How to communicate with your boss， my 2 cents

How to communicate with your boss



This is a very interesting topic. I have been “almost the role model” in our area who can communicate with subordinators and peers. But I have a tendency to not communicate enough with my boss, my boss’s boss, and a few more levels up.



What’s the objective here? To communicate better with your boss because you want to achieve more for the department? Or you just want to get promoted? Or just avoid being laid off? Or, you just would like to have a cozy relationship with your boss and make your every day life a little easier. Different answers for different objectives, IMHO.


Let’s assume that you just wanted to deliver more results for your department. The best way to achieve that is to avoid your boss’s micro management unless he’s a hands-on boss. You only need to communicate with your boss when budget, resources, and overtime are needed. But you should always keep your boss updated on what you have achieved. Make sure he’s proud of what the department has achieved so that he/she can show off at a higher level. Make it simple to understand not because he’s stupid’s stupid but he’s stupid because he/she has no time to digest the details. The other part is very important is that always line yourself behind your boss whenever the local politics is involved. You can be a lot more “aggressive” when you decide to protect your department in a political fight. Don’t afraid of being aggressive. Your boss definitely needs this kind of resource to help him/her.

Now, if you want to get promoted, communicate with your boss alone is not enough. You have to talk to your boss’s boss constantly. In some industry, you even need to go a few levels higher. This is more difficult task. Bargaining is important, too. If you have another offer in hand, show it to your boss and hope you will value your presence and match with counter-offer. Even he does not, usually he will promise you with empty promise.

If you want to avoid being laid off, then you need to work a lot harder to get ahead. First, you need to find your edge. You have to show your value. You don’t need to be the smartest to be needed. You just need to be at the right place and at the right time. That requires you to observe and act quickly whenever action is needed.

Now, if you just want to make your every day life easier at office, you need to smile more, joking around more. There are no language skills here. I know some Chinese with terrible English can still make his co-worker laughing. The smart people are usually humorous. You should try your best to be humorous. At the staff meeting, department presentation, or cross function team meeting, you can always try to be funny, relaxed, and easy to work with. That will make you a lot more likable. Sports, music, even politics can be good topics.

In all these cases, you should always try to have a quaterly performance review with your boss. Ask him/her to sit with you and help you on your career. It's your career, not his/her. So let's work on it.(with him/her).

Just my 2 cents.