5 Ways To Manage The Bosses Expectations - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Ways To Manage The Bosses Expectations - Introvert Whisperer 5 Ways To Manage The Bosses Expectations 5 Ways To Manage Your Bosses Expectations Most of us dream of the perfect career where we are performing acts of genius, admired by our peers and praised by the boss. The reality is often just short of that and made worse if the boss is making demands of you that are unrealistic. When the boss is expecting something from you which is out of alignment to either your skills, work load or job scope; you have a problem. It can be a recipe for failure. It can turn the dream into a nightmare of getting fired or working until after midnight. Either way, this is not in your best interest to let it be a chronic occurrence. Lets look at this issue from both an offensive (prevention) and defensive (mitigation) perspective. 1. Job expectations â€" Any time you get a new job or assigned a new job, you need to ensure you and the boss have documented not only the scope of your work but your performance expectations. You need to understand how you will be measured and what results are expected. From that point, you need to seek feedback on how you are doing to those expectations. This is your career; you need to be responsible for this most vital element. By setting performance expectations right up front, you can mitigate problems in the future. 2. Provide updates  â€" Don’t expect the boss to go out of their way to discover how well your work is going. They will have some exposure to it but not all and not enough. You need to fill in the gaps without drowning them in too much detail. Also, look at your ongoing communication as a way of training your boss on understanding your job. They will have a better appreciation for demands they may make of you if they know the flow of the work to and from you. 3. Proactively raise flags  â€" At the first sign of a problem of delivering to the expectations of your job, you need to let the boss know. It’s not enough to simply tell them of a potential problem, you need to let them know what you are doing to reduce or eliminate the issue. You need to engage them in the solutions, as they will have access to more resources for solutions. The flag raising may actually need to occur when they assign you a project. If you think you can’t deliver to their expectations, for any reason, you need to let them know immediately. Again, you should offer up both the problem you see and solutions. It could be as simple as a different due date or delaying the work of something else. By engaging in a professional discussion at the time of a project assignment, you demonstrate a willingness to work with the boss for a positive outcome. Waiting to inform them about issues, especially any that you knew of to start with, will cause them to lose trust in you. 4. Seek guidance  â€" If the boss doesn’t agree with your assessment that their expectations of you should present a problem, you need an objective opinion. You may be inadvertently misinterpreting the direction the boss has given. Perhaps you don’t fully grasp the direction or the extent of the work involved in a given task. Don’t seek out your work BFF, as they may not have the perspective or experience unless you know they understand your work and have a good working history with the boss. You need to seek counsel with someone that can help you to see the task in a new way, or to help refine the direction the boss has given. You might discover a better way of doing your work. 5. Renegotiate a new wayâ€" If you are barely treading water, get through the crisis and go back to the boss to negotiate a different situation for the future. An example: If they make last minute demands, see if you can get agreement on a longer lead time. If they can’t, then get agreement on lower priority items you can delay without reviewing each time. In other words, be the mature professional and solve the problem with the only person you can solve it with. You were hired to solve problems and this is just one of many. Managing the expectations of your boss is something you should do with each and every boss you will have. By being proactive with your approach, you will reduce or eliminate the likelihood of demands being made of you that will cause you to fail. Notice I didn’t say you will completely do away with inappropriate expectations but when those to arise, take the approach you are solving a problem. Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Top 10 Career Mistakes Introverts Commit - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Top 10 Career Mistakes Introverts Commit - Introvert Whisperer Top 10 Career Mistakes Introverts Commit The climb up the corporate ladder is never easy.   