How to crack the leadership code
It can be hard to
get used to your boss’s communication style. Here’s how you can figure out the
meaning behind their comments
When they call your idea ‘interesting’, are they
saying it’s the stupidest thing they’ve ever heard? Or simply mulling it over
for a moment? You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out what your
boss means. According to Michael Kerr, the author of The Humor
Advantage, understanding your boss’s cryptic comments depends on the
context of the conversation and the relationship you have with him. Maybe you
should take everything at face value, or maybe you really should read between
the lines.
Kerr and Lynn Taylor, the author of Tame Your
Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your
Job, parse some common confusing statements from bosses. Read on to learn
how to speak manager-ese:
“Do you like working here?”
When your boss asks you this question, Kerr said,
they are either genuinely checking in to make sure you are happy or they have
heard about your negative attitude from co-workers. If, in fact, you don’t like
your work, that feeling might be more obvious than you think.
“Where do you see yourself in
five years?”
Taylor said this question typically comes up during a
performance review — and it can mean a few things. Both you’re doing a great
job and that your boss wants to know: ‘Are we doing what we can to help you
advance in the career you want?’ Or, if you’ve gotten some negative feedback
lately, your boss may be trying to figure out if this role and this
organisation are the right fits for you. In that case, it’s a way to really
define whether there’s become a severe gap and a mismatch between you and the
company.
“I need you to be a team player”
Kerr said this comment could be a gentle reminder
that collaboration is important. Maybe they are the kind of people who
prioritise everyone getting along over taking on bold new ideas. It could also
mean they ‘have reason to believe that perhaps you haven’t been a team player
in the past’.
“You know how much is at stake
here”
The underlying sentiment here, according to Kerr, is
“don’t make me look bad”. Your boss is probably feeling pressure from their
managers — so he wants you to be especially cautious on this assignment.
“I trust you to make the right
decision on this one”
On the one hand, this remark could mean your boss is
giving you more autonomy and wants to empower you — which are all good things.
On the other hand, Kerr added, it could mean he wants you to work more
independently and take more responsibility for your work than you have in the
past.
“The timing for this just isn’t
good right now”
Maybe this really isn’t a great time to put your idea
into action — because of financial or logistical constraints. But, Kerr said,
your boss may also be saying there will never be a good time for this idea:
“I’m just kicking it down the field because I don’t want to deal with it.”
Alternatively, Kerr said, it might mean you didn’t do a good job presenting the
idea and you need to do a little more homework to sell your boss on its
importance.
ETP11DEC17
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