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A sure way to get more respect from your boss
Are you an “eager beaver”? By that I mean you are determined to do what it takes to advance in your career and live the life of your dreams? If so, there is a very important person you need to help you. I am talking about who you report to – your boss. Your boss should be your advocate…your cheerleader. They want you to succeed. If you don’t have such a boss, don’t bother reading the rest of this blog. (I feel sorry for you)
If you have a boss who believes in you and is a strong mentor, he or she is probably approachable and takes time to listen to you with genuine interest and full focus. We talk to them about our ideas. Our boss listens and asks questions to clarify and promote deeper thinking. When they do this, they help us along and strengthen trust at the same time. These conversations can make our work challenging, engaging, and fulfilling. They open us up. My questions is, how often do we open our boss up and show genuine interest in them?
The most respected and trusted leaders I have known are good listeners. They spend a good chunk of their day listening and asking questions. I have also noticed that good leaders, like all of us, like people to show a genuine interest in them. I am frequently amazed when I coach bosses. During our calls, it is not uncommon for a boss to dominate 90% of the conversation. My part consists of mostly asking questions to help them talk through the problem or the challenge. What I am saying is, bosses like to be listened to as much as we do.
As a coach, I spend most of my time listening and asking questions. I am paid to do this, yet in some instances people ask me questions. When this does happen, I tend to give short answers, and others are fine with that. Then, there are rare occasions when someone won’t accept my short answers. They say, things like, “Tell me more”. Once this happens, I realize they are genuinely interested interested in what I am excited about. Then I open up and really go on a roll. Afterwards, I say to myself, “What a neat person!” I like, trust, and respect them more. My advice to you: If you want to build a strong bond with your boss, get them to open up.