As a recent graduate or someone new to the professional work environment, you might find getting your boss to ‘hear’ you challenging. This article is about just that. Getting your boss to ‘agree’ with you is a topic for another time. If this is your first professional job after school, there are significant differences between the world of work and the world of education. Like teachers, supervisors have their own unique supervision styles. (if you want to learn about supervision styles, contact me for a discussion.)  

‘My boss is always busy. I don’t know what she expects from me, whether I’m doing a good job, and whether she is happy with me and my work. She only smiles and says, ‘You’ll know if I’m unhappy.’  In a prior job, my boss provided step-by-step directions, and in school, there were frequent and clear benchmarks to guide me.

Transitioning from a student to a professional environment can be challenging. 

Ask yourself if your expectations are realistic. Are you hoping for a raise or promotion too soon (they are different)? Do you want a few days off to take a trip? Can you consult the written company policies and procedures? Are your expectations realistic? 

Here are 4 tips for communicating with your boss: 

1. Schedule a dedicated 15-30 minute meeting to review your performance and the supervisor’s expectations. Avoid grabbing her attention as she passes. Scheduling is usually accomplished through the boss’ calendar. Indicate that you’re looking for feedback to help you do a great job. 
2. Be specific: Write an agenda for the meeting to be sure you both know what to cover and use it for reference in case your anxiety is high. Take notes during the meeting and summarize the meeting in a follow-up email. My word of advice – use pen and paper, not digital!  (I’d be happy to elaborate on this if you contact me 😉  
3. Monitor your speech: Avoid ‘you’ and use ‘I’ statements. For example, ‘I am confused about’ not ‘you are confusing.’  Try ‘I am ready for more assignments’ not ‘I don’t have enough work to do.’  Speak in a clear, calm voice and avoid up-speak. If you worry that you may come across as aggressive or passive, contact me – I’m great at coaching for assertive communication. 
4. Last, do not go above your boss’s head, even though the company president says, ‘My door is always open.’   

These suggestions and tips are for USA Americans. If you and your boss are from different national cultures, a different approach may be better. Contact me. I specialize in cultures at work.