Good and clean communication with your boss will make your life simpler. Piya Mukherjee tells you how.

Scenario 1: Five months into her new job as executive with an MNC, the usually exuberant Nandini looks a bit subdued. Her boss refuses to set targets clearly, yet berates her at the monthly meetings for failing to perform as per the expected standards. She has requested him to clearly communicate the guidelines, but he says he will not “spoon-feed”.

She wonders if he harbours a bias against her age, gender and perhaps, her MBA degree. Nandini’s motivation levels are low and so is her productivity.

Scenario 2: Anjali, a client liaison manager with a leading financial services company, is upset about her boss frequently checking on her clients without involving her in the discussions. When asked about this the boss claims it is part of her job to keep tabs on Anjali’s work. Yet, from the feedback received from department heads, Anjali knows her work often goes unacknowledged; her boss usurps credit for several deals. She is contemplating a move.

Where Do You Stand?
Who doesn’t understand the criticality of communication between a boss and a subordinate? Quality performance and team work, to a large extent, depend on good communication. The following questions will help you spot problems and hint at solutions too.

* Does your boss give you regular and constructive feedback on your performance? Is negative feedback accompanied by suggestions for improvement?

* If faced with a workplace problem, are you able to approach your boss for advice without hesitation?

* Are you clearly told what is expected of you — in qualitative as well as quantitative terms? For example, are sales targets clarified in aggregate monetary terms as well as customer volume terms?

* If your boss and you don’t see eye-to-eye over an issue, are you given a chance to present your side of the case?

* Does your boss encourage you to speak to top management during occasional meetings? Are you given credit for your projects?

If your answer was ‘No’ to any of these questions, it indicates faulty communication.

Why Is She Doing That?
When the boss shirks frank communication, the most common reasons are:

*Insecurity about work abilities. It often leads to power struggles, with the senior refusing to part with the much-needed information to the junior, to prove her ‘superiority’.

* Subscription to the ‘school of hard knocks’ theory. The boss self-righteously believes that hard experience is the best teacher and leaves the junior protégé to sink or swim, refusing to clarify or discuss issues.

* Low confidence in one’s communication skills.

* Resentment over salaries and designations of new recruits, especially when young managers are hired from business school campuses to work with senior executives.

* Private fears about adjusting to new technologies at work, coupled with age, gender, community or region-related attitudes.


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