Use Your Boss's Flaws to Your Advantage
28 January 2011
Read by 1858 persons
It's hard not to get annoyed by the flaws of your boss. Instead of brooding, turn the situation to your advantage.
Is your boss never around when you need them? Or, on the contrary, are they always on your back? Are they indecisive, hyperactive, perfectionistic, or individualistic? Few employees have no complaints about their manager. Most forget that their boss is a human being, just as imperfect as everyone else: their status doesn't prevent them from making mistakes or having flaws.
Of course, everyone dreams of working with a visionary and creative manager who can make quick and good decisions, give clear directions, set realistic goals, and support their teams while giving them autonomy. But this ideal doesn't exist. In these conditions, instead of brooding over your manager's flaws, it's better to analyze the situation and act in your own interest. Depending on their shortcomings, you can either help them improve or take advantage of their weaknesses. Or even do both at once!
Difficulty in deciding: know how to influence them
For a week, your main client's purchasing department has been pressuring you to accept their new price conditions... But you're waiting for the green light from your boss, who seems to be having a hard time making up their mind. These delays risk discrediting you with the client, losing your company business, and depriving you of a substantial source of commission.
Your superior's behavior may have two explanations: either they need time, or they need more information. In the first case, respect their timing, even if it doesn't match yours. Clearly state the deadlines so they can organize their thinking, but avoid untimely reminders: this could paralyze them, annoy them, and above all diminish their ability to discern. In the second case, offer help skillfully, without insisting on their indecision: "What do you need to decide? How can I prepare the ground?" Provide them with studies, charts, reports... Be careful not to overwhelm them with information, but to present them with a concise framework for reflection.
Another tip: don't challenge their authority head-on. If you need to give them an idea, make them think it came from them. "Small managerial weaknesses are often linked to a lack of self-confidence. It's therefore good to reassure your manager, even if it means overvaluing them a little," observes Brice Mallié, CEO of the management consulting firm BPI. By gaining your boss's trust, you will quickly move from a simple support role to a much more influential advisory role. And you will end up becoming indispensable. The advantage: it will be much easier to get your ideas accepted later.
Repeated absences: occupy the field
An organizational project to submit, a client brief to finalize, an important order to validate? But what do you do when your boss plays invisible man? Their absences can quickly become penalizing, as there are situations where their agreement, signature, in short, their presence, is essential. Since you can't do "with," learn to do "without." If the absences are justified, due to frequent travel, for example, define with them a time slot where you can easily reach them. Also ask them how (email, message to their assistant, mobile phone, SMS...), they prefer to be contacted depending on the level of urgency.
On the other hand, if their absences reflect a certain lack of seriousness - because they have become an unconditional fan of golf, for example - it will be futile, a priori, to ask them for availability slots. In this case, turn the situation to your advantage by turning this difficulty into an opportunity. "My boss is a bit like the legendary "Arlésienne," we talk about them a lot but we never see them. They are more interested in social events than office life," says David, head of marketing in a transport company.
As I'm quite autonomous, I took advantage of this to occupy the vacant field." In three years, he gradually expanded the scope of his missions, even taking on responsibilities that normally fell under his superior. "At first, I only managed operational marketing. Today, I define certain strategic axes and even decide on their implementation." Better yet: over the course of annual interviews, he managed to change his job description and increase the variable part of his salary.
Vague instructions: impose rigor
You've been working on an urgent file since the beginning of the morning and - oh! surprise - you realize at 7 pm that your colleague is working on the same subject. This duplication has cost one of you an entire day. The culprit? Your boss. Their messages are often confusing and their instructions sometimes lack coherence. This is the spitting image of Emmanuel's boss, head of internal communication at a bank. "On the same day and on the same subject, they could schedule several meetings with different collaborators.
As a result, no one understood the same thing and actions went in all directions." It was during a merger that the situation became critical. Reorganization of services, redefinition of functions, reassignment of certain missions: the communication department could not relay confusing messages. But how to reframe this messy spirit? "We decided to counterattack with excessive zeal," explains Emmanuel. Method adopted: the distribution after each meeting, even the most insignificant, of an ultra-detailed report (meeting progress, content of exchanges, objectives, means, timing...) to the entire team.
At first, the manager feels flattered that these meetings, which they hold so dear, are valued. But very quickly, they are disappointed. This exaggerated reporting publicly exposes their inconsistencies. "It only took a few weeks for them to limit the number of meetings to the strictly necessary. And no more contradictory instructions!" Emmanuel rejoices. By putting their boss on the spot, he and his colleagues were able to impose their own way of working, less time-consuming and above all more efficient.
Unattainable objectives: refuse diplomatically
"Can you stay after the 6:30 pm meeting, I'd like to brief you on our meeting tomorrow?" This is a classic: your boss has a nasty habit of imposing flexible hours and always asking for more. Even if you're tempted to send them away, prioritize diplomacy. "Under the influence of anger, you risk making tactical mistakes. Take the time to develop your arguments," advises Laurent Magnien, consultant at Krauthammer.
First, prove your goodwill by accepting to comply with your manager's demands. But very quickly, set your conditions: "If you want me to finish this file tonight, I'll have to put my other missions on hold." And show yourself to be demanding in return: "What additional resources are you going to give me?"
If your boss makes no effort, oppose them with a clear but reasoned refusal. "With a superior, this is the only way to be heard and to get your way," observes Maurice Thévenet, professor at Essec. To do this, list all the times you have accepted objectives that were too high for your position and the resources at your disposal. Analyze the results obtained, the errors caused by the lack of time, point out the files that have never been finalized...
Show them that it is not necessarily wise to "overload the mule" and suggest that they redefine the scope of your missions. This is how Marc, a pre-sales manager in IT, proceeded: instead of simply explaining why he refused to "do more," he also proposed ways to "do better." "I showed my boss, with evidence, that if I spent more time in the field and less in remote pre-sales, I would be much more efficient. He finally agreed."
Individualism: think about your career
Your boss seems to avoid service meetings, withholds information, only listens to you with half an ear when you talk to them about your career progression... In short, they only think about their own personal interest, yours only concerning them insofar as you can be useful to them. If you are rather refractory to authority, their individualism will prevent you from feeling suffocated. But if they start appropriating your ideas, using you in political games that are beyond you, or refusing to relay your work to management, it's time to act...
For two years, Olivier, head of the marketing department in a large telecoms company, worked alongside a manager who was essentially concerned with their own career. "The company's interest, their team, all that was the least of their worries. They never asked for my opinion, never asked me anything, systematically postponed our weekly meetings." Acting as if their boss didn't exist would have been dangerous: the superior would have interpreted the slightest manifestation of autonomy as treason, and the sanction would not have been long in coming.
The young man finally chose to circumvent them, but visibly. "I took initiatives, provoked meetings where I openly presented my ideas, and approached their superior. But taking care to always involve my manager in my actions." The offensive lasted four months, at the end of which the boss was forced to take into account their collaborator, who had become too close to the decision-making spheres to remain in the shadows. This power struggle was beneficial for Olivier: he gained more autonomy, more visibility, and gained the confidence of the big boss.
Over-control: create a climate of trust
It's stronger than them, your superior keeps monitoring your actions, checking your appointments, asking you for accounts of your missions. "Faced with an intrusive manager, you have to show that you are in control, even if it means overacting a little," explains Brice Mallié, from BPI. If that's not enough, offer to check in weekly to assess the progress of your files.
More audacious, Xavier, a design project manager in an online communication agency, used humor to get the message across. "For a week, stopwatch in hand, I calculated the time my superior spent interrupting my work: phone calls, emails, briefs, meetings... I then created a computer file in which I classified their intrusions according to their usefulness: "real," "average," "null."
The tactic worked. His manager loosened up. Each collaborator now simply draws up a weekly report on ongoing projects. "We have gained autonomy and they have gained confidence," Xavier rejoices. Above all, the atmosphere has relaxed." Humor helps to de-dramatize. "Be careful! It is only effective if there is a climate of sympathy and mutual trust. Otherwise it can seem aggressive," nuances Marc Traverson, coach, partner of the consulting firm Acteüs.
Published January 25, 2011
Posted online January 28, 2011
capital.fr
Is your boss never around when you need them? Or, on the contrary, are they always on your back? Are they indecisive, hyperactive, perfectionistic, or individualistic? Few employees have no complaints about their manager. Most forget that their boss is a human being, just as imperfect as everyone else: their status doesn't prevent them from making mistakes or having flaws.
Of course, everyone dreams of working with a visionary and creative manager who can make quick and good decisions, give clear directions, set realistic goals, and support their teams while giving them autonomy. But this ideal doesn't exist. In these conditions, instead of brooding over your manager's flaws, it's better to analyze the situation and act in your own interest. Depending on their shortcomings, you can either help them improve or take advantage of their weaknesses. Or even do both at once!
Difficulty in deciding: know how to influence them
For a week, your main client's purchasing department has been pressuring you to accept their new price conditions... But you're waiting for the green light from your boss, who seems to be having a hard time making up their mind. These delays risk discrediting you with the client, losing your company business, and depriving you of a substantial source of commission.
Your superior's behavior may have two explanations: either they need time, or they need more information. In the first case, respect their timing, even if it doesn't match yours. Clearly state the deadlines so they can organize their thinking, but avoid untimely reminders: this could paralyze them, annoy them, and above all diminish their ability to discern. In the second case, offer help skillfully, without insisting on their indecision: "What do you need to decide? How can I prepare the ground?" Provide them with studies, charts, reports... Be careful not to overwhelm them with information, but to present them with a concise framework for reflection.
Another tip: don't challenge their authority head-on. If you need to give them an idea, make them think it came from them. "Small managerial weaknesses are often linked to a lack of self-confidence. It's therefore good to reassure your manager, even if it means overvaluing them a little," observes Brice Mallié, CEO of the management consulting firm BPI. By gaining your boss's trust, you will quickly move from a simple support role to a much more influential advisory role. And you will end up becoming indispensable. The advantage: it will be much easier to get your ideas accepted later.
Repeated absences: occupy the field
An organizational project to submit, a client brief to finalize, an important order to validate? But what do you do when your boss plays invisible man? Their absences can quickly become penalizing, as there are situations where their agreement, signature, in short, their presence, is essential. Since you can't do "with," learn to do "without." If the absences are justified, due to frequent travel, for example, define with them a time slot where you can easily reach them. Also ask them how (email, message to their assistant, mobile phone, SMS...), they prefer to be contacted depending on the level of urgency.
On the other hand, if their absences reflect a certain lack of seriousness - because they have become an unconditional fan of golf, for example - it will be futile, a priori, to ask them for availability slots. In this case, turn the situation to your advantage by turning this difficulty into an opportunity. "My boss is a bit like the legendary "Arlésienne," we talk about them a lot but we never see them. They are more interested in social events than office life," says David, head of marketing in a transport company.
As I'm quite autonomous, I took advantage of this to occupy the vacant field." In three years, he gradually expanded the scope of his missions, even taking on responsibilities that normally fell under his superior. "At first, I only managed operational marketing. Today, I define certain strategic axes and even decide on their implementation." Better yet: over the course of annual interviews, he managed to change his job description and increase the variable part of his salary.
Vague instructions: impose rigor
You've been working on an urgent file since the beginning of the morning and - oh! surprise - you realize at 7 pm that your colleague is working on the same subject. This duplication has cost one of you an entire day. The culprit? Your boss. Their messages are often confusing and their instructions sometimes lack coherence. This is the spitting image of Emmanuel's boss, head of internal communication at a bank. "On the same day and on the same subject, they could schedule several meetings with different collaborators.
As a result, no one understood the same thing and actions went in all directions." It was during a merger that the situation became critical. Reorganization of services, redefinition of functions, reassignment of certain missions: the communication department could not relay confusing messages. But how to reframe this messy spirit? "We decided to counterattack with excessive zeal," explains Emmanuel. Method adopted: the distribution after each meeting, even the most insignificant, of an ultra-detailed report (meeting progress, content of exchanges, objectives, means, timing...) to the entire team.
