Ask the expert: Make the boss spell it out

What can you do if you have a boss who fails to brief you clearly on exactly what it is he wants, causing you embarrassment at times? DR MARIE WILSON, head of management and employment relations at the University of Auckland Business School and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business, suggests a solution.

Q: My boss is a great guy but he tends to ask you to go off and do things without making it clear exactly what he wants (I'm not always sure he knows). So you go ahead with something only to have him veto all or part of it at the last minute. I would rather he gave me a really obvious and clear brief at the beginning but feel if I ask for that he might think I'm being a bit thick.


A: The space between the assignment and the "last-minute veto" is the opportunity for you to clarify performance requirements.

To make sure you are as clear as possible at the start, repeat back what you think you are being asked to do, including sources of information, people to work with, and deadlines.

Put your understanding in writing if you think this will help both of you to be clear. Ask for examples of similar reports or projects so that you have something to work toward. At about the half-way point (time-wise), schedule a brief follow-up meeting and review what you have done to date to make sure you are on track.

Ask specifically what you should change, and if anything is missing or inappropriate. Have another brief review when you have a complete working model or draft.

This may seem like a lot of time invested, but it's much less than the time wasted in doing the wrong thing. If you have an opportunity to give your boss feedback, address this issue.

If you want to be less direct, a "present" of a book or article on effective delegating may be in order.

Q: I have been offered a place on my firm's executive management training programme, with promotion suggested at its end. This has been sold to me by my manager as an offer that I should grab with both hands as only a couple of graduates get picked for this every year, and few women.

The industry I work in is still very traditionally male. The trouble is, I don't know if I want the job. I don't enjoy the culture here and was beginning to think about leaving anyway.

A: Your fit with the organisation is an important part of your job satisfaction and many people find organisations where most people are not like them to be more difficult to work in.

On the other hand, the ability to work in such a diverse environment is a key skill for many jobs. It is ethical of you to question whether the company should invest this training if you intend to leave, as well as whether it is a good investment for you.

Perhaps you might first gain a better idea of what you would be promoted to; is there someone you can interview about the management positions you would be prepared for?

Either your manager or someone who is in that role at present should be able to advise you.

You might also want to inquire about the content of the training programme. If you know your own skills and abilities, you should be able to assess whether the programme would reflect development value for you.

Finally, speak to either your manager or the HR manager about your discomfort with the culture; perhaps there are other areas of the organisation where your fit might be better.

If you still don't see a future with the company, then you are better off seeking development and a position elsewhere.

Q: Watching the coverage of the Jeffrey Archer trial on television, especially when his secretary admitted she colluded in his lies, made a feeling of dread settle on me - I am sure some of the things I have done or said on behalf of my GM weren't kosher and that I might regret it one day. What should I do?


A: Sounds like you're regretting it now, although I assume your actions haven't extended to perjury or the perversion of justice.

I'm not sure how "unkosher" your actions were, but research suggests that office interactions may often include little white lies that are not intended so much to deceive as to present an acceptable reason for an action or absence.

The classic example is the message that someone is out when he or she is in the next office.

If you feel ethically compromised at work, you can say so to your boss and suggest a path of action that satisfies his/her requirements while observing your standards as well.

This may be as simple as signing off on a report or request that you don't want your name attached to, or suggesting that he/she do that instead.

Q: As a result of a takeover, we now have a new management team, most of whom I have not yet met face to face. In conversation with one of the existing managers, I was told that he had made a detrimental comment about me to the new group. He claimed it was a joke but now I'm worried they may not get his particular brand of sarcasm and judge me from the comment. He thinks it's hilarious and that I am over-reacting.


A: In a professional environment, we survive and thrive on the basis of our reputation, and you are right to be concerned about yours, particularly in the context of a new management environment.

Try to find out the substance of the comment and agree with the manager how you are going to counter any possible misperception.

You may not want to draw further attention to matters if this was just a passing comment, but you will want to make sure that it doesn't recur. If you are nervous overall about change in the company, this might be a good time to check your personnel file.

* Send your questions to julie_middleton@nzherald.co.nz