- Because there’s always room for improving one’s work communication skills…
You want to be successful in your career and move toward the goals and dreams you know you can achieve if given the time and opportunity. Sometimes luck can be on your side and opportunity finds you without you even trying, but most of the time, you have to make things happen to get ahead.
Building a good relationship with your boss can help this process and increase your chances for advancement. It can also help you learn what a good boss looks like so that when you have moved up, you will know what it takes to be a strong leader in your field. Here are some tips on how to communicate with your boss to build that strong relationship.
Be Concise
The last thing your boss has time for is reading two paragraphs of your description of a situation that could have been communicated in two sentences. Be intentional in how you choose to talk with your bosses. Always begin your conversation with a positive greeting and limit what you say to only what is pertinent to the subject. This will eliminate the possibility of confusion, show respect for your boss’ time and get you the answers or feedback you need quicker. All of these factors contribute to your foundation of good communication with your boss.
Anticipate Problems
Show your company that you are paying attention by anticipating problems that have to do with your projects or duties. For example, you may want to improve the underdeveloped communication the business has with its customers, and take initiative by implementing a communications platform as a service. Communicate these ideas in writing so that you have a chance to formulate clear remarks and have a paper trail concerning these topics. Your bosses will appreciate that you called to their attention the train that was about to hit your department before the impact struck.
Offer Solutions
To truly build a good relationship with your boss, you need to be able to communicate your problem-solving abilities and offer solutions to the problems you have anticipated. This skill can help you in lots of ways, including being able to display your intelligence in your field, showing initiative by coming forward to talk about possible fixes and working as a team player for the benefit of the company. By offering solutions, you make it clear your work is not about you, but about doing the best for the business and the department you are in.
Stay Positive
No matter how much you want to scream, stay positive when communicating with your boss. Take a break and yell all you want to the trees outside but in your instant messages, texts or emails, remain positive and unshaken. This will build your reputation as someone good to work with and will help you keep your frustration level at bay because you will have to stay cool when you are communicating. Even though the positive outlook may be forced at times, keep on your game face and tell your negative thoughts there is no room for them here. A positive outlook and encouraging words go a long way when working through something together, so be that wonderful influence and don’t give in to negativity.
Be a Good Listener
To communicate effectively the problems you anticipate and the solutions you offer, you need to be a good listener to your boss and your colleagues. This means reading thoroughly all forms of communication from all sources and responding promptly. It also means that whether you are in a zoom call or face-to-face when others are talking, you are listening. If you have the opportunity to repeat back to them the key points, even better, because this is proof of your listening skills. You will certainly be able to communicate well with your boss if you can listen to what is being said and answer intelligently.
Respond Well to Criticism
The only way you will learn and grow in your career is to respond well to criticism and honestly consider how your boss is trying to lead you. Change doesn’t have to be scary. Improvement tips aren’t meant to be personal attacks that put you on the defensive, they are just meant to help you get better at your work. You can use the criticism time to see what a good leader looks like and how best to communicate in these types of situations.
Communicating concisely, positively and respectfully with your boss will help your career and your company at the same time. So enjoy engaging your boss in conversations about problems and how to solve them for the benefit of everyone at your work.
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