Do You Want to Get Better at Your Job? Check Out These 15 Things Your Boss Wants You to Know.
Believe it or not bosses aren’t here to trip you up, and there is plenty they wish you knew. Sometimes they just don’t get around to telling you, other times it seems awkward to spell it out, but we have identified 15 things that your boss isn’t telling you, that you need to know.
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With that done, let’s get straight into the article.
1
They Don’t Really Care How Many Hours You Clock
If you think you will just outstay your work colleagues and be first in line for a promotion, then our advice is to think again. Your boss isn’t worried about the time you clock in or out when the work is done well or whether you are getting the results they require.
In fact, it might impress them if you are ultra-efficient and complete your work and have a full and happy life outside of the office. At the end of the day that will make you a more inspiring person to have on the team.
2
They Don’t Care Who Is to Blame, They Care about Who Can Solve It
It can be a knee jerk reaction to start unpacking what went wrong and who is to blame, but that’s not what your boss cares about, at least not until the problem is solved. Mistakes happen and problems crop up, that’s life. The person who can solve snags when this happens is the one the boss really cares about.
Rising to the challenge and jumping to action are far more admirable than winning at the blame game. And your boss wishes you knew that.
3
Asking for Help Is Expected and Not Looked Down Upon
There is no shame in checking in with a superior or asking for advice at work before you set off on a task. It’s a far better strategy than asking forgiveness later. It is quite normal for someone to be guided through a task the first time they perform it and is cost saving in the long run. Asking questions is a sign of diligence and humility to get the job done right.
Drop the act of pretending you know everything under the sun, you will save your boss money on mistakes, and save yourself a lot of stress too.
4
Just Doing Your Job Isn’t Enough to Become More Valuable
Being the star at exactly what is expected isn’t that impressive. Sure, it is great to meet the mark, but in the competitive 21st century job market, if you’re looking for promotion then you’ll need to be proactive and look for ways to innovate and anticipate the current or future needs of your employer.
Ideation CEO, Charles Lee, wrote an article called: “Doing your job is not enough” and he shares these valuable insights in the topic: “Going through life by doing the minimal and being an exemplary employee should never be anyone’s goal. We have to thrive beyond what’s expected, fine tune our ability to think clearly through the noise and distractions around us, and speak up by producing great work that we’ve created to better our lives and the world we live in.”
5
There Is Always Room for a Raise
If you are increasing profit for your company, then you are an asset. In this case there will always be a little wiggle room for a raise. There are two main ways of employees driving profit – one is bringing in more money, and the other is saving money. Once you have proved success in these areas and have the results to show, it won’t be a problem asking for a periodic raise. Be sure you have the facts on hand though.
According to Forbes magazine, there is no need to bring your increased cost of living into your raise negotiations. CEO or PR Firm, InkHouse, Beth Monaghan summarises it well: “The best approach to asking for a raise is to focus on deserving one versus needing one. Too often, people argue that a raise is important because of very real costs in their lives, however, an employer is looking to give raises to people based on performance.”
6
It’s Fine to Challenge Their Views
You don’t have to be a total Yes-man to impress your boss. A little healthy questioning builds a robust business. We’re not talking about being one of those “devil’s advocate” addicts that has to constantly ask “but what if xyz?” to even the most outlandish scenario to everyone’s annoyance. Be sure your questions are researched and backed up if you want to impress, and you’re not just taking flying kicks at things to sound smart.
Your boss will appreciate professionally researched and thoughtful considerations, after all, good leaders build strong teams around them for this reason.
7
Your Attitude Is Just as Important As Your Actual Work
Our next advice is, no matter how great your work is, if you’re a drain to have in a team, you won’t progress.
An example of where attitude matters most is at online retail giant Zappos. The late company founder, Tony Hseih proudly announced that no matter how perfect a candidate’s resume might be, if they don’t align with his company culture then they won’t get the job.
Same goes for existing employees, if they don’t fit in with the companies positive and peaceful environment then they will get the chop, no matter their results. Yikes, but we can totally see his point. That is why despite his tragic passing in 2020, he remains such an inspiration.