As introverts, people might see you at a disadvantage; but they are undoubtedly wrong. Introverts are known for being great listeners, focused, observant, and committed, which are all great qualities that executives must possess. If you are an introvert with career plans, here are the top ten mistakes that you should avoid so you wont trip on your way up. 1. Isolating Yourself Some people thrive on social interaction compared to others. Too much isolation is not healthy, and most jobs require associating with people. Even introverts need face to face time every once in a while, so try calling a friend, or having lunch out. If having a companion is too much for you, having a stroll at the park or doing groceries can be a great help instead of locking yourself in your room. But it would be better if you talk even with one single person: little efforts to connect can go a long way. 2. Exhibiting Terrible Body Language Introverts can get stressed and anxious when encountering unfamiliar situations, but you can try being a master of disguise. Look at how you usually exhibit yourself with others. You can try the following modifications to your body language. Avoiding crossing your arms Not fidgeting Nodding at the right times Having a relaxed posture Leaning in towards the sleeping someone 3. Exhibiting A Lack of Confidence Introverts are confident people, but sometimes, being around extroverts can dial down that feeling. If you are not feeling confident, you can fake it till you make it. Pro tip: maintain eye contact with the person you are speaking with. You can even wear prescription contacts to make your vision sharper, better, and any color that you would like. Other confidence tips are: Practice smiling Study some power poses Have a strong handshake Dress to impress 4. Not Asking for Help Introverts lean toward working alone. Some are even more staunchly independent compared to the others. If you are one of those stubborn introverts, it might be quite hard for you to admit that there is something you cannot do alone. Here is how you can start: just ask for help. Its as simple as that. Talk to your coworkers or your direct supervisor if there is something that you cannot do. This will avoid trouble with making costly errors or going beyond the deadline. 5. Letting Your Mouth Run Away with You Small talk is inevitable, and you have to master the art of it. The problem with introverts is that they either have their lips glued or they babble the nerves away. It is a common problem that people chatter when they feel awkward or nervous, but remember, it is like running down a hill, once you begin, slowing down is near impossible. To avoid that, try talking slower when you are making small talk. Remember your pauses and breathing in and out clearly. If you have some trouble and you think you are rambling, observe the reaction of people around you and take your cues from there. 6. Confusing Your Introversion with Fear No one can escape having to do things that we do not like. Thats just how life works. But if you see yourself not being able to do things like returning a call, attending a party, or joining a conversation every single time, what you might have is fear and not just introversion. If you see this fear interfering with your life and you always regret things that you havent done, maybe you should try talking with a therapist to figure out your psyche and create plans to help you. 7. Always Expecting Others to Begin the Conversation Even though statistically, extroverts outnumber introverts, there are millions of people like you, that are scared of opening up conversations as well. Not all extroverts are also stereotypically bubbly, social, and talkative people like you think. Remember, there is a difference between talking in front of other people and having to talk to just one. If you are in a gathering, most likely somebody else is feeling as awkward as you, so be brave, for once, and rescue them from boredom. 8. Not Standing Up for Yourself As introverts, people tend to exhibit tendencies to let more dominating people push you or other people around. In dealing with confrontation and conflict, most introverts keep quiet and just ignore. Bullying, discrimination, and power-tripping happen in the corporate jungle so you have to make sure that you can handle it. A simple statement of I disagree would be more than enough to stand up for yourself. 9. Failing to Recognize Personal Accomplishments Are you shy about being proud of your victories? Many introverts tend to dislike bragging and get scared about seeming too full of themselves. In the workplace, you should be proud of all your accomplishments. In climbing up the corporate ladder, you should know how to market your skills to show people that you can face the challenges once you get promoted to a higher role. 10. Getting Lost Inside Your Head Being alone gives people the time to introspect and get to know themselves better. On the darker side, though, it can give you too much time to overthink and overanalyze things. Even when surrounded by people, some introverts can still zone out and get lost inside their minds. What should you do? Make a conscious effort to be present when you are with people or when they are things that you need to do. BONUS TIP: Take the Time to Recharge All introverts can get drained by social situations, but you have to socialize every once in a while. What you can do is to schedule an alone time before or after a social event. This will assure your self-preservation and protect you from imploding and getting stressed out. Introverts Can Do It, Too. Introverts have the power to excel in the corporate world, as much as extroverts and ambiverts can. Every individual has their own strengths and weaknesses, and this makes the journey more exciting. As introverts, a key to achieving your career goals is acknowledging your points to improve and starting from there.     Author Bio: Lydia Lee Lydia Lee is a fashion blogger. She works at a Tech company and writes as a freelancer for several fashion magazines both local and international. She has a pet terrier named Fugui.