For many people, the thought of communicating with their boss is all it takes to bring on a little bit of extra (and unwarranted) stress. However, being able to effectively communicate with your boss is crucial if you are to have a long and successful career. Mastering the art of communicating comes with experience and it takes a lot of time to develop the skill, but doing so will help you in a host of ways, both inside and outside of the office.
As the Director of Agent99 PR, over the last eight years I’ve built strong relationships with my staff by communicating with them regularly in a one on one approach. In fact this has become one of my biggest priorities. Doing so has helped me to build the company into what it is today, with an amazing roster of hard-working and loyal staff as well as an enviable list of local and global brands.
Ultimately, [tweet_quote hashtags=”#careersucces” ]communicating with your boss is absolutely vital [/tweet_quote]for your career progression. Here are the key reasons why communicating with your boss will put you on the path to a more successful career.
1. Your boss is not a mind reader
Many people enter a job with intent to expand their skill set and eventually move into a role with more responsibility. Being able to talk to your boss about where you want your career to take you and what you aspire to achieve in your career is extremely important. If you have goals, express them. Your boss is the person that will be most able to get there.
2. Let your boss in
Everyone has little things that they may not want their boss to know. If there is something personal going on that is affecting you at work however, the best thing to do is to advise your boss of it, at least to an extent that you’re comfortable with. If you have an understanding boss, they should be able to help you through a hard time and ideally, will make provisions that will assist you in dealing with the situation. Being able to tell your boss that something is up and affecting you is better than having them think that you are uninvested, slacking off and underperforming for no reason.
3. You can build a rapport with your boss
No one says that you have to be best mates with your boss. Having a good relationship and communicating regularly with your boss however, is one of the best way to build trust and rapport; two things that can only bode very well for your career. Although the boss’ priority is to have a group of employees that work hard and strive to achieve the company’s vision, it is more than likely that they would also like to have strong relationships with the people they spend most of their time with.
4. Know what motivates you
Staying motivated at work can be difficult for everyone, especially if you have been in the same role or working on the same project for an extended period of time. As an individual, you need to know what motivates you and there is no problem with communicating this to your boss. Whether it is a better work life balance, financial rewards, or a title promotion – being clear about what motivates you will allow your boss to best manage and motivate you.
5. Understand the expectations
Communicating with your boss regularly will help you understand and keep track of their expectations. Ultimately, the only way you will be able to improve your performance in the long run is by having a complete understanding of what your boss wants you to achieve. It is also a good way to find out how you are tracking and it can make you aware of small changes that could dramatically better the result the next time around. Discussing expectations and your progress with your boss is a win-win situation. You will know what achievements you should be proud of and they will feel satisfied you are delivering on what they want to see.
