Help Your Boss Help You: Convert Conflict Into Opportunities

To build a productive relationship with your manager, guide them to treat you as a vital team member, provide timely good enough answers, use a productive solution to the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma, send the two most important messages, and analyze their communication preferences. This will help both sides succeed and avoid key traps.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 100 pages
Publication date: 16 July 2021
Publisher: The Pragmatic Programmers

As a professional in the business world, you deeply value the quality of your work and its impact on both your professional and personal identity. Your company, driven by its financial goals, places significant emphasis on your boss's performance, which sometimes leads to conflicts between different priorities. However, it is possible to navigate these challenges and build a mutually beneficial relationship with your manager.

To guide your manager towards treating you as a valuable member of the team, it is essential to establish a strong and positive relationship. Here are some concrete steps you can take:

Communicate Effectively: Regularly communicate with your manager about your goals, concerns, and feedback. Be open and honest in your discussions, and actively listen to their perspective as well. Use clear and concise language to express your ideas, and provide timely and good-enough answers that satisfy your manager's immediate needs.

Build Trust: Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. Show your manager that you are reliable, trustworthy, and committed to the success of the team. Be proactive in your work, take ownership of your responsibilities, and follow through on your commitments.

Understand Your Manager's Priorities: Take the time to understand your manager's priorities and goals. This knowledge will help you align your actions and efforts with their expectations, and demonstrate your value to the organization.

Challenge Constructively: While it is important to voice your opinions and concerns, it is equally important to do so in a constructive and respectful manner. Challenge your manager's decisions when necessary, but provide evidence-based arguments and offer alternative solutions.

Build a Balanced Relationship: Aim for a balanced relationship with your manager that works for both sides. Be willing to go along with their decisions when they align with your goals and values, and provide constructive feedback when needed. However, also be assertive in pushing back when you believe in an alternative course of action.

Use a Productive Approach: Structure your interactions with management using a productive solution to the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma. This approach involves going along.

Along when necessary, and pushing back where appropriate, without threatening the loyalty relationship. This approach allows you to maintain a positive and cooperative stance while still advocating for your interests.

Send Important Messages: Communicate your value to your boss and the organization by sending two important messages: "I got this" and "I got your back." Demonstrate your confidence and ability to handle challenges by showcasing your skills and expertise.

Analyze Your Manager's Communication Preferences: Understand your manager's communication preferences to express your arguments in a way that is most likely to be heard and understood. Pay attention to their tone, style, and preferred communication channels.

Avoid Key Traps: Avoid common traps that can undermine your relationship with your manager, such as thinking of them as your friend or unnecessarily violating the chain of command. Maintain professional boundaries and respect the hierarchy within the organization.

By following these steps and building a strong and productive relationship with your manager, you can enhance your professional growth, increase your job satisfaction, and contribute to the success of both your team and the organization as a whole.

Weight: 322g
Dimension: 189 x 236 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781680508222