Enabling your boss to delegate effectively to you will also make life easier for both parties. Yes, your boss probably doesn’t understand you, doesn’t communicate effectively with you, doesn’t delegate effectively to you, and so on… it happens to all of us. If, however, you stop blaming the boss and think about it logically – your boss has a boss, so is your boss being delegated to effectively or not? What problems does the boss have? Do you see the whole picture?
Looking Through Your Boss’s eyes
You need to help your boss to help you. If he or she is worrying about what your team is doing, he or she will probably be pestering you to make sure everything is OK. If you can show that you are a performer, then your boss will feel more relaxed and become more hands off. Your relationship with your boss is nearly as important as that with your team, so you need to spend time getting this one right as well. You need to sit down and talk through the best way for you both to do well. In the language of negotiation, you need to find a “win/ win” result.
Help your boss to be right – give the information needed and stick to deadlines. Take a positive attitude to your boss – respond positively even if you are not convinced, and talk it through. Prepare ground for discussions in advance so you both know what is on the agenda.
Consider that your boss has problems, too – see the whole picture, not just your own concerns. Do not give your boss nasty surprises; talk through problems in advance to avoid firefighting. If there is a difficult job to do, once agreement has been reached with your boss, defend the decision as yours – even if you do not really want you team to do it.
Most problems with bosses are the result of the two people involved not communicating effectively with each other – you and your boss are a “team” as much as you and your team. You need to work together as such. This is not a separate issue from your effectiveness at delegating to your team – if you and your boss work well together, it will allow you more time to work with your team and you will have more support.
These issues can be discussed with the boss when you meet – as in your immediate actions plan – or discuss your longer-term development plans. Know more about how to help your boss to delegate to you only at the University Canada West, one of the best universities in Canada, offering various business and management related programs.
