult boss.

2. Observe how your boss behaves in stressful situations. Does he or she slow down the pace, withdraw and become passive? Or does he or she create spin and chaos that produces stress in others? The answers to these kinds of questions will give you a clue to your boss’ behavioral tendencies. Once you understand the ones your boss use most often, managing up becomes easier as you adjust your behavior to increase success in communicating and interacting with your boss. This will help greatly in managing your manager and reading your boss.

3. Find out what triggers your boss emotionally and his or her hot buttons. Does he or she exhibit balanced self-confidence, or is the ego reigning supreme? When managing up, it is important to know what causes your boss to show anger, uncertainty, joy, and if he or she gets pleasure from being a leader and working with you. This should reduce the stress of dealing with a difficult boss.

4. Discover your boss’ expectations for your unit’s quality and quantity of work. Clarify how much detail and information is required to make your boss comfortable with what you produce. Do this consistently for great boss management.

5. Be alert and continually watch out for new signs that give clues to managing your manager and your boss’ unwritten expectations, hidden tendencies and emotional triggers.

Tips & Warnings

• Refer to your job description or project management list to confirm your boss' expectations of your work.

Resources

• FREE Career Resources
• Bosses & Orchards

[Melanierose]

on 7/27/2008 5** Always love reading your work!

[MIghtyDreamer]

on 7/26/2008 yeah. You know, this is a tactic well deserved to be thought about. It could make a difference of moving up, laterally or out of the door, by the bosses hand. Great tips.