Everyone is always looking to improve their communication and especially when it comes to communicating with the boss.
Your boss is an important factor in your success, the better relationship you have the more successful you will become.
But great relationships are based on having great communication, so what is the best way to improve your communication with your boss try these 10 effective ways.
1. Develop a relationship:
It’s very important that you not only have a cordial relationship with your boss, but one that feels like you are connected. make a point to connect- get to know your boss and communicate to your about what you are working on, it is always good to be interested in a person and to offer support. your boss is a person who I am sure is working very hard, by showing an interest the dividends will grow.
2. Always keep your boss in the loop:
No one likes surprises, especially your boss, if something bad happened, you need to be able to communicate it. it’s always better to find out from you, so you can manage the message, than if your boss has to find it out from someone else, the best relationship you can form with your boss is by keeping them consistently informed
3. Don’t give alternative facts:
It is important to get the facts right, your boss deserves to know and they deserve to get the facts, your boss doesn’t really need alternative facts or assumptions or opinions, there is a lot of opinions and misinformation all the time, become the person who your boss can rely on.
4. Habitually come prepared:
When it comes to having a better relationship with your boss, being prepared is a prerequisite for success. chance favors the prepared mind. if you think you will be prepared, if you are prepared then you will have no worries.
5. Recognize time is precious:
Don’t waste your bosses time, time is precious, it’s a commodity. Keep your communication short and specific. when you speak be concise and clear, so your boss can get the most of the time you spend together, when you increase your communication with your boss. you will increase your productivity and your boss’s productivity.
6. Don’t exaggerate or stretch the truth:
If you are excited about something don’t oversell, and don’t overstate it, because if you are so busy explaining it -your boss might just find that it’s not worth their while, if its good, be specific and concise and let your boss decide. after all you want to support your boss not make their job more complicated or difficult.
7. Be a problem solver:
Your boss has problems that is a fact, but what you do can be a game changer, you wallow with your boss on how bad things are- or you can become the problem solver the solution generator.
8. Acknowledge feedback Isn’t criticism:
You may not like it but there is some truth somewhere in the feedback you call criticism. Use the feedback to devise solutions and not to offer blame, or excuses. Even if you think you are in the right, your message is not getting communicated to the boss clearly. Fix the communication and turn the criticism into corrective action. all feedback is good feedback. take it in stride.
9. Always honor the chain of command:
Going over your boss’s head to their boss can be dangerous. Learn to pick your battles, and do your best to get your point across in your communication, and be prepared to be challenged and honor the consequences. Don’t do anything to jeopardize your relationship with your boss by doing something arrogant like going over their head. unless if you feel you have to, then inform your boss, remember your boss doesn’t like surprises.
Successful communication with your boss can be mutually beneficial. So learn how to communicate like a leader.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.