Do you happen to be one of those individuals who have to put up with a difficult boss? Almost everyone seems to have complained about their boss during their career. It generally seems that there are many terrible bosses out there; but then bad employees are just as many as bad bosses.
Could it be that you haven’t been patient enough to see things from your boss’s point of view? Besides your boss might be under another boss who might be pressuring him/her. It is time you see your boss from another dimension and improve your relationship with him/her.
To begin with, start by asking your boss what you can do to be of assistance.
Following that, look for something your boss is quite excellent at. Everybody has something good on the inside of them, find it out and let others know about it.
When you are patient enough to be kind with your boss, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if your boss mystically turns out to be the best ally you have at the workplace.
Seven suggestions how to work around your situation, adapted from Ron Kelleher:
1. Lead by Example
All leaders lead by example. The issue is, are you setting a good example or a bad one?
2. Trust Those You Lead
Yes, I have found that if people see that you trust them, they will return your trust. On the other hand, if people feel that you don’t trust them they will become untrustworthy themselves.
3. Get Out of Their Way
One sign that you trust your people is that when you give them an assignment, you get out of their way and let them work. Being a micro-manager who hovers over your people makes you a poor supervisor, certainly not a leader.
General George Patton said, “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
It’s been my experience the more you tell people what to do the more you restrict their creativity. The more you restrict someone’s creativity, the less they have invested in your success.
4. Take Responsibility
Leaders take responsibility when things don’t go according to plan. If you are a good leader, you don’t throw your people under the bus when results don’t come in as expected. It was your job to lead. It was your job to anticipate and deal with problems. Take responsibility.
5. Give Credit
When things go well good leaders know the results accrue to the hard work of the team and they give the team credit.
I learned early in my management career the quickest way to build morale in the organization is to build up the people who did great work. Shout their achievements from the rooftops. Let everyone know how great your team is.
Andrew Carnegie said, “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.”
6. Don’t Play Favorites
Good leaders do not play favorites. I know it’s hard not to have favorites sometimes. There are some people you like more than others. Some are kindred spirits that you click with the minute you meet. Others make you tense up the minute they come into the room.
7. Listen for Understanding
One of the most valuable skills any leader can have is the ability to listen. Learn to listen, not just to hear, but to understand. Often understanding comes from comprehending that which is beyond what is said.
Please keep me in mind for full-time and consultative senior executive engagements and board openings. If you hear of anything within your network that you think might be a positive fit, I’d so appreciate if you could send a heads up my way.[email protected]
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