I’ve had 18 different bosses at my current company in the last 21 years and I can honestly say that I would be happy to work with most of them again.
Why is that?
I worked hard to build trust. I didn’t rely on them to trust me “just because they should”. I took responsibility for building a relationship that enabled trust.
Here’s what I did to make that possible.
- I looked at my relationship with my boss as a collaboration, not a hierarchy.
- I had the mindset of positive intent. I interpreted everything that was said and done as being for me, not against me.
- I focused on minimizing and exposing assumptions. I was not afraid to ask questions to get to a clear understanding without assumptions.
- I over communicated as I got to know them. It was my job to make sure they understood my strengths and my work process.
- I asked for feedback frequently and I didn’t take it personally (most of the time). When I did take it personally, I took the time I needed to see how what they were saying might be true. This is only possible when you have the mindset of positive intent.
- I looked for win-win-wins. I wanted us all to be successful….them, me and the company.
The next time you find yourself wondering why you are being micromanaged or that your boss doesn’t trust you, ask yourself what you’ve been doing to build that relationship of trust. No relationship is one-sided.
A great book on this subject is “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M. R. Covey with Rebecca R. Merrill.
PS. I help people stop overworking. I went from 80 hours a week to 30. I can help you do it too. It’s just a matter of reprogramming some inefficient work habits. Get to know me here.
