Here is a real-life example of how to communicate effectively with your boss to get a response that solves your situation.
I remember going for a job interview in the mid-1970s for a position as a computer systems analyst. The interview with my soon-to-be boss lasted over an hour.
Near the end of that interview, I asked if I had the job. His answer was a joyful, extremely positive response. He said, “Do you think I would have spent a whole hour talking with you if I wasn’t going to hire you?”
That was the start of a wonderful career in a prestigious position at a major corporation.
My position involved analyzing and assessing problem areas in the computer system and related software programs. My time management quickly became an issue. I was overwhelmed by the huge number of tasks that needed attention.
I felt the need to let my boss know what was happening, but I didn’t want to sound like I was complaining or trying to eliminate the workload.
So, after thinking it over, I came up with a brilliant idea. I discovered an excellent way to tell my boss I had too much work, and it helped me control my workload.
The trick is to show your boss you have the right attitude. If you come across as complaining, you’re doing it wrong! The right way to approach your boss is to show you need help prioritizing your workload. That shows you are concerned about what’s most important.
Some people only think about how they are affected by being overworked and don’t consider their office manager’s understanding of the tasks.
The attitude of feeling victimized doesn’t leave room for a solution. However, you can achieve your desired results by showing your boss that you are open to hearing their feelings about the situation.
I had a lot of work with many assignments piling up because other company employees came to our department for support. We were the Systems Services Department for the corporate computer system.
I realized my boss may not have been aware of what other department personnel requested of me, and I knew it was crucial to let him know. Do you have a similar situation where your boss needs to know what work has been assigned to you by other managers in the company?
Even if your boss is the only one giving you the work directly, they may need to know how much time you require to complete all the tasks.
It’s not easy to deal with this kind of situation. You may feel that if you complain about it, your boss may think less of you. But that depends on how you come across when you speak about it.
An open attitude can go a long way to achieving your desired results. However, complaining about it will most likely fall on deaf ears, because you’re not the only one with a large workload.
Your situation may be different, but the following method will work in any event.
I thought about how to present my dilemma to my boss. I realized all I needed to do was level out my workload, with one task at a time. One might consider that “workload management.”
To achieve that, I needed to set priorities on each task. First, however, I knew I needed to discuss that with my boss.
I needed to present my dilemma in a way that made me look good. I needed to avoid coming across as complaining.
I went into my boss’s office and politely asked if I could speak with him. I explained that I had these various tasks assigned to me that I needed to get done.
I clearly outlined all the tasks, so he would know what they were. By describing them, I showed him that I had a proper awareness of the importance of each job.
I continued by saying I wanted to know what priority he felt I should give to each item. That was the clincher. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that way of speaking had strongly impacted his response.
His reaction was very positive. He was extremely pleased that I gave him the courtesy of letting him decide on the priority of each assignment.
I was trying to let him know I was overloaded with work without it sounding like a complaint. But because of the way I presented it to him, he knew I was considering his feelings on the matter.
The outcome was just what I needed. My boss told me what priority he preferred for each task. That allowed me to focus on only one thing at a time, with much less pressure and stress.
Doing one thing at a time, without worrying that I was not getting the other things done, was really helpful. The outcome was that I did each job better because I was able to concentrate on each task, one at a time.
There’s more to the story!
There was a rewarding side effect I hadn’t considered. I showed that I needed to know what was most crucial to complete first. That attitude helps when the time comes for a salary raise.
When the time came for my review, my boss reminded me about what I had done.
He said, “Do you remember when you asked me about the priority of your assignments?”
I didn’t know what he was going to say about that, and I cautiously answered, “Yes, I remember.”
He explained that my approach showed him I was considerate of how he felt about the order of importance.
Then he told me, “And you deserve the best raise I’m allowed to give you!”
The company had an established maximum pay range that managers needed to follow. However, my boss gave me a raise at the top end of that range. My method of communicating with him helped beyond my expectations!
You can do it too. Remember the key points:
Now you know how to communicate effectively with your boss to get a response that solves your situation.
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