How To Manage Up
When an idiot calls you an idiot, they are actually giving you a compliment.
– Todd Pike, son of Charlie Pike star of Pike’s Peek of Hollywood TV writer.
We’ve probably all experienced that crazy boss who had us hating our job, but should our anger have been directed at the job or the boss? Maybe we actually loved the job, despite the boss who made us miserable.
Should we stay with a job under such circumstances? Let’s consider one interesting fact: How crazy or idiotic can the boss be if he or she was sane and smart enough to hire talent like us? That said, it probably means that the work relationship not only can be saved but also that it is worth saving. It will, however, take some effort to manage the boss out of negative territory to become tolerable, if not actually ideal.
How Do We Know That the Boss Is an Idiot?
Obviously, by using this term, we are not applying an obsolete definition that refers to someone with a mental age of less than 3 years or an intelligence quotient of less than 25. Instead, the current informal definition, which refers to someone who is utterly foolish or senseless, is closer to the meaning we have in mind.
However, neither foolishness nor senselessness entirely captures the qualities of the boss whom we have sometimes labelled “an idiot.” In fact some people have characterized such supervisors as being insensitive to people around them, in addition to being clueless about how to do their jobs and incapable of solving problems brought to them by subordinates. So, what we often mean is not that idiot bosses are unintelligent.
The principal aspect of the label may be based on our perception that the boss under-values us and cannot be trusted to act in a way that will enhance our careers. This boss is motivated more by his or her own career enhancement, even if it means taking credit for our accomplishments, and demeaning us for our mistakes. Sadly, the latter often takes place in public and probably has nothing to do with intelligence.
What Are the Goals of Managing Our Boss?
By managing our boss, we are trying to shape behavior that will lead to on the job success for him/her and, consequently, for us. At CompuQuick Systems, we have developed a model based on 4 key factors that lead to this success. We have coined the acronym “GUDEJob” (pronounced good job), based on the 4 ingredients of success: gratitude, understanding, determination, and enthusiasm. In the case of the manager, we are trying to foster gratitude for the staff, understanding of the big picture, determination to improve the workplace, and being an enthusiastic cheer leader for the staff.
The goal of managing your boss is so that you yourself will succeed. In a study of 250 influential executives, 94% stated that they believed that they effectively managed their boss at some point in their career, which ultimately led to their own success. If you would take the time to learn how to effectively manage your own boss, there is a high probability that you will experience your own level of success as well.
Which Strategies Will Help Us Reach Those Goals?
Based on the number of “to do” lists available to handle an idiot boss, there must be a lot of unhappy employees—and unhappy CEOs if toxicity in the workplace seems to be affecting company earnings. Steve Tobak, writing for cbsnews.com, provides 5 such hints.
He starts his list by suggesting that we ask ourselves to be sure that the problem is not us. After assuring ourselves that it is not, he advises us to remember that the boss is human and to cut him or her some slack. If the first two steps don’t bear fruit, he advises us to say something to someone, (presumably someone in authority to do something about the problem), to pursue stress relief in the bar or the gym, and, if all else fails, leave this job behind.
Susan Ricker, writing for jobs.aol.com, provides additional ways to deal with an incompetent boss. Among them, she notes the importance of being an asset rather than another problem for the boss to deal with. This is a way to make ourselves indispensable to him or her, even as we tactfully point out ways in which we think the workplace dynamics should change. Being a positive force is key.
As described, managing up is as much an art as a science. Being humble and phrasing our observations as suggestions, rather than complaints, can help preserve the respect that needs to be afforded to an authority figure. Chances are, the boss will be more receptive to such a respectful delivery than one laced with negativity. If, during the persuasion process, we succeed in convincing the boss that we are an integral part of the organization’s success, “I’m leaving” are words the manager will never want to hear us say.
Your Checklist for Managing the Boss
Even if you think your boss is such an idiot that it’s impossible to manage him, here are some strategies that you can implement starting your next business day:
- Try Compassion, First
While this might be the hardest thing to do, trying to understand your boss can go a long way toward making your relationship with him or her more manageable. Does your boss hate his job? Is she going through a divorce or something personal? Are there problems within the company that affect your boss but which he or she can’t change?
By seeking to understand your boss’s objectives, stressors, goals, and weaknesses, you can become more effective at managing the relationship down the road.
- Focus on Your Boss’s Strengths
To make the most of your time and make “managing your” boss as effective as possible, it’s important to focus on your boss’s strengths rather than trying to reform their weaknesses. If your boss is good at communicating or planning, for example, focus on enhancing those strengths to get what you need from your boss.
If his or her strong suit is management, on the other hand, seek to take an approach that capitalizes on that rather than attempting to build up a weakness that is far greater. Not only will this be less of a headache for you, but it will also boost your likelihood of success.
- Make Communication the Priority
Managing your boss is easier when you make communication a priority. While the ideal goal is to build trust and understanding with a difficult boss, the necessity is to be clear and upfront – even if it means telling your boss you’re unhappy, or that you need something to change. Even if you hate your boss, letting your communication fall by the wayside will only hurt you in the long run.
- Call in the Troops
The bigger your network, the more effective you will be at managing your boss. Don’t hesitate to bring in other people to help you manage your management. For best results, find other people who are familiar with your organization and want to change it for the better. Gathering your forces and taking a group approach to managing your boss may just make it more realistic and efficient.
- Switch Your Perspective
Rather than seeing your boss as an impediment to your success, switch your perspective so you can start seeing your boss as someone who helps you do your job. After all, he or she secures the resources, signs your paychecks, and makes decisions that impact the company at large. While this mental shift might be a tough one to make, it will help you be smarter and more efficient in your efforts to manage your boss.
Incomplete Honesty Is Important When Managing the Boss
It’s probably not a good idea to tell the boss that he or she is—or ever was—an idiot. Some things are better left unsaid. But if we can find something—anything—to compliment, and couple the honest praise with suggested changes, we may come closer to loving the job and the boss.
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