How to Communicate With Your Boss in 6 Steps
Breaking the Communication Barrier
Having trouble communicating with your boss? Or perhaps you merely want to improve your working relationship with them so that you are both on the same page?
Effective communication is integral for improving engagement, increasing work productivity and contributing to a positive environment. However, if miscommunication occurs, it can cause feelings of overwhelmingness, stress, anxiety, low morale and burn-out. It can also sow the seeds of tension and mistrust between you and your boss, which in turn can cause you to lose out on advancement opportunities – at worst, it can jeopardise your career.
Trying to bolster the communication channels with your boss may seem tricky (and intimidating!), but once you know how to go about it, it’ll feel much easier!
Taking the Steps
To communicate effectively with your boss, try following these six steps:
- Get to Know Them
You are not a robot, and neither is your boss! You’re both living, breathing human beings who have feelings, interests and hobbies. Learn to get to know them and vice-versa so that you both can find common ground.
Team-building exercises are a perfect way to break the ice with your boss and to find out what they’re like outside a working environment. Alternatively, spending a few minutes of your lunch break together or having a chat over cups of coffee at a nearby cafe are also good ways to build your relationship.
- Ask for Feedback
Asking for constructive feedback is a good way to see if you’re on the right track regarding your tasks, projects and assignments. It’s also an effective way to find out how your boss – and the company at large – perceive you.
Send your boss an email or text message, speak to them over the phone, or approach them in person. Ask them questions before, during and after the working process, eg. “Have I put this report together correctly?” or “Can you clarify this list of instructions before I begin?” Additionally, ask them about what you did well and where you can improve.
Remember to maintain a polite and professional tone when speaking or writing to your boss; also be brief and/or specific where possible, so that you don’t take up too much of their time (and yours, either).
- Lend a Helping Hand
Don’t be hesitant to approach your boss and ask them if they need any assistance with their own projects. This shows them that you’re willing to take initiative and assume more responsibility.
Simultaneously, it will give you access to projects that you may not have known about, projects which could allow you to develop new skills and/or improve your existing skills.
- Offer Suggestions
Got any ideas you would like to share? Do you need a platform whereby you can share potential solutions to important issues in your department or the workplace at large? Your boss can be your first port of call!
Offering meaningful suggestions – such as, for example, improving existing products, implementing changes to employee policies, introducing new tools to improve workflow, etc – shows your boss that you are taking initiative and being innovative, and that you are making the effort to strengthen and apply your problem-solving skills. As such, your boss will view you as reliable, leading to an increase in trust and respect.
Remember, be polite and professional when presenting your suggestions, take any feedback in your stride, and use it as a basis to implement or improve your suggestions accordingly.
- Take Accountability
Be accountable for your actions. For example, if you’ve been given an assignment by your boss, but you fail to complete it in a timely manner or it’s riddled with countless errors, refrain from blaming others or making excuses, as this will make you appear conceited and childish in the eyes of your boss.
Instead, learn to listen to and apply constructive criticism, openly acknowledge your mistakes, ask questions if you’re unsure about something, and view your mistakes as learning opportunities. Ultimately, your boss will recognise your modesty as a sign of maturity and competence.
- Maintain Regular Communication
Whether it’s asking for advice, sharing ideas, discussing issues, needing support or having a quick chat, it’s imperative that you keep the channels of communication between you and your boss open.
Keep each other in the loop via emails, text messages and/or phone calls; similarly, recurrent one-on-one meetings or even lunchtime-chats can get (and keep) you both on the same page.
In The Clear!
By following these methods, you and your boss will be able to build and cultivate a strong, mutually respectful relationship. It will also bolster your chances of long-term success and contribute towards a positive environment – not just for you, but for your boss and the company as a whole.