Two critical skills which the highest performing managers
have in spades are the ability to influence and persuade.
The most obvious targets for your powers of persuasion are
your team, and sometimes your peers in different
departments; but just as you need to manage down or
sideways , it's also critical you know how to manage
upwards.

Do it well, and you'll shine. Do it badly and you could
muddy your reputation and find yourself being passed over
for advancement.

To help you make the right impression, here are four simple
rules to remember, which will move you in the right
direction.

1. Find out what the expectations are - and exceed them.
Sounds obvious and simple - yet in my experience it's
neither! Try to answer the following questions:

Do you actually know what your manager's top priorities are?

How clear are you about the order of priority your manager
has for each area of your performance? How clear do you
think your manager is about his/her expectations of you?

Sometimes expectations are written - but more often than
not, they are unwritten expectations, which your boss may
never have really clearly articulated to themselves, let
alone you!

Put it this way - if you don't know for sure what will
score you top points with this individual, you may find
yourself chasing down the wrong rabbit hole.

And this is NOT about currying favour, or ingratiating
yourself. This is about having a clear understanding on
both sides about what is important, so you both know and
agree where you should focus most of your time and
attention. It actually makes your job easier.

So - if you don't know the answers to the questions above -
make a date in your diary to discuss this with your boss!
(And before you actually have that meeting, make sure you
read technique 4!)

2. Anticipate and address a boss' concerns The trick here
is a technique from what we call Neuro-Linguistic
Programming (NLP) and is about being able to see the
different "perceptual positions" around an issue. Put
simply this means seeing something through someone else's
eyes, so you understand their thoughts, feelings, worries
and perspectives.

An obvious way is to ask them! And we'd definitely
encourage you to fnd the right opportunities to do just
that. However, sometimes there's neