Strategies for talking to your boss
If you’ve ever gone to your boss with what you thought was a simple question or comment and gotten a result you didn’t expect, you may want to learn more about communicating with people in a corporate structure.
For one thing, telling a boss in a small company what you’re working on can come across as a simple, cordial update. The same remarks delivered to a boss on a large corporation make them wonder why you’re telling them things they don’t need to know. Are you overwhelmed? Are you sucking up?
In a medium-sized company – particularly one that’s grown from a small business – you might need to find out how long your boss has been with the company. If they were there when it was small, they might appreciate hearing about your minutiae. If they were brought in when the company started growing, especially if they came from a bigger company, assume they don’t want little updates.
Another tip: don’t assume everyone likes the same style of communication when it comes to chit chat and the level of details. Some people, particularly if they’re busy, have a low tolerance for small talk and may even interpret it as your attempt to distract them from your poor performance. On the other hand, as someone who hates small talk and would pay money never to hear the phrase “How are you?” again, I’ve found that the vast majority of people seem to welcome a little chit chat – one or two personal questions (with “How are you?” counting as personal) – as a friendly gesture. If you run into a boss who does not like any small talk at all, don’t assume they hate you: if you match their efficiency by telling them only what they need to know, you may just find they only show their affection via promotions and raises. (Yes, there are mean bosses, but some of them act friendly to your face, so don’t judge by someone’s outward social gestures.)
I also mentioned “level of details”. Some minds thrive on details; others get overwhelmed. If they want more details than you’re giving, they’ll hopefully let you know (never hurts to observe how other co-workers interact with them, though, to see how they respond to other styles). If they seem irritated or stressed, or they start looking for an exit door while you’re talking, think through what you’re telling them and consider what you can leave out. What does that person really need to know?
For the most part, the same rules apply to email. Except you also need to find out whether your boss prefers email or a phone call; whether they even know how to use email (believe it or not, some don’t, and there’s no easy way to tell because they’ll try to hide it); and whether they get so much email that yours will be seen as an annoyance.
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