Managing Your Boss

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• Managing Your Boss

Simon Carne
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Three key themes

• its not the managers job to make the
  relationship work all the time
• try standing in the other guys shoes
• life is not an exam question dont expect to be
  given all the data

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The one piece of theory you absolutely need to
know

• Theory X the assumption that people do not want
  to work. The manager has to tell his staff what
  to do and supervise them closely.
• Theory Y the assumption that people want to
  work, want to perform well and will be able to do
  much of their work without supervision.

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Now turn the theory on its head!

• Theory X (in reverse) the assumption that
  managers get job satisfaction from watching over
  their charges and being actively involved in
  their day-to day activities.
• Theory Y (in reverse) the assumption that
  managers would like to leave their charges to
  get on with it, so the manager has more time to
  do other things.

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What happens in practice?

• A fairly large proportion of managers gravitate
  to Theory X
• An even larger proportion of staff gravitate to
  Theory X (in reverse)
• This leads to a mutually reinforcing cycle.

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Breaking the cycle can bring

• increased job satisfaction from having a say in
  what you do
• a springboard for demonstrating your ability and
  progressing your career

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The Three Questions

• 1 What is the manager going to do with this work
  product?
• 2 Am I giving it to the manager in the right form
  for that next step
• 3 If I were the manager, would I be happy with
  this work product?
• Sometimes you have to look for clues.

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What if the manager gets it wrong?

• Choose from three of the following four options
• suggest an alternative
• think about going back for guidance
• I tried it but it didnt work
• do what the boss says and then do whats right to
  save the day!

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Be a superstar and learn to

• make molehills out of mountains
• listen between the lines
• pre-empt poor delegators

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Appraisals

• how to prepare
• what sort of questions to ask
• dont
• try to do a deal
• defend the indefensible or the unnecessary

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Managing in the middle

• What are you delegating?
• tasks
• roles
• responsibilities

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Communicate your key criteria

• accuracy?
• speed?
• presentation?
• ?

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What is leadership?

• never having to listen to someone who disagrees
  with you?
• taking genuine pleasure in the success of people
  who work for you?
• someone whose presence is essential to the
  smooth running of the team?
• Or not?

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The right place at the right time

• The Admirable Crichton
• Outward Bound

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What are your greatest strengths?
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What are your greatest strengths?
What are your greatest weakness?
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What are your greatest strengths?
What are your greatest weakness?
How do you tell the difference?