How to Translate What Your Boss Really Means

Knowing what your boss really means will help you succeed.

Getting along with your boss can be hard enough when he is direct and upfront with you. However, when he resorts to unclear, quasi-cryptic terminology, things can get even more complicated. Not only are you unclear as to what is expected of you, your job performance can suffer as well, given that you are focusing a good portion of your energy on worry and not on your job. Knowing what your boss means --- or at least having a good idea --- will enable you to focus more on the task at hand.

Instructions

1. Arm yourself with information. The more you know about your boss and all of her idiosyncrasies, the better understanding you will have when she refuses to communicate effectively. Document every incident. This might sound tedious at first, but you need to establish a database of precedents to reference later. For instance, you may often get an awkward, strained lead in question such as "So, what happened yesterday?" Note when it was asked. If it is regularly after a bad day, then that could be her way of saying "You did a horrible job yesterday, and I'm not happy."

2. Study body language and facial expressions. A decidedly different tone of voice accompanied by a flush face says more than what he's appearing to tell you. There are also more subtle clues as well. Hands on the hips, avoidance of eye contact and even the cadence of his voice imply that there is a hidden, potentially negative meaning to what he is saying. If there are times where he indeed does mean what he says, note the difference in physical behavior and compare.

3. Learn his management style. This may sound vague, but having a keen grasp on this will go a long way towards lending clarity to your murky situation. Once you know his strengths and weaknesses, you will then be able to decipher that "So, what are you up to tonight" could mean "I need you to cover a shift."

4. Familiarize yourself with your boss's cultural and gender tendencies. Both can play a significant role in management style. If you work with supervisors from other countries, it could help to know that the Japanese, for instance, opt for more indirect, implied commands based on the concept of omoiyari, or empathy, according to linguistics professor Deborah Tannen. They expect intuitive understanding from their employee. In regards to gender, both men and women can be indirect, but in different situations. Take note of your boss's behavior patterns. You can use each incident as a precedent for future actions.

References

• "New York Times Magazine": How to Give Orders Like a Man
• The Side Road: Dealing With Passive Aggressive Behavior