how to deal with your boss
Mar 07, 2010
DID you know that your boss is probably one of the most influential people in your working life? He/she hires you and determines your pay. He can get you transferred, promoted, or demoted, and determines your happiness or sadness at the workplace.
By Alice Chekwoti
DID you know that your boss is probably one of the most influential people in your working life? He/she hires you and determines your pay. He can get you transferred, promoted, or demoted, and determines your happiness or sadness at the workplace.
Bosses come in many different shapes and types, with different ways of management and handling people. There are friendly bosses, mean ones, female, male, extroverted, introverted, the list goes on.
Some bosses are ‘made in heaven’, while others are seemingly straight from hell. There is a whole lot more in between. If you are lucky, you can have ‘one from heaven’, the best boss ever. The not so lucky get a difficult boss, who makes your life a living hell.
I can write a book about the different bosses I have had, but during the time I had the good bosses, I excelled and always looked forward to going to work every day. Conversely, when I had the worst bosses, I would not want to go to work. I lost morale.
Hereunder are a few tips on how best you can handle your boss to have a stress-free working life.
The golden rule is to know your boss. I don’t mean just knowing his/her name. You must know his character, his temperament, his dislikes and likes, what gets him/her upset, or pleases him and so forth. Once you know your boss in and out you have basically increased your chances of knowing how to handle him. This lessens your chances of clashing with him.
For example, if you know that your boss is time conscious, endeavour to always be on time to avoid annoying her unnecessarily. Some bosses are so unpredictable and difficult to read, should you have such a boss, it will be very difficult to please him/her. Such bosses can frustrate and drain life out of you, but thank God, there are not so many like that.
In addition to knowing your boss, you must do your job and stop making excuses. There is no boss who does not like a good worker, even the difficult ones. Fulfil your duties and do not give her a chance to complain.
Some people are fond of making excuses and explaining them away. When they come late, “Oh my child is sick,†they claim, tomorrow the mother is sick, the next day, it is raining. When they fail to meet deadlines, problems with the computer come in handy. “My computer had a virus or my computer had a malfunction.†Most bosses will not tolerate such excuses.
Remember that bosses also have bosses. If you do not do your part on time, you will be putting your boss in trouble. They are under pressure to perform and it is unfair for you to frustrate them. Do your part and leave the rest to them.
Bosses like people who are dependable, flexible and team-players. Bosses bring results via their teams. A dependable person is someone who is reliable, honest and supportive, a person they can count on to deliver as requested.
If asked to choose between a dependable average performer and an unreliable high performer, most bosses would chose a dependable average performer. Why so? Because they can be counted on, they are there when you need them and they are supportive always. In line with that, flexible people are a treasure to their bosses.
These are people, who are willing to go an extra mile in order to get the job done. For instance, they will not mind staying up late to finish an urgent task or to chip in where there is a gap. Such people are the candidates for bonuses and promotions.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be in better books with the boss and not you?
Examine your behaviour against the boss’ favourite and you will notice the difference. You do not have to be a yes person, because bosses do not like yes people, they like people who can reason and add value. Are you adding value?
The writer is a human resources expert
based in Arusha
achekwoti@gmail.com
DID you know that your boss is probably one of the most influential people in your working life? He/she hires you and determines your pay. He can get you transferred, promoted, or demoted, and determines your happiness or sadness at the workplace.
Bosses come in many different shapes and types, with different ways of management and handling people. There are friendly bosses, mean ones, female, male, extroverted, introverted, the list goes on.
Some bosses are ‘made in heaven’, while others are seemingly straight from hell. There is a whole lot more in between. If you are lucky, you can have ‘one from heaven’, the best boss ever. The not so lucky get a difficult boss, who makes your life a living hell.
I can write a book about the different bosses I have had, but during the time I had the good bosses, I excelled and always looked forward to going to work every day. Conversely, when I had the worst bosses, I would not want to go to work. I lost morale.
Hereunder are a few tips on how best you can handle your boss to have a stress-free working life.
The golden rule is to know your boss. I don’t mean just knowing his/her name. You must know his character, his temperament, his dislikes and likes, what gets him/her upset, or pleases him and so forth. Once you know your boss in and out you have basically increased your chances of knowing how to handle him. This lessens your chances of clashing with him.
For example, if you know that your boss is time conscious, endeavour to always be on time to avoid annoying her unnecessarily. Some bosses are so unpredictable and difficult to read, should you have such a boss, it will be very difficult to please him/her. Such bosses can frustrate and drain life out of you, but thank God, there are not so many like that.
In addition to knowing your boss, you must do your job and stop making excuses. There is no boss who does not like a good worker, even the difficult ones. Fulfil your duties and do not give her a chance to complain.
Some people are fond of making excuses and explaining them away. When they come late, “Oh my child is sick,†they claim, tomorrow the mother is sick, the next day, it is raining. When they fail to meet deadlines, problems with the computer come in handy. “My computer had a virus or my computer had a malfunction.†Most bosses will not tolerate such excuses.
Remember that bosses also have bosses. If you do not do your part on time, you will be putting your boss in trouble. They are under pressure to perform and it is unfair for you to frustrate them. Do your part and leave the rest to them.
Bosses like people who are dependable, flexible and team-players. Bosses bring results via their teams. A dependable person is someone who is reliable, honest and supportive, a person they can count on to deliver as requested.
If asked to choose between a dependable average performer and an unreliable high performer, most bosses would chose a dependable average performer. Why so? Because they can be counted on, they are there when you need them and they are supportive always. In line with that, flexible people are a treasure to their bosses.
These are people, who are willing to go an extra mile in order to get the job done. For instance, they will not mind staying up late to finish an urgent task or to chip in where there is a gap. Such people are the candidates for bonuses and promotions.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be in better books with the boss and not you?
Examine your behaviour against the boss’ favourite and you will notice the difference. You do not have to be a yes person, because bosses do not like yes people, they like people who can reason and add value. Are you adding value?
The writer is a human resources expert
based in Arusha
achekwoti@gmail.com