manager

Poor management is rife in the UK workplace with nine out of 10 employees claiming to have worked for a bad manager. And the problem is getting worse.

MANAGEMENT: A class of semi-skilled corporate hirelings whose rise within the organization correlates directly with the amount of work they delegate to their more talented underlings. ~ Rick Bayan, The Cynic’s Dictionary

In a poll half of the people surveyed blamed their boss for making their blood boil and causing the most anxiety at work.

Bad bosses give rise to stress which could have a dramatic effect on workers’ morale.

david_dance2_1024

Nearly one in four bosses in the UK were thought of as bad or dreadful, it suggested, indicating that “there is a direct link between how employees view their bosses and how they feel about their jobs”.

58% of those polled said they had looked for another job because of their boss.

YOu can download a presentation on how to become a great manager by clicking on this link:

http://www.box.net/shared/vra22seqdy

But while you’re working on becoming a great manager isn’t it time that you get your boss working for you?

Here’s how:

1. Meet regularly and bring your own agenda:

At the very least you can combine content and you will probably end up deciding what is discussed, which puts you on the front foot.

2. Tell your boss what he/she does that helps you

This will encourage them to repeat their constructive behaviour and puts you in the ‘traditional’ boss role.

3. Share credit for your achievements with your boss

This shows a confidence and generosity normally associated with the person in the senior role.

4. Keep close to the rest of the team

Your boss will want to be informed about who is doing what, and the rest of the team will want a colleague who takes an interest, especially if you’re the one who is really in charge.

5. Go for the middle ground

If you are asked to do too much, explain the consequences and suggest alternatives rather than agreeing or refusing point blank.

6. Be sympathetic and supportive when things go wrong

It’s lonely being the boss and support from the team is appreciated long after the low moments have passed.

7. Ask for advice

You don’t need to incorporate everything they say but include some points and play up the importance of their contribution.

8. Deal with ad hoc requests flexibly but firmly

Channel them into your regular meeting where possible. If you can manage the process by which you and your boss make decisions you will soon end up managing the relationship.

9. Ask for feedback on your performance

Causing your boss to articulate what they think you do well will help them appreciate it. Embracing any suggestions that they make for you to improve will show that you are keen to learn.

10. Give it time

This is a long game so don’t give up. Most people wish their life was easier – your boss will soon be grateful to be playing to your tune, even if they don’t quite realise that this is what they’re doing.

11. Beat the Clock

Most bosses are pretty consistent on the time they get into your office. Take note. If yours always arrives at 7.50 – get there at 7.45 (even if your official start time is 8).

Bonus to you: Arriving earlier than the boss makes you look keen and eager. Plus, when you’re skiving on Twitter or Facebook later in the day, you can justify it to yourself by those 15 extra minutes in the morning.

12. Say “Good Morning!”

However hungover, knackered or grumpy you’re feeling first thing in the morning, plaster a great big smile on your face and say, “Good Morning!” to your boss.

Bonus to you: Two friendly words can go a long way in putting you in your boss’s good books first thing in the day. And (if you’re following the first tip), your boss will know you’re in the office bright and early.

13. Volunteer Strategically

If you’re in a meeting and someone asks for volunteers, be the first to put your hand up. That way, you’ll look keen and engaged. This will be a tough one to swallow if your workload is already jammed but volunteering for the right, high visibility project can increase the perception of you.

Bonus to you: You’ll ­­get the task you want (i.e. the one with least effort but highest visibility) and not get lumbered with what the boss assigns you.

14. Be the Printer Guru

Even if it’s nothing at all to do with your job description, learn where the spare ink/toner is kept and how to fit it. When there’s a paper jam or error, get someone to show you what to do.

Bonus to you: When your boss is running around in a flap before a big meeting, you’ll be the hero who fixes his very-important-report-won’t-print crisis.

15. Say “Thanks”

Been given a pay raise, promotion or extra day’s holiday – or even just some of your boss’s valuable time and advice? Make sure you say “thanks”. If possible, thank him/her at the time, and follow up with a short note to express your appreciation.

Bonus to you: It takes ten minutes of your time and perhaps a couple of dollars to buy a “Thank You” card for your boss. If you feel strange with this one because a man giving a man a card is out of the norm, just send an email. In the end, it’s the thought that really counts here. Guess who’ll be first on his mind when the next round of pay-raises comes along?

16. Make Coffee

This will make most of the people in the office like you, not just your boss. However for you boss, occasionally take a minute to say “I’m just making myself a coffee, can I get you one?” (doing so multiple times per day will have the opposite effect as you’re labeled as a brown-noser).

Bonus to you: For virtually zero effort, you give your boss the impression that you’re a considerate, friendly employee who cares about him/her – bosses often feel unloved.

17. Use The Right Jargon

Pay extra-close attention to the buzzwords that your boss uses. Drop these into the things you say at meetings, and into your emails. This isn’t a chance to play buzzword bingo – what you want to demonstrate is that you’re on the same wavelength as your boss.

Bonus to you: Sometimes you can get away with something with just the right words. You’re not filing your emails for lack of anything better to do – you’re “implementing new communication management protocols to further the client-company relationship”.

18. Create Procedures

Closely related to using the right buzzwords is creating the right procedures – that is, any which get you out of hot water. If something goes pear-shaped at work, explain that it was “due to a procedural error” or “a fault in the procedure”. Then, try to correct the process.

Bonus to you: Explaining that the same mistake can’t possibly happen again “once I’ve changed the procedure” makes your boss think you’re on top of everything. Even when you so, so aren’t.

19. Leave An Email Trail

If you’re ever working from home, a cunning way to demonstrate how many hours you’re (supposedly) putting in is to make sure that your boss is the recipient of, or copied in to, at least one of your emails first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Bonus to you: Your boss will think you’ve been hard at work between that first email at 7.30am and that last one at 9.00pm. You actually sent that first email in your jammies (and went straight back to bed), then took the afternoon off to catch a movie…

20. Fake Enthusiasm

Even if your job is as dry as dust, fake enthusiasm wherever possible. Plaster a big smile on your face and wave your hands around when enthusing to customers or colleagues about your company.

Bonus to you: Your boss will think you’re truly (and possibly even a bit madly) dedicated to your job. You might find yourself enjoying it more by being enthusiastic, too.

What do you think?  Have I missed any points?  Please leave your comments below:

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]