Billy Arcement - SearchingforSuccess.com

Billy Arcement, MEd.
Professional Speaker

How to Work With Your Boss

By Billy Arcement, M.Ed.

Everyone, at one time or another has a boss. Whether you work for shareholders, chief executive officers, or department supervisors, chances are good that you will need to work with a “boss” at some time in your professional life.

If your job is to be an enjoyable experience, you have to be able to work with your boss. Realistically, he or she sets the direction for your professional development while you work under their supervision. You have to make him or her happy or set a new course for your career under a new boss.

Why is this important? Certainly a good working relationship with your boss lengthens your stay with the organization. Just as important, though, is that your working relationship with the boss can make the difference between a growing, rewarding work experience and an eight to five purgatory. Without a doubt, if your boss is happy, the odds favor you also being happy.

How can you develop a more effective working relationship with your boss? Consider how you might answer the following questions:

1. How well do you know your boss? Here I am referring to his job responsibilities. To whom does she report? What is his authority? How is she evaluated? What is his chief on-the-job success? All these things and more are important considerations. I occasionally hear employees complain about how dumb their bosses are. What puzzles me about these employees is why they aren’t the supervisors or chief executives since they seem to have so much more wisdom about their boss’ job? This type of complaining often ends in a career suicide.

2. What does he expect of you? You may feel you clearly understand what your boss wants from you as an employee. On the other hand, your understanding of responsibilities may differ from those of your boss. If you’re not exactly sure what it is that your boss expects of you, it’s in your best interest to get a thorough understanding of his expectations.

3. Do you respect and admire your boss’ position? If you don’t respect her position, you will not be able to work for her. It’s probably best that you look for another job. That’s about as straight forward as I can be on that point!

4. Do you by-pass your boss? If you do this regularly, it’s impossible to maintain an effective relationship. Keep your boss involved in what is going on in your areas of responsibility. Communication between you and your boss is essential.

5. How moody are you? Keep control of your moods and don’t take your personal troubles to work with you. Exercise self-control when pressures mount. Be predictable in your behavior and be positive about the way you handle your work and your working relationships.

6. Can you handle problems alone? Meet deadlines for a given assignment and be dependable as a source of information. You should act as a problem solver, not a creator of problems. The idea is to be an asset, not a liability.

7. Do you cover up mistakes? No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. If you goof, let your boss know and don’t try to cover up mistakes or offer excuses why your performance was under par. Your credibility is enhanced if you can take the responsibility for your mistakes. On the other hand, keep mistakes to a minimum. Tolerance can sometimes be low and you could find yourself a casualty.

8. Can you accept feedback on your performance? Feedback is the best way to learn if you are doing a good job. It is necessary to undergo performance reviews. Accepting constructive criticism allows you to acknowledge your professional deficiencies and improve them or even overcome them entirely. If you are not now engaging in at least an annual discussion of your performance, ask for the opportunity. Listen intently to what is said and ask questions on points that are unclear to you. Knowing how your boss feels is a critical piece of information.

While this list is not comprehensive, it gives some ideas how you can improve your working relationships with your boss. If you are to have a happy job situation, you must learn how to work effectively with your boss. As the saying goes, “I may not always be right, but I’m always the boss!”

Billy Arcement is a highly respected and recognized expert on personal and organizational success techniques. His messages are timely, inspirational, humorous, and filled with refreshing warmth and sincerity audiences have come to appreciate. Always the teacher, Billy has dedicated his life to helping others reach their potential. He knows how to instill a sense of action and purpose.

He is the author of Searching for Success as well as numerous nationally published articles. To get his free electronic newsletter, News from the Swamp, call 888-376-7374, email your request to barcement@eatel.net or visit our web site at www.searchingforsuccess.com.

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