Think You Know More Than Your Boss? Here Are 3 Ways You Can Make It Work In Your Favor

You show up at the office. And. There. He. Is. Again.

That incompetent boss, or "boss", you would tell your friends.

You wonder how he got to his current position, how does he even survive when he is so obsolete, does not know the latest technologies used in the field and how dare he still tell you where you need to improve on. Just the other day, he asked you about that latest technology which has just taken the market by storm and after you tried to explain it to him for a good 15 minutes, where you could have gotten a lot of work done, he still looked clueless as ever.

Normally, you are a direct person. You prefer to share your opinions truthfully, albeit sometimes a little bluntly. You yearn to tell him your honest opinion of him in his face but... He has a huge say in your performance review, and he is on excellent terms with your skip-level boss, and his skip as well. So, you think twice and bite your tongue thrice.

Now you think on the positive side. He's a nice guy. He's even-tempered. He buys birthday cakes for everyone on his team. The list goes on, but you know you are better than him, and think one day, perhaps he will get out of the way, hang his head low in shame for not keeping himself updated with the latest knowledge in the market, and you will march proudly into his office.

Hold That Thought

If you can relate with the scenario and emotions above, you are in a great situation!

Before you dispute that, hear me out. Granted, you are probably better than your boss in the technical space but seriously, you have the advantage of your age. I only know 4-5 social media platforms three years ago and someone 20 years my junior knew 18. Talk about the advantage of being older and wiser. These days, the odds seems to have shifted.

But getting stuck with those thoughts are not going to help you. Not one bit. You will be far better off if you change the way you see things. Of course the choice is entirely up to you. But if you are still reading this, here are some ways you can rethink your position.

#1: You Can Easily Shine

People say, "Knowledge is Power." Not sure if you agree, but definitely this is something which has worked for me in the past. Of course we do not use knowledge for obtain gains at the expense of others. Ethics are very important in my opinion. Do not do anything which you would not want to be published on the front page of the newspapers. But I digress.

Since you know more than your boss does, it will be very easy for you to put something together which meets the organization needs, the team's needs and showcases how knowledgeable you want to be known for. Instead of using the gap of knowledge between you and your boss as a source of contempt, use it to your advantage. Get creative and create something which meets the best of both worlds.

Use that as an opportunity to showcase your other talents. And guess what? You need the support and endorsement of your boss so put in all you have got to get his thumbs up.

#2:You Get to Tell a Compelling Story

Now you have got the project idea and all the pieces in place. You have used the latest technology (which remember, your boss does not understand it because he is not from your generation). The next step is to get his buy-in.

Take it like an advertisement. Every new product which is launched needs to be sold. If the customers can understand it, can imagine themselves using it, then they will buy it.

How will you then sell an idea to your boss, to get his approval (you need that in order to shine) given that he does not understand it the way you do?

That's where your storytelling must be solid. I repeat. R.O.C.K. Solid.

Do you know what the company cares about? What does your boss care about? How is your project going to meet all those needs in a cost-effective, revolutionary way? How do you want them to remember you? How long are you going to take to convince him?

If you have got all those points covered, make sure you can tell the story in under 20 minutes, with no more than 3 big ideas and it must pass the "layman check". If a layman can understand it and will buy it, the chances of success becomes much higher.

I have used these questions many times with my clients and it has worked every time. You might want to have 5 big ideas but honestly, these days the human brain can only hold so much given that there is information overload everywhere.

You might think 20 minutes is too short but it will reflect the discipline in your thinking and clarity of thought. Try telling your life story in 1 hour and in 5 minutes. It requires a very different level of discipline and commitment to be able to do it in 5 minutes. I hope you will take up the challenge.

#3: You Can Share Your Knowledge and Build a Relationship

Whether you succeed or fail in the above venture, all is not lost. At least you have tried to do something different yet relevant and might make a name for yourself as someone who dare to pitch a relatively wild idea.

You might not need him to say "yes", but you definitely need him to be on your side. After working with more than a hundred clients, I have NEVER seen any client succeed when their relationships with their bosses are on the rocks.

Seriously. You get no where if you pick the wrong person to fight with. Get him on your side by showing your worth. Again, I strongly discourage unscrupulous methods as these always come back and bite you in the rear. Keep the communication channels open. Share your thoughts, hear his opinions and create a better common understanding. The wider the scope of "common understanding", the better he will know you, and you him. Share with him the newest technologies and why you see a huge potential in using them.

Final Thoughts

Most of my corporate clients are waiting for the next big thing in their careers and are highly capable. In the current workspace, age works in a funny way. The younger you are, the more technically advanced you might be. Do take a pause and look at things from the other way.

Are there things you could learn from your boss? What are some pearls of wisdom which might help you in future?

Being young is an advantage. You have a long runway to acquire the skills and knowledge which will make you successful but I always tell my clients, attitude trumps aptitude anytime.

Even when we are clearly superior in some aspects, have the humility to look at others (especially our bosses) and look for opportunities to learn something from their experience. You just might never know when these can come in handy one day.

Chuen Chuen is a leadership and learning expert and works with clients internationally. She is passionate about maximizing the development potential in everyone and believes strongly that everyone is a leader. She is living her dream of being a full-time leadership coach and consultant after working towards it for six years, and enjoys coaching many Fortune 500 leaders from over 30 countries, supporting them in overcoming their self-limiting beliefs and reach their highest potential.

Find out more about Chuen Chuen from www.yeochuenchuen.com and connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.