If you’re dealing with daily conflicts with your manager, it’s likely you end every weekend with the Sunday Scaries and spend your lunch breaks job hunting. Unfortunately, over half of the world’s workforce leaves their job because of a poor relationship with their manager. But instead of getting anxious about the next interaction and thinking about your next move, you spend time investing in your relationship with your manager instead? If you like your job, this is a much more viable answer to your current problem.
One of the top reasons people don’t work well with their managers is a struggle to communicate effectively. So today, we’re sharing some tips and tricks that you can implement to grow as a person and a team.
4 Ways to Use Communication Skills to Mend Managerial Relationships
So, how can you improve communication with your manager – and management, in general – to overcome and achieve longer tenure? This comes with respect, promotions, and more meaning in your work. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated if you implement a few of the following tips.Tailor Your Outreach
How does your manager prefer to connect with the team? If they seem to hate Zoom calls, don’t ask for a Zoom call on a Friday afternoon for a question or two. Instead, send an email and allow them to take action from there.
Similarly, if you know that they prefer detailed updates, don’t send a one-line text offering a project update. Instead, schedule a call to review or develop a report template that you can send weekly, covering all the questions they typically want answers to.
If your team has done any assessments, such as Myers-Briggs or DiSC, and are open to sharing some of the results, use those learnings to tailor your communication style to their style.
Receive Feedback Willingly with an Open Mind
Self-awareness is tough, but it’s critical to grow both as an employee and as a person. When your boss comes to you with feedback, let them talk and actively listen. Formulate questions about your performance that can help provide more clarity from their feedback with actionable steps for you to take moving forward. It’s easy to get defensive when you feel like your work ethic is being attacked, but in most cases, work isn’t personal. Your manager wants everyone to succeed, so take what they’re saying into consideration and be sure to thank them for taking the time to share the feedback with you!
Even better, if they don’t provide you with feedback, ask for it!
Get to Know Them
Your boss is human too. Who knows, maybe you even have some things in common in your personal life that could make working together more enjoyable! Don’t get too personal at first. Let them come to you with simple opening questions like, “How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?” You can leave it up to them to continue the conversation. Maybe you’ll spark a new connection that can mend your differences somehow!Offer to Take on Greater Responsibility
Part of the reason your boss is always short with you may be that they’re bogged down and in the weeds? If you’re not struggling to get work done and want a greater opportunity to prove yourself and build trust, take the initiative to ask them if there is anything you can take off their plate.Develop Your Communication Skills & Rebuild Interpersonal Relationships for Success
At first, this can feel like a daunting initiative, but you’ve got this. These communications strategies will be invaluable in your current role and for whatever the future brings for your career. If it’s feeling like a lot to manage, learn, and execute on your own, it may be time to consider enrolling in a program like NimblyWise’s Real-Time Learning program. Our team works with professionals at all levels to develop practical workplace communication skills while also tackling challenges in real-time.
Investing in your soft skill development will help jump-start your career, regardless of where your next step takes you. Let’s talk!
