Manage your manager

When was the last time you asked your manager for something? They’re not just there to give you orders and make your life a misery, you know? OK, so there are lots of good managers out there. I’ve been lucky enough to work with managers who have, for the most part, been supportive of my personal development needs. I shouldn’t really refer to it as luck, although, of course, there has been an element of luck involved. I prefer to think that I’ve selected my managers, and in a way, I have. I might not have recruited them to their positions but I certainly vetted there suitability during my own interview. I’ve turned down a number of roles because I thought it would be difficult to work with the person interviewing me. But what if your manager wasn’t at your interview? That is when you must take responsibility to, as an ex-colleague of mine used to say, ‘manage your manager’. Managing your manager involves making sure they know what you expect of them, in order to make your job easier and more rewarding. This is why you must keep asking for support and ideally explain how that support will benefit you and their team as a whole. Even good managers need reminding at times, especially if they have a busy schedule. Poor managers won’t be aware of your needs and may even be reluctant to support them, if they don’t understand the benefits. You may think you have a poor manager but don’t forget your role in the relationship and what you can do about it. However, if can truly say that you’ve tried your best and things still aren’t improving, perhaps it’s time to Update your CV.