Problem solving and leading are important skills every executive or manager needs to continuously hone. This is the interesting and fun part of the work. The less desirable aspect is what I call the “Five Things Your Boss Never Wants to Hear.”
What do these behaviors look like?
News from Someone Senior: The last thing anyone wants to hear is bad or disappointing news from above. You don’t want bad news coming from your boss and neither does he. While it’s always more pleasant to deliver positive information, you have an obligation to keep those above you current on the good and not so pleasant. Nothing is more embarrassing than sitting in a meeting, or getting an e-mail, telling you something your staff should have shared. It makes you look ill-informed and out of touch. It also deprives the leader the time and forum to address the facts when confronted.
The trick to delivering the message no one wants to hear is to do it quickly, concisely, and neutrally. It needs to be fact-based and not defensive. If you are responsible for the problem, take ownership and move on.
Complaints Without Solutions: No supervisor wants to be the dumping ground for problems. Many people get a sense of relief when they push an issue up the ladder. This is not a way to build a career.
Smart, ambitious people think of solutions, new approaches, or lay out the problem in a way that is easily understood and solution-focused. They show they have thought, researched, and maybe even shopped, the answer. By doing so, you are now collaborating with your boss, showing initiative, and problem-solving skills, rather than burdening her.
Frequent Demands for Preferential Treatment: Everyone is entitled to make those in charge aware of their needs, wants, and expectations. A good boss will listen and tell you when they can or can’t do something, and when it can be done. The issue becomes an annoying problem when you don’t let up and never seem satisfied. Given an increase and/or a promotion, or a new assignment, workspace relocation, and are then quickly back asking for more — I don’t think so. Another scenario — you interview with a company, they make you an offer, you ask for more, and they agree only to have you to ask for something else.
Go to the well too many times, with no legitimate reason, sours the relationship and makes others question your commitment to the team. It can turn an advocate into someone who only tolerates, and decreases your chances of getting what you want and maybe deserve in the future.
Blaming Others: The blame game is rampant. Everything is someone else’s fault. Most supervisors don’t really care, nor want to hear, at least now, about who did or didn’t do, what to whom, or why. They want the issue corrected and done right. Sure, there are times when someone is at fault but better you fix the problem, and then make it known what happened, then whine. This requires a change of focus and getting your priorities in order. If your goal is to sabotage someone, maybe this is the way to do it.
A better solution is to outshine the person at fault. If you made the mistake, own up to it quickly, with an apology and a plan to make things right. Give your boss credit for knowing what went wrong and who was responsible for the error. Also, owning-up takes courage and makes it easier to admit fault next time (and there will be a next time, I promise).
Suggestions Without Facts: Many people have excellent intuition. If you have been working in an area for quite some time, we might call it your “gut” based on experience. The challenge for senior leaders is often they are presented with ideas without facts. How did the idea come to be? Who is the internal and external competition? What will it cost and what kind of timeline are we looking at? “I have a sense” only goes so far when you are trying to get your idea taken seriously.
Few managers have high tolerance for ambiguity. If you have the reputation of being an idea generator you may be given a bit of slack initially but even then, someone is going to demand proof. Leaders have a hard time selling-up new projects without the back up of data and risk analysis for your vision. That oversight is a quick way to annoy your boss and kill your idea.
Play devil’s advocate with yourself. Would you buy what you’re selling with the information provided? Probably not. What would increase your chances of being heard and considered? If your supervisor is very analytical by nature, you’ll have to do the work required to prove the value of the idea. If they are more tactical, they’ll want real time numbers such as cost, time, and workforce needed. Like any pitch, you must tailor it to the audience.
Whether you have a fantastic relationship with your supervisor, a tolerant one, or something in-between, there are certain behaviors that are particularly annoying to most people in charge. Beware of embarrassing them by not keeping them up-to-date on issues, complaining without a possible solution, being more demanding or needy than others, blaming or delivering ideas and solutions without facts. Keeping these in mind will improve your reputation and career, and make your work life easier.
Leave a Reply