In the
Media
How Do You
Tell the Boss He's Wrong?
Appeared in bCentral, August 2003
Marketing Intelligence /
Joanna L. Krotz
How do you tell your
boss he (or she) is wrong? The short answer: very carefully. The old adage
about picking your battles to win the war still holds.
But that doesn't
mean you shouldn't try or that you're destined to lose.
"While challenging
the boss is risky business, it's got some real upside potential," says
workplace coach William Treasurer, author of "Right
Risk." "When you offer your boss valuable feedback, he'll come to
value you as a trusted guide."
Whether you're a
senior vice president disagreeing with the chief executive, or a junior
associate differing with an immediate supervisor, the key to taking
opposing positions from the boss is how you package and deliver your
opinions. Of course, you must have something thoughtful and substantive to
say. But even when you have the right case, if you present it with the
wrong attitude, it will fall on deaf ears — or offended ones. You could
end up banished to a career gulag.
How you challenge
the boss means making choices in three arenas, says Elizabeth Gibson, a
management psychologist at RHR International in Austin, Texas, and
co-author of "Big
Change at Best Buy":
- Heart: Channel your
feelings so you're honestly constructive.
- Head: Figure out the
reasons why the policy isn't working.
- Hand: Talk about how to
do it differently.
Here
are seven tips to telling a superior that he's headed down a misbegotten
path. ("He" applies to male as well as female leaders.) Here,
too, is advice about how to behavior when you fail and face implementing
the strategy you argued against.
1. Don't walk in mad to a
meeting. Typically, it takes a
while to discover that a new policy or initiative isn't working. Company
changes won't occur without bumps and glitches. Make sure you've given the
new policy a real chance before you act.
Likewise, the impact of a
wrong-headed policy doesn't happen overnight. It's cumulative. Effects
ripple out and, little by little, everyone becomes increasingly impatient,
irritable, overworked or worse.
Don't carry that volatile
mix of unsettled and bad feelings into the meeting and simply vent. "If
you are angry or frustrated and want to just blast your boss, before your
meeting, talk things through with a friend or talk into a tape recorder,"
Gibson says. Play back the tape and listen to yourself. No doubt you'll
want to develop more constructive ways to persuade the boss to reverse
course.
2. Ask for
permission. Before launching into your
arguments, ask the boss if it's OK to proceed. For one thing, most people
like some warning before hearing tough criticism or feedback. Then, too,
sometimes the timing isn't right. The boss might be preoccupied or dealing
with other issues. If you don't get permission, back off and try another
time.
3. Be honest about your
motivations. If all you have to offer
is complaints, don't bother. Instead, think through the specific
objectives you want to accomplish by the end of the meeting. Stay focused
and provide the data, case histories or events that prove your
points.
"Employees are often those
closest to problems, so they have facts at the ready the boss may not
have," says John Baldoni, a management consultant in Ann Arbor, Mich. Use
hands-on experiences or the day-to-day points of view of peers to command
credibility and provide perspective.
4. Accentuate the
positive. "You can say [almost]
anything to your boss as long as you say something nice first," says
Deborah Brown, a career coach in Long Beach, N.Y. Avoid being
confrontational and don't assign blame. Keep emphasizing positive factors
whenever you can.
5. Listen
carefully. You shouldn't do all the
talking. Try to engage the boss in a dialogue about the issue that
concerns you. Make an effort to listen more than you talk. There could
well be reasons or motivations for initiatives that you haven't been told
about. By listening, you'll not only show your concern for the company's
well being, you'll build the boss' trust. You might also gain insights
into future directions for the business.
6. Treat
the boss like you would a customer. Present your case as if you're selling a client, suggests Maura
Schreier-Fleming, a sales consultant based in Dallas. "Customers buy the
way they want to, not the way we want them to." If the boss is analytical,
bolster your argument with graphs and charts. "If the boss is a people
pleaser, tell him why the idea will hurt the people he cares about," says
Schreier-Fleming. Match your style to the boss to put over your
case.
7. Don't give up too
soon. You can't expect one
meeting to make the boss reject his position instantly. Few leaders will
abandon policy or strategy after hearing one disagreement, especially when
that comes from a subordinate. Usually, the manager has deeper skills and
more experience than you do. More than likely, he thought through the
policy for some time before coming to a decision. Don't expect a single
try to make the difference. Make sure you're respectful and understanding,
but try again.
Then, too, if a boss must
take the case to his own superiors or to a board of directors or
investors, he might need more to go on. "Very often when a boss says 'no,'
he's just asking for a stronger case to be made," Treasurer
says.
To try again, marshal
additional arguments and go through the steps of setting specific goals
and figuring out how to calmly present your case. Gathering new evidence
will help.
But be sensitive when the
boss draws the line. If he remains unconvinced after a few tries, give it
up. Make sure your exit is both gracious and professional. Thank him for
opportunity of sharing your views, and avoid any semblance of
sulking.
Most bosses prefer
employees who care about improving the company. If you're clearly a team
player after voicing your arguments, the next time you have something to
say, you're likely to find a much more receptive boss.
For more
marketing and management advice, visit the Web site http://www.muse2muse.com/m2m.html for Joanna's company, Muse2Muse Productions
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