How to work with a clueless boss

       Have you ever had the experience of working with a boss who knows nothing about the job? It is exactly like putting a square peg in a round hole, it would just never fit. Unemployment situations are on the rise lately and majority of the few who are in top executive positions, are not really qualified for it but got the job either through political appointments or familiarity with the head of the company. Remember, you’re not responsible for the behavior of others, but you are responsible for how you respond in the situation.

     Employees often agonize over whether they should tell their clueless boss or management what they really think for fear of being labeled a troublemaker or worse. So what do you do when you have to work with such an un-experienced boss? Here is how:

1)      Firstly you should always remember who the boss is and learn how to be calm and not over react because you are doing the job and your boss who don’t know jack is getting the credit for it. Calm down, humble yourself.

2)      Turn your boss’s cluelessness to your advantage. A clueless boss gives you a great chance to prove yourself. Understand what your company is looking for and help your dummy boss meet those expectations and indirectly enhance your own skills.

3)      Even if your boss leaves majority of the decisions to you, be careful to always inform him of decisions taken. Make sure you don’t go over the top and try to make every decision yourself.

4)      Make yourself indispensable to the clueless boss. Learn to blend your ideas with the boss’s language and agenda.

5)      Become an enhancement to the boss. Start by paying attention to what interests your boss and listen carefully when he/she talks.

6)      Be patient, but always know when you have had enough and try to move on by searching for another job. Start actively looking for the workplace where you will be appreciated, encouraged and acknowledged for your contribution.

Note: Efforts to handle a clueless boss is not butt kissing. The whole idea is to make working conditions more conducive to your own career growth.

How to work with a difficult boss

   There are various challenges people go through in today’s business environment, and dealing with a difficult boss in the office is top on the list. We know everyone are not the same, and people have different skill and approach at managing subordinates. Some bosses are friendly but firm, while others are wicked and difficult.

   In a situation where you don’t have the luxury of changing the job or department you are in, you would have to put in extra effort in trying not to have frequent clashes with your difficult boss.

These efforts would include:

1) Be Punctual: Always be punctual to work. If you leave very far from your place of work, try to leave home as early as possible, and get to work at least 20minutes before the start of business.  The extra 20minutes will give you time to catch your breath and organize your day before business commences for the day.

2) Always be ahead of the game: At all times try to be ahead, research more. If there is a new project coming up, try to be ahead, read books about the project even if you are not the one in charge of the project, remember no knowledge is a waste. Chip in a thing or two when next you are having a departmental review of the project. Don’t sit slent through the meeting. Saying something intelligent about the project would make your boss see you in a different way ( as a focused, intelligent, staff)

3) Always keep records: Document every request, meetings, and assignments given to you.It would help as a reference in case there is a future reference to task given to you.

4) Try to be friends with your boss: As much as possible try to be friendly to your boss. Get to know them, have a chat with your boss at every opportunity you get. Studies have shown that majority of bosses are difficult because of stress or situations from their homes.

5) Never argue with your boss when they are angry:  I know sometimes we like to prove our point, but arguing with an angry boss is not ideal. Allow your boss temper to be a bit calm then go back and explain the reason why you took that decision, or why the job was done in another way. In a calmer environment, you would also be able to see clearly the reason why your boss wanted the job done in a certain way.

Motivating Your Employees

I read human resources for my second degree, so my blog definitely won’t be complete without a little employee related issues (laughs).There is a general believe that human beings have the natural tendency to be lazy with regards to work and is being forced by circumstances to work.

   Motivation by definition refers to what activates, directs human behavior and how this behavior is sustained to achieve a particular goal. It is also the process of supplying an incentive, adequate to induce deliberate and purposeful action.

     Employee motivation is the level of energy, commitment, and creativity that a company’s workers apply to their jobs. In the increasingly competitive business environment of recent years, finding ways to motivate employees has become a pressing concern for many managers.

What motivates Employees?

WAGES /SALARIES: Money can motivate, that is, it can influence action and encourage extra effort, extra creativity or any other kind of non-routine performance. But, money can only motivate workers if it is substantial and comes regularly.

JOB SECURITY: Until recently, university graduates preferred the securing of jobs which the civil service provides to the white collar jobs in the industry. This is to say then that the more a job is secured, the more one is able to work harder since the ultimate is known. However, to allay fears of workers, procedures for promotion, grievance, discipline and termination must be spelt out within the work place.

PROMOTION: Promotion is given as recognition of the individual’s performance on the job. However, to justify this recognition, the employee promoted puts in more effort in his work. Promotion puts new life in the individual and activates his knowledge and skills. However, the motivating effect of promotion is high.

JOB ENRICHMENT : Job enrichment means that additional motivators are added to the job so that it is more rewarding , although the term has come to apply to any efforts to humanize jobs. It is an improvement on job enlargement that sought to give workers a wide variety of duties to build their roles. However, the two terms are used interchangeably. In fact, the result of job enrichment is really a role that encourages growth and self-actualization. The job is built in such a way that natural activation is encouraged. Because motivation is increased, work performance should also improve, thus providing both a more human job and a more productive job. In this manner, both the worker and society benefit. The worker performs better, has more job satisfaction, and is more self-actualized, thus being able to participate in all life roles more effectively. Society benefits from the more effectively functioning person as well as the more effective job performance

FEAR MOTIVATION: Fear as a motivator is one of the oldest and perhaps the most widely used form of motivating workers. This type of motivation plants fear in the minds of employees and employee get things done in the platform of threat or punishment, loss of job or dismissal, loss of facilities to the workers who does not conform to laid down rules and regulations and loss of status.

The Importance of Motivation

Motivation can have an effect on the output of your business and concerns both quantity and quality. See it this way: your business relies heavily on the efficiency of your production staff to make sure that products are manufactured in numbers that meet demand for the week. If these employees lack the motivation to produce completed products to meet the demand, then you face a problem leading to disastrous consequences. The number of scenarios is extreme but you get the general picture.

Your employees are your greatest asset and no matter how efficient your technology and equipment may be, it is no match for the effectiveness and efficiency of your staff so motivate your staff.

 

 

Whistle while you work.

    Have you ever had a lot of work to do, and you are so worried about how to go about it then, all of a sudden you play one of your  favorite music and ,you discover some unknown energy come upon you and the strength to accomplish all your task and even more just comes to you? Yeah, I have experienced that a number of times. I work more when I play music especially if I know the song and sing along as I work. Music is an energy booster.

   When you listen to music, a part of your brain called the nucleus acumen activates. This triggers the release of the “pleasure chemical” dopamine that lives in a group of neurons in your brain : In biological terms, melodious sounds help encourage the release of dopamine in the reward area of the brain.

   People’s minds tend to wander, and we know that a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.  Most of the time when our minds wonder, we are focusing on the imperfections of life. Music can bring us back to the present moment.

   When you’re presented with new information that’s complicated, and it takes more focus and mental energy for you to grasp and apply that knowledge. All you have to do is listen to the music you like and inner strength to accomplish the task will surface, this is because, listening to music you like is pleasurable, it will not only make the task seem more fun but as research shows, it can actually help you complete the task faster.

 

  So when next you are confronted with a very difficult task at the workplace or in your home, just listen to some music and you would be able to think clearly and work faster.