Train your boss how to manage you better

As an employee, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what meaningful and optimal work looks like for you. It not only helps you achieve your career goals but also helps your employer understand your strengths, capabilities, and interests. And yet, having this conversation with your employer can be challenging, especially if you are not sure how to approach it. In this article, we will discuss some tips to have an empowered conversation with your employer about what meaningful high-level optimal work looks like for you.

1. Prepare for the conversation

Before initiating the conversation, it is crucial to prepare for it. Take some time to reflect on what you want to achieve from this conversation. Identify your strengths, skills, and interests that align with the work you want to do. Set clear goals and objectives that you want to discuss with your employer.

It can also be useful to choose language that aligns with your manager's communication style or preferences. For example, if you know your manager values logic and facts when making decisions, and you're more of an intuitive 'go with your gut' type of person, practice using the word think instead of feel to get your point across - "I think I need clarity on my priorities" vs "I feel like I need clarity on my priorities".

Make sure you are clear in your own mind what your definition of meaningful work actually is and what types of conditions or work environments you need to perform at your optimal best. If you aren't clear about what these are, how do you expect your manager to have any idea how to meet your needs?

2. Schedule a meeting

Once you have prepared yourself, schedule a meeting with your direct line manager to discuss your career goals and aspirations. It is essential to find the right time and place to have this conversation. Ensure that you choose a quiet and comfortable place where you can have an uninterrupted conversation.

If you find yourself procrastinating or avoiding meeting with your manager, it might be time to address elephant in the room. Are you unsure about your direction? Are you waiting for your manager to tell you what it is? Or maybe you're using your manager's lack of interest in your career progression as a reason to stay stuck or avoid speaking up? Whatever the blockage, you can choose to keep blaming your manager or you can get clear about what you want - AND THEN ASK FOR IT.

3. Start with a positive tone

When you initiate the conversation, start with a positive tone. Acknowledge the efforts of your employer towards your professional development and growth. Even if their efforts may have been minimal or limited in your mind, imagine if you were running the company and someone came to tell you what a crap job you've been doing at looking after your employees with no recognition for any of your efforts?

Express your appreciation for the opportunities provided to you so far. This sets the right tone for the conversation and helps your employer understand that you value your job and their efforts to help your optimal performance at work. And then build a platform for continuous improvement from there.

4. Tailor your working conditions to suit optimal performance

Now it's time to share your thoughts about what meaningful high-level optimal work looks like for you. Discuss your strengths, skills, and interests that align with the work you want to do. Wherever possible you want to figure out how much the company can tailor your working conditions to suit your optimal performance output daily.

This may include leveraging flexible work arrangements or setting different contact hours to suit your optimal productive flow points throughout the day. Be clear about your needs and align them to the company's desired outputs for your role. This helps your employer understand your perspective and gives them an idea of how they can help you achieve optimal productivity and peak performance at crucial intervals throughout each workday. Ideally, you want to take the guesswork out of your workday and increase your probability of getting into your optimal flow state at work consistently, when it matters most.

5. Ask for feedback

Once you have shared your aspirations and clarified what optimal conditions at work are for you, trial the new approach for a few weeks and then ask for feedback from your manager. Ask them if they think your output and performance align with the company's objectives. This helps you get an understanding of your manager's expectations and how you can align your career goals and deliverables with the company's goals. It also shows your employer that you value their opinion and are open to feedback.

6. Discuss how you can work together

Now it's time to discuss how you and your employer can work together to achieve optimal performance consistently. Ask your employer about the opportunities available within the company that align with your goals. Discuss any specific projects or assignments that interest you and how you can contribute to the company's success. It's also essential to discuss any training or development opportunities that can help you achieve your goals.

7. Set clear expectations

As you work towards achieving optimal performance, it is essential to set clear expectations with your employer. Discuss your performance metrics and how you can measure your progress. Set realistic timelines and goals that you can achieve. This helps you and your employer stay on the same page and ensures that you are both working towards the same objectives. This approach also puts you in the driver's seat, educating and training your manager to better support and mentor you.

8. Follow-up

Once you have had the conversation, it is essential to follow up with your employer. Send them a summary of the discussion and the action items agreed upon. This helps ensure that both you and your employer are on the same page and that there is no miscommunication. It also shows your employer that you are committed to achieving your career goals and their company objectives.

In conclusion, having an empowered conversation with your employer about what meaningful high-level optimal work looks like for you can be beneficial for your professional growth and development AND your manager's goals and objectives. By preparing for the conversation, scheduling a meeting, starting with a positive tone, sharing your career aspirations, asking for feedback, discussing how you can work together, setting clear expectations, and following up, you're the one in control of your performance because you're the one teaching your boss how to manage you better.