I don’t mesh with my boss. It’s not my fault, or her’s. We’re just different people. She’s a focused, detail oriented woman from the Left Coast, and I’m a laissez-faire, speed-before-accuracy man from the Midwest.
Should I quit? No.
Clicking with everyone you encounter in the world of business is impossible and working well with people is an important – if not the most important – part of business and career progress. Managing others, both your superiors and subordinates, is going to be one of the things that make or break you in every job.
I can’t claim to be an expert on managing upward, that is, managing your superiors, but my experience working through this problem has given me a little insight on the subject.
So, what have I done to smooth the flow of new and completed projects between the two of us?
(To keep this post within my 250ish word target, I’ll go with the general overview)
Most importantly, clearly defined needs/wants went a long way making us a more effective team. I conveyed some of the problems I was having, then she explained her side of the issue and we worked out a solution. It’s simple, and, now I’ve established protocol for fixing new issues that might come up.
The hardest part of the process is working up the nerve to say something. Here’s the ammo you need to get yourself to do it:
Nothing is going to change if you don’t take action and it’s in both party’s best interest to create a productive and positive working environment. If you’re not well received, maybe you are in the wrong job.
“People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers.” – not sure who said that, but it’s true