At first, the manager feels flattered that these meetings, which they hold so dear, are valued. But very quickly, they are disappointed. This exaggerated reporting publicly exposes their inconsistencies. "It only took a few weeks for them to limit the number of meetings to the strictly necessary. And no more contradictory instructions!" Emmanuel rejoices. By putting their boss on the spot, he and his colleagues were able to impose their own way of working, less time-consuming and above all more efficient.
Unattainable objectives: refuse diplomatically
"Can you stay after the 6:30 pm meeting, I'd like to brief you on our meeting tomorrow?" This is a classic: your boss has a nasty habit of imposing flexible hours and always asking for more. Even if you're tempted to send them away, prioritize diplomacy. "Under the influence of anger, you risk making tactical mistakes. Take the time to develop your arguments," advises Laurent Magnien, consultant at Krauthammer.
First, prove your goodwill by accepting to comply with your manager's demands. But very quickly, set your conditions: "If you want me to finish this file tonight, I'll have to put my other missions on hold." And show yourself to be demanding in return: "What additional resources are you going to give me?"
If your boss makes no effort, oppose them with a clear but reasoned refusal. "With a superior, this is the only way to be heard and to get your way," observes Maurice Thévenet, professor at Essec. To do this, list all the times you have accepted objectives that were too high for your position and the resources at your disposal. Analyze the results obtained, the errors caused by the lack of time, point out the files that have never been finalized...
Show them that it is not necessarily wise to "overload the mule" and suggest that they redefine the scope of your missions. This is how Marc, a pre-sales manager in IT, proceeded: instead of simply explaining why he refused to "do more," he also proposed ways to "do better." "I showed my boss, with evidence, that if I spent more time in the field and less in remote pre-sales, I would be much more efficient. He finally agreed."
Individualism: think about your career
Your boss seems to avoid service meetings, withholds information, only listens to you with half an ear when you talk to them about your career progression... In short, they only think about their own personal interest, yours only concerning them insofar as you can be useful to them. If you are rather refractory to authority, their individualism will prevent you from feeling suffocated. But if they start appropriating your ideas, using you in political games that are beyond you, or refusing to relay your work to management, it's time to act...
For two years, Olivier, head of the marketing department in a large telecoms company, worked alongside a manager who was essentially concerned with their own career. "The company's interest, their team, all that was the least of their worries. They never asked for my opinion, never asked me anything, systematically postponed our weekly meetings." Acting as if their boss didn't exist would have been dangerous: the superior would have interpreted the slightest manifestation of autonomy as treason, and the sanction would not have been long in coming.
The young man finally chose to circumvent them, but visibly. "I took initiatives, provoked meetings where I openly presented my ideas, and approached their superior. But taking care to always involve my manager in my actions." The offensive lasted four months, at the end of which the boss was forced to take into account their collaborator, who had become too close to the decision-making spheres to remain in the shadows. This power struggle was beneficial for Olivier: he gained more autonomy, more visibility, and gained the confidence of the big boss.
Over-control: create a climate of trust
It's stronger than them, your superior keeps monitoring your actions, checking your appointments, asking you for accounts of your missions. "Faced with an intrusive manager, you have to show that you are in control, even if it means overacting a little," explains Brice Mallié, from BPI. If that's not enough, offer to check in weekly to assess the progress of your files.
More audacious, Xavier, a design project manager in an online communication agency, used humor to get the message across. "For a week, stopwatch in hand, I calculated the time my superior spent interrupting my work: phone calls, emails, briefs, meetings... I then created a computer file in which I classified their intrusions according to their usefulness: "real," "average," "null."
The tactic worked. His manager loosened up. Each collaborator now simply draws up a weekly report on ongoing projects. "We have gained autonomy and they have gained confidence," Xavier rejoices. Above all, the atmosphere has relaxed." Humor helps to de-dramatize. "Be careful! It is only effective if there is a climate of sympathy and mutual trust. Otherwise it can seem aggressive," nuances Marc Traverson, coach, partner of the consulting firm Acteüs.
Published January 25, 2011
Posted online January 28, 2011
capital.fr
