Part of your job is to make the boss look good, but how can you do that if you are dealing with a difficult boss? How do you make sure you are not adding to the problem? Never mind that, how can you cope with your daily responsibilities when all you want to do is run away? There are a lot of extra pressures like deadlines, customer issues etc. The last thing you need is to have stressful work relationship with your boss. You need to work together as a team. That is the golden key to a well-run office.
Here are 5 tips from our PA Master Class:
- Make sure you are not the problem. It will take an open mind and an objective look at who you are, how you talk, dress and come across. Look at what you do and how you do it. Dress appropriately and maintain good habits. If you are 100% sure that there are no areas you can improve on, it’s time to observe.
- Establish trust and respect between you both. There must be no place for negativity at the office. If you guys are to work well in a team you should be able to know you can trust each other. Both need to be respectful of actions and decisions made by either party.
- Observe the boss and tune in on what he/she likes and what irritates them. Whether it is a quiet office or not being disturbed frequently. Notice what they like and try your utmost to help them achieve this state of mind when at the office. If they get irritated by, for example, people arriving late for meetings, make sure you schedule meetings a bit earlier for others before the boss arrives.
- Keep your boss informed. There are a lot of problems you can avoid by continuously updating your boss on happenings and deadlines. Remember, they are not mind-readers.
- Communication is vital and if problems persist, you should talk it out. Determine what communication tool is more effective for your boss? Does he/she prefer emails, Whats Apps or one on one meetings? Choose your communication tool. Choose your words carefully and remain confident and assertive. Talk to him/her openly and professionally, don’t play the blame game. Be open and prepared for feedback from their side.
In many cases Secretaries or Personal Assistants leave their jobs because they feel they don’t gel with the boss or can’t get along with him/her. Sometimes all that is needed is to solve problems before they get out of hand. Also, simply thinking before you talk and practicing active listening skills can go a long way in establishing a respectful working relationship.
The Mindspa Institute offers a wide range of courses ideal for the Office Professional. Acquire the skills you need to deal with every situation in the office from time management to dealing with anger, diversity and change etc.