CHAPTER 16

How to Speak So Your Boss Will Listen

The workplace has changed. The old command-and-control manager is pretty much on the way out, replaced by fewer levels of management and a more collaborative atmosphere in most companies. Managers recognize the abilities of their employees, and organizations are more receptive than ever to the perspectives and solutions of their workforce.

Yet, many talented professionals struggle with how to communicate upward in the organization, without appearing to be presumptuous, self-serving, or manipulative. You may be forthright and assertive with coworkers or direct reports, but when it comes to communicating up the organization, you may doubt that you are doing the best job of selling your ideas, and yourself, to the higher-ups.

Most managers value employees who are able to master the art of upward communication, and those who have those skills are the ones who come to mind when opportunities arise. Communicating effectively with your manager requires that you combine assertiveness and respect, clarity and flexibility, the ability to articulate and the ability to listen.

Here are some guidelines for getting your boss’s attention and achieving the rewards that result from developing this critical skill.

PLANNING AN APPROACH TO ACHIEVE RESULTS

Be prepared with your key points. Coming to your manager with a brainstorm that just popped into your head is a recipe for rejection. Curb your enthusiasm until you get the facts (both pro and con), find concrete examples to support your premise, and organize your message into a logical, well-developed presentation. As Eric Garner, author of “7 Rules of Upward Communication,” notes, you may undermine your credibility if you have to go away and get more information.

If you are bringing a problem to your manager because you need his or her help, make sure that you have made every effort to resolve it yourself, and be prepared to report on what you have done so far.

And always, make efficient use of your manager’s time. Your issues are only one of many the boss is addressing.

Put your message in the right perspective. Link your ideas to the goals and concerns of both your manager and the company at large. Before you meet with your manager, identify ways that your proposal can benefit others. Know what particular concerns are on your boss’s mind—cutting costs, improving morale, or increasing sales. Focus your creativity in areas that will solve some of her problems.

Find out how other companies are handling similar situations, and have some solutions in mind. Managers like options and usually want to be part of the decision process. Even if you think you know the answer, don’t stop there. Bring a couple of other possibilities and lay them all out for your manager to consider.

Be ready to answer questions. If you are proposing a new initiative or making your manager aware of a problem, make sure that you anticipate any questions he or she may ask. Pay attention to your manager’s communication style. Does he look at things from a global perspective? Does she want to know your thought processes—how you arrived at your recommendation? Does your manager like details and count on you having the i’s dotted and t’s crossed, or expect your idea to be a work in progress? Have you spoken with anyone else or garnered advice from others in the company? Are you certain that your idea doesn’t duplicate or conflict with other initiatives currently in process?

Don’t interpret your manager’s questions as a lack of trust in your judgment or a prelude to refusal. Avoid getting defensive and instead welcome the scrutiny. If you can answer the questions with poise and competence, you will solidify your chances for acceptance.

Speak with confidence. Deborah Tannen, in her Harvard Business Review article “The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why,” reports that the CEO of a major corporation says that he will decide in five minutes about issues that someone may have been working on for five months. If the person proposing the initiative seems confident, the CEO usually approves it. If not, he rejects it. This approach may seem extreme, but it attests to the fact that you can’t separate the message from the messenger. If you don’t believe in your idea, why do you expect others to buy in?

Confidence comes from being thoroughly prepared and knowing that you have the ability to turn your concepts into reality. However, most of the executives I have interviewed warn that confidence shouldn’t cross the line into arrogance. Always be willing to listen and to learn.

Obviously, every idea won’t receive a big thumbs-up. If your manager says no, be gracious and appreciative of the fact that your boss listened to your request. Find out, without being defensive, why you didn’t get the approval you desired and, if appropriate, ask what you should have done differently. Done correctly, the process will strengthen your long-term relationship with your manager and increase the chance of success for future proposals. Furthermore, your strengthened relationship will yield benefits in ways that you may not anticipate today.

Keep your manager in the loop. Once you get your manager’s approval, don’t disappear while you are working on the project. Bosses hate nasty surprises, such as finding out after the fact that you went over budget or over someone’s head to get the job done. Give progress reports along the way, and make sure that you take your manager’s advice to heart. The feedback that you incorporate may be the difference in success and failure. And you will get more buy-in about the finished product, too.

The ability to communicate effectively to those above you in an organization can be the talent that sets you apart. When you build a reputation for success in this area, you will give yourself and your message a decided advantage.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Knowing how to communicate upward in the organization, without appearing to be presumptuous, self-serving, or manipulative, is a critical skill that is key to your success.

Putting your message in the right perspective can make the difference between acceptance and rejection.

Anticipating questions and being prepared to answer them with concrete data and examples will build your manager’s confidence in your abilities.

Keeping your manager apprised of your progress, after you receive approval, will avoid unpleasant surprises along the way.