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Good Corporate Governance, Managing Boss & Colleagues and Cost Cutting
3rd Quarter Issue 2011
Managing Boss and Colleagues
Dr Mike Fung

Managing Your Boss

In dealing with a boss effectively, there are several levels of accomplishments as shown below.

  • Level 1: Just do what the boss says and likes

    In this level, there is little communication or relationship, excepting just doing the job assigned. At the same time, one must avoid any behavior disliked by the boss. One must complete the job as requested. It is important to present your job in such a way your boss likes it. You should like what he likes, and hate what he hates. At this level and nay level, you need to cover up your boss's mistakes. If your boss made a mistake, he might transfer his anger to you or any other ones. Also failing is a loss to everybody regardless who is the culprit.

  • Level 2: Sharing interests and casual cares

    It is important to accept your boss as who he is. Do not fight against him. Just work with him or work around him. Many famous and successful people in the world do this when they were at a junior position. It is a learning everyone has to do it. Once you are the boss, you can setup your own rules. If you are not the boss, you have to obey your boss.

    At this level, there is some relationship between the boss and you.  Your boss may want to share his ideas and interests with you.  You achieve this level mainly by doing most things what the boss likes and avoiding anything he does not like.  People need to talk and communicate with each other.  You may probe your boss by talking things which he is interested, such as his favorite sports, movies, cosmetics etc.  Find a common interest areas and talk about this when your boss and you have a spare time together.

    The next level is casual cares. Care about your boss's well beings, his health, his job, and his family members. Support each other.

  • Level 3: Caring for each other; supporting each other

    Once level 2 is achieved, there is a tendency for each to care more about each other. This means caring about each other and helping each other to achieve goals and overcoming problems. This is not difficult, every person wants to find a right person in caring and supporting with each other.

  • Level 4: Propose Ideas

    Once the boss has accepted you because you care with each other, you can propose ideas to your boss. At this level, the boss would know your proposed ideas are for his own goods. Therefore he shall listen to it, rather than putting doubts on it.

    When you propose ideas to your boss, you have to put yourself into his shoes. You should propose alternatives which would help him achieve his goals, values, and in his culture. Of course, the idea has to be powerful and working.

  • Level 5: Intimacy Development

    After you have proposed good ideas with success, there would be an intimacy development between your boss and yourself. Your boss may tell you his secrets and hidden agendas. He may even talk with you his fears. You should help him like a brother or sister, You should keep his secrets and protect his interests.

  • Level 6: Change your boss's mind and behavior

    This is the highest level of accomplishment if you can change your boss's mind and behavior. Usually, do not try this because there could be conflicts and misunderstanding. Most often you do not change your boss's mind or behaviors unless there your boss does the wrong way.


Managing Colleagues

  • Level 1: Do your own job and protect yourself

    The first thing to do is to be a productive member amongst your colleagues. Do not rub against others. Do not do things people do not like. Do more things which people like. Be likable.

    At this level, you may not interact with each other much. However, you need to protect yourself well. You protect yourself by carefully releasing limited information about yourself. The less they know about you the less they can harm you, or the less they dare to harm you. You may win a few friends, so that you are not alone. If there are someone who wants to harm you, your friends may stand by you or warn you ahead of the time.

    Try not to be speared head, because some colleagues may treat as a rival and kill you early literally. Play low profile.

    The most important thing is to win the support of your boss, which is mainly doing an excellent job of your post and do what the boss likes you to do.

  • Level 2: Sharing and Caring

    This is a higher level, such that are some interactions amongst your colleagues. You may share ideas, information, skills, resources and networks. You may care about each other. Your colleagues like you because you are valuable and helpful. You may win supports and then earn powers from them. However, do not spear head yourself unless you are ready. You are at a balance of being a co-worker and also a competitor to your colleagues.

  • Level 3: Teamwork

    At the level, there is a lot of interactions amongst members. Your organization may require a strong team spirit and teamwork to achieve high performance. You should help each other rather than competing on each other. Don't spear head yourself as a leader. A leader is someone who helps each colleague achieves his goal quietly. Let the leadership comes naturally. If you have the leader quality, then become a leader. If you do not, then, do not fight for that, unless you are pushed against a corner to fight back.

  • Level 4: Consultant

    Be knowledgeable and helpful so that your colleagues come to you for your advice and helps.

  • Level 5: Resourceful

    If you are resourceful, you will be highly valued in your team. Resources could be access of information, resources, authorities, supports, knowledge, skills, ideas, solutions, networks etc.

  • Level 6: Leader

    You are a leader due to assignment or by natural acceptance.

    If you are an assigned leader, then, use your authority properly and exploit the resources and powers of your followers.

    If you are a natural leader, such that you do not hold a position, but your colleagues listen to you. What you need to do is to support your assigned leader to help succeed. Beware of power of information, authority, knowledge, resource, collective supports, and proximity to power.


The path to become a leader

The best learning is from the Pearl TV Series of "Apprentice", which Donald Trump hosted the show. Usually there were about 10 people in each show, which were split into two groups. The voted team leader of each team has to plan and motivate his team members to win over the other team, yet his team members might be reluctant because they might give the credits to the team leader by doing so, while they want to be a team leader themselves. The game is to win over the team members in such a dilemma. It is a great learning on how to become a leader within a company in a realistic world. We should note that the President Hu of PRC said that he did not think about becoming the president. It was other people who wanted him to be the president.
Author: Dr Mike Fung, Email: dr.mikefung@yahoo.com.hk Mobile: 536-28-567

About the Author

Dr Fung is a Professional Engineer of Canada with more than 20 years experiences in project management of application software development. In addition, he had supervised numerous industrial projects as well. He is an international WHO's WHO of Professional of USA (1988).

Email: dr.mikefung@yahoo.com.hk