If you want to know more about Zappo’s inspiring business model, listen to it here on audible – don’t forget to claim your free book by heading alux.com/freebook.
Since we are talking about positive attitudes at work, if you need some help with yours, check out 15 Positive Advice You Need to Hear.
8
Bosses Wouldn’t Give You Constructive Feedback If They Didn’t Want You to Succeed
When you get the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from your boss, take it with both hands. Feedback is only given when someone cares about your growth. Take it is as a sign that your boss wants to see you grow and succeed. It is not a diss, or them being “mean” or anything like that. This is someone stopping long enough to invest in your self-improvement, and that’s valuable for any future billionaire.
9
Bosses Want You to Identify Problems before They Unfold
Have you ever been in a debrief meeting after there was a mis-hap at work and someone proudly says: “I knew this was going to happen”. Well, if you have, then we can assure you that your boss is wondering who this person is and how soon they can fire them. If you anticipated that something was going to be a disaster and you didn’t remedy it, then what they heck are you doing in this role!
There are no points for problem spotting if you do nothing about it, but there are major points for problem solving before the problem hits.
10
They Want to Know That Your Allegiance Lies with the Company
According to the 2018 study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics the typical employee stays at a job for just over four years. But even if that’s true, your boss shouldn’t be made to feel there is a ticking timeline to your departure. While you’re working where you are working be sure your boss knows your loyalty lies with them.
Our advice is you show this by being involved in team building at work, buying into company culture and show that you have some sort of competitive spirit towards their competition. In other words, take this advice as, if you work at Pepsi, no one wants to know that you prefer Coke.
11
Bosses Want to Know When a Job Is Challenging or If a Deadline Is Unrealistic
The worst time to tell a boss that the deadline is unrealistic is a few hours before it. That’s not the time they can save face with a client, that is the time they must go and grovel and explain how their company isn’t experienced enough to deliver on deadline.
Setting realistic deliverables and timelines is key to delivering an excellent product on time, and part of what you are employed to do in any role is know what is and isn’t doable.
Your boss needs you to be able to communicate these things to them long before they turn into a problem so that there is time to fix it and still deliver to the client.
Aluxers, be sure to watch our video full of great advice – 15 Principles for an Excellent Work Ethic – for more ways to be a great employee.
12
Bosses Want Team Players
No person is an island, and if you don’t play well with others, you’re going to struggle in the 21st century job market. Bosses don’t need an evil side-kick spewing venom about everyone in the office, but rather people who are part of what fans the flames of everyone on the team and makes the company more successful.
Why does teamwork matter so much?
Teamwork brings unity to the workplace, it promotes new perspectives with differing opinions, and it creates constant learning and encourages efficiency. All in all, teamwork is a win.
13
They Want You to Develop Your Strengths
Richard Branson says it best with his approach to people development: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
A good boss is happy to help you learn, upskill, and develop your strengths. It is cheaper to redeploy a team member to a new position within the business than bring in a completely new hire. Leaders know that investing in people is one way to create a custom fit for their project’s needs, as well as promote loyalty and a longer employment tenure.
Feel confident when you go to ask your boss to attend a conference or training course, they are more than happy to support your growth.
14
Bosses Want Employees to Celebrate the Success of Others
As your colleagues sign a new account or break a sales record, follow our advice and show great work culture by celebrating in their success. Not only does it show that your loyalty lies with the company and not just your own interests, but also that you are a great team player. Afterall a win for the company is a win for everyone if you are part of the team.
15
Bosses Want You to Succeed
The best reflection of a good boss is a team of successful individuals. This shows that they are doing their job of leading in the right direction. If they had a team of people under them flailing about, or worse yet, stagnating then it would be a terrible show case for their leadership qualities. Self-assured, self-motivated, and successful workers are the signs of a great boss.
Your boss isn’t jealous of your success. Your success means they can go to the Bahamas or get their kid a pony. So go forth and kick butt at whatever you are doing!
Question:
What is the most surprising realisation you can to about one of your bosses?
