Getting away from the office may be an advantage: there will
be no interruptions and your boss is less likely to call in the
henchman, so you will not have to persuade two people at
once. (Picking them off one at a time is much more likely to
be successful.) Beware of the ‘abominable no-man’. Most
organizations have at least one – often the head of finance.
They no doubt perform a useful role, but keep them out of
your way if you can.
■ Decide whether you want support. You may be able to make
a better case on a one-to-one basis. There is a lot to be said for
standing firmly on your own two feet.
■ Don’t go in for open confrontation if you cannot get your
own way at first. Get agreement on the points your boss is
prepared to agree, and then turn to the problem areas.
Impress upon your boss that you want the two of you to
cover every possible angle. Emphasize joint responsibility.
■ Leave them an escape route – a way open to consent without
their having to climb down. Don’t beat them into the ground
- you might win this one but what about the next time?
■ Don’t overwhelm them with your ideas. Don’t expect to
achieve everything at once. Tackle one important thing at a
time. Keep it simple. If you come up against a strong objec-
tion, don’t fight it for too long. Survive to fight another day.
This does not mean that you should not argue your case
strongly, but that you should avoid giving the impression of
being pig-headed.
■ Keep in reserve alternative proposals or modifications to
your original idea to use if you are getting nowhere.
■ If bosses come up with a better idea than yours, recognize
and accept it. Everybody likes recognition. There is no need
to flatter them. You are only reacting to them the way you
would like them to react to you.
■ If you can’t convince your boss first time, remember they are
the boss. Bosses make the ultimate decisions. If they says,
‘That’s the way it’s going to be’, you may have to accept it. In
the end your boss could say to you, ‘We’re in a two-horse
race and only one can win, and that’s going to be me.’ But
you don’t have to give up completely. Watch for any signs
that your boss might be prepared to change their mind –
given time and a revision to your argument or proposal.
Don’t nag. If you press too hard they will become stubborn
and begin to think you are challenging their authority and
How to Manage Your Boss 139