The ability to perceive time — in other words: know how long something takes — is one of those very basic Boss Skills that you’re just supposed to “know how to do.” The same way you’re supposed to just “know how to budget for retirement.” Folks, this is a learned skill.
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I admire your impulse to try to make this relationship better — although I think you have a long road ahead of you.
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I am a manager and an extrovert, but honestly have really struggled with being a people manager through the events of 2020.
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It’s so freeing when we discover that an unchangeable fact — my email inbox is always open and the system is always functioning — is just a thing we all agreed to believe in.
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When do I ask (tell?) my boss about this? How honest should I be about my plans? If they say yes to my move, do I owe it to them to stick with the job for any amount of time? What happens if the answer is no?
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If you do any prep before speaking up, I recommend working on some sentence starters that will diffuse confrontation — not overdo the argument.
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My boss is late. I’m sad I didn’t get laid off. Should I apply? One of my reports is pregnant. How do I not fuck this up?
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I am thinking specifically here of white people like me who are working among other white people and feeling the urgency — the need for growth plus a desire for growth. How do we keep going with accountability, every day from here on out?
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I find great relief in knowing that my job isn’t ever to stop a rumor from existing. It already exists! If Beyonce can’t get an “unflattering” picture off the internet, I’m certainly not going to be able to stuff a rumor back in its bottle. My job is to help surface the truth in the most useful way possible. As a manager, I’m more weatherman during a tornado watch than god of wind.
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Cool Boss Moves is a new series where we share the tips, tricks, and strategies we stole from other great managers. This week: Be the volunteer.
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