98 COSMOPOLITAN SEPTEMBER 2017 FOR MORE GREAT STORIES, VISIT COSMO.INwork
“First, try to figure
out why exactly is
she so busy,” says
Kim Scott, author
of Radical Candor:
Be A Kick-Ass Boss
Without LosingHow to
Work
Your Boss
Outsmarting the HBIC is no small feat
(and potentially effing it up can make
you an angsty mess). Read on for
four ways to pull it off.Astoldto^JUDITH OHIKUAREYour Humanity,
“then offer to tackle
some of her work,
which will also help
you learn—it’s a
win-win.” When you
do get a one-on-
one meeting, cut
to the chase and
be prepared. If, for
example, you bring
up a problem, be
ready with three
possible solutions.Deploy the same
efficiency over
e-mail, editing them
down to a sentence
or two. “If your
boss is reading long
e-mails, she won’t
have time to sit with
you and talk about
your career and your
goals,” says Kim.
“If you maintain
a productive
relationship withher, she’s more likely
to invest in you.”If your manager
always assigns
the most exciting
projects to other
people, it’s
normal to feel
underappreciated or
left out—whether
or not she’s doing
it intentionally.
Start by making
sure she knows the
value of your work.
Crush your tasks,
and don’t be shy
about touting your
results. Still stuck?
Ask for ways you can
improve, or for her
thoughts on your
efforts. Say, ‘I’ve
noticed that Tia gets
great opportunities,
and I’d love to
understand how
I can get similar
assignments.’
Inviting a
performance review
is really just another
way of proactively
asking for help—
and people typically
respond well to that,
says Kim.“Sometimes
your boss is justdesperate,” says
Kim, “and it doesn’t
hurt to help out in
a pinch.” But unless
your job title is
personal assistant,
you need to set
boundaries. Next
time she asks you
to help with her
kid’s school project,
“Say, ‘Okay, but
then [insert pivotal
task here] won’t get
done’,” suggests
Kim. Stressing
your work priorities
will remind her of
your actual duties.
If she continues
to treat you like a
TaskRabbit, it may
be time to look for a
new gig.In the moment,
stay calm: don’t
look scared or get
defensive. Later,
instead of sh*t-
talking your boss,
ask her to elaborate
(in private) on what
was said. “Embrace
constructive
criticism,” says Kim.
“If you treat it as a
gift, you will grow
and improve.” Try
to agree with at least
one point—that
will make your boss
more amenable
when you say, ‘This
is so helpful. Can
we talk again the
next time you have
feedback?’ n‘MY BOSS
PLAYS
FAVOURITES’‘MY BOSS MAKES
ME RUN HER
PERSONAL
ERRANDS’‘MY BOSS
CRITICISES ME
IN FRONT OF MY
CO-WORKERS’‘MY BOSS
HAS NO TIME
FOR ME’