Leading Up

Source: Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders

This blog post features a video from Bruce Tulgan discussing the issue of bosses who do not manage their own time and energy well. Here is an overview of Tulgan's suggestions.

If your boss wastes time by talking too much about non-work subjects:

1. Talk about work.
2. If the subject moves away from work, stop contributing to the conversation.
3. When there's a pause in the conversation, steer the conversation back to work.
4. Start taking notes when that boss starts talking to you.
5. If steps 1-4 are ineffective, go ahead and say that you are short on time and need to get back to work.

If one-on-one meetings with your boss consistently take too much time:

1. Use an agenda to help focus your meetings on necessary issues.
2. Pass along the agenda prior to meetings.
3. In order to end meetings on time, initiate a wrap-up conversation about your follow-up action steps, and decide when and where you will meet for your next one-on-one.

If your boss wants to meet with you too often:

1. Work quickly to build your own track record of fulfilled commitments.
2. Be willing to meet as often as your boss wants, but establish clear goals for what you will accomplish by the next one-on-one.
3. Carefully document your accomplishments. Over time, set longer-term goals, documenting your accomplishments of those goals as well.
4. As you demonstrate your competence and responsibility, hopefully it will be evident to your boss that you don't need to meet as often.

For the complete post, read “What If It's the Boss Who Talks Too Much and Wastes Time?”

From Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders, the blog of Rita Keller, president of Keller Advisors, LLC, [email protected], December 1, 2011. Visit http://ritakeller.com/blog/.