|
Managing The Boss Is Essential To Career Success
Your boss is the gatekeeper of your career. Unless you are able to manage a positive relationship with him at each step in your career you will fall short of your potential. Like it or not, never forget he is the portal through which you connect with the rest of the organization and its resources. Your boss is the one who can pass you along for promotions, or he can stop you dead in your tracks. He is the first hurdle you must get over to get more responsibility and more money. Your plans and budgets must gain his approval, says Ramon Greenwood, head of CommonSenseAtWork.com. Bosses are not abstract boxes on organization charts. Bosses are human beings, not much different from you and me. On any given day, bosses can appear as a parent who is respected, feared or barely tolerated. They can be mean, insecure, domineering, and even crazy in varying degrees. They can be competitors and roadblocks or they can be enablers who will help you to advance your career. They are people with whom you will have conflicts, that is if you are pushing to the limits of your abilities and ambitions. There are seven rules of the road that lead to a positive boss relationship. (1) The first rule is an especially hard one to accept: everybody has a boss, like it or not. Few achievers like the notion of having a master. Accepting authority is basically at odds with many of the attributes required for success. Managers report to department heads. Vice Presidents are responsible to executive vice presidents. Presidents report to chairmen of the board who report to directors who report to shareholders. "Mom and Pop" running neighborhood quick-shop markets have some of the toughest bosses in the world, their customers. Many years ago a Danish zoologists proved that even in the barnyard chickens work within the reality of a strong hierarchy. There is always a top chicken. It can peck other chicken in the yard to show who is boss. The second level chicken can peck those at the lower levels, and so goes the "pecking order." (2) Always respect the hierarchy. Make the extra effort to respect your boss and his experience. You don't have to like the idea of having a boss. Just recognize reality. (3) Work to make your boss look good in the eyes of his boss. Work diligently to get him or her promoted. Opportunities are created for you when your boss gets promoted. (4) Never, never go around your boss. Work with and through him. You may believe your boss to be incompetent and a roadblock to all the great things you can do for the business. This may be true, but you put yourself in extreme danger if you elect to circumvent your boss. The hierarchy will close ranks to protect itself from such violations. It must do so to survive. (5) Know that bosses make mistakes, too. When your boss errs do everything you can to cover his backside and help him to get back on track. (6) Keep your connections with your boss on a strictly professional basis. Never rely on friendship with your boss.Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, had some good advice on this point: "A man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire; not too near, lest he burn; not too far, lest he freeze." (7) Develop a relationship of mutual dependency between yourself and your boss. You depend on him for support and endorsement. He depends on you for the hard work and talent that help him succeed. If, after all is said and done, you still can't get along with your boss and the existing hierarchy; find another position in another organization. But remember, wherever you go, you will always have a boss. Ramon Greenwood is former senior VP of American Express; a professional director, American Express International, financial institutions and consumer goods companies; Senior Career Counselor, http://CommonSenseAtWork.com; consultant to a wide variety of businesses; author of How To Make The World Of Work Work For You and a syndicated column, Common Sense At Work.
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Is Job Loss Making You Sick?
Job loss affects most of us like anyother loss in life. Yes, there are otherlosses that are greater, but this onecomes close too!From my experience, job loss canmake anyone sick! There can beterrible anger; anger which turns into depression.
Your Attitude Is Screaming
There is more attitude around than the 'traditional 'positive / negative attitude. This issue's topic will expose you to the other kind of attitude.
The Interviewable Resume
It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote on his resume was "Available." We'll probably never know if that is true.
Speak Up: Your Job Is At Stake!
How good are you at standing up for yourself?Do you run the other way when done an injustice or when someone steps on your proverbial toes?How do you react?Now's the time to speak up and stand your ground! If you've never done this, you need to master this skill.How many of you watched the "The Apprentice?" While the show is not the ultimate mirror of corporate life or a guide on how to be promoted, my clients have cited specific show episodes to highlight weaknesses they'd like to improve.
Dont Let Difficult People Derail Your Career
Unless you are among the luckiest people in the world, or you are totally free of all relationships in the real world, you have to cope with difficult people in the course of your work.Difficult people are everywhere.
Simple Interviewing That Works
Powerful questions to get below the surface1. Ask for specific "stories" of complete situations"We all meet situations where people disagree on the correct way to proceed.
Tips To Survive A Layoff
The following eight tips will help make sure that recover from alayoff sooner than you think.#1 - DON'T PANIC: You may have lost your job but you have not lost everything.
How To Answer Your Call In Mid-Life
Hank Bochenski's story proves it is never too late to walk away from a life you feel trapped in and do something that you really love.Hank spent 30 years in demanding senior positions at large high-tech companies.
How to Evaluate Job Offers and Zoom In On the Right Opportunity for You
You've been successful in your job hunt and have received a job offer. Maybe you received more than one offer.
Traveling for An Interview? 10 Tips to Get You From Here to There
You've just been granted an on-site interview in another town. Hurray!This means you'll be traveling to an employer's location so that they can further evaluate you for a specific job position.
Do I Have to Provide a Salary History?
Often you see job postings with a request such as "Send resume with salary history to?" I don't know about you but the first thing that pops into my mind is what do they expect to pay? The next question I ponder is whether or not it's legal to request this information. Who will see my salary history when my resume and accompanying documents are received? Will it be the hiring manager, someone in the human resources department, or will it be a notoriously nosy employee whose job it is to open the mail? Will that individual broadcast my confidential information to other employees?Some employers use this tactic to save themselves time and weed out applicants that expect more than they are willing to pay or, based on their view of your past compensation, don't appear to have the skills or experience necessary.
Do You Have the courage to ignore the experts?
Do you have the courage to ignore the experts? Do you have the willingness and ability to understand and use the power that is within you? Courage is that state of mind when you do something that you know is right for you and your loved ones and the rest of the world thinks you're mad. The ability to make the decision and then make it happen.
Top Ten Guidelines For Working With Executive Recruiters
1. Select the right type of recruitment partnerDetermine whether you would be best served by a retained, contingency, contract or research based partner at a global, national or local level.
Should You Join a Modeling School for Petite Modeling?
If you are thinking of breaking into the petite modeling industry and wondering if you should hundreds of doll ars on modeling school or classes you need to read this article. Here are few facts about modeling schools.
Tackling Your Unemployment Creatively
Are you unemployed or been laid off? You are not alone if that is any comfort to you. Worldwide millions of people are in the same predicament as you are.
Resume Tune Up
Employers have fears, uncertainty and DOUBT (the FUD factor) over your ability to actually do what you claim you can do in your resume and cover letter.Combine this with the fact that EVERY candidate looks good on paper, no-one leaves their previous job because they were paid too much, the work was too interesting and all the people were fantastic, and you can see the challenge you're facing.
How ToTalk Your Boss Into Giving You A Salary Increase
* If you believe you deserve a salary increase, ask for it as soon as possible; don't procrastinate or wait for your employer to offer it.* Determine what you are worth in the marketplace by carrying out a survey of people in comparable jobs.
Job Interviews: Succeeding With Panel Interviews
These days, job interviews often consist of a panel of three-to-six interviewers.A "team approach" to finding the best candidate can be beneficial for the employer.
Using Journal to Support Your Job Search
Are you searching for a job? Here are some tips on how youcan use journaling in that pursuit.It is important to know what we are looking for in aposition and company.
Targeting Your Resume is So Important For Your Career
Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you any job you desire! The purpose of targeting is so you can find your perfect match, your dream job!To target successfully, you need to calculate the position, do this and you will be sure to hit the mark.When targeting the job you wish to apply for, ask yourself,"Am I responding to this position because I really want to do this job, or am I merely responding because the position is available?" Remember, there are always vacant positions to fill, but finding an open position that you truly want to perform every day, is going to take a more committed search.
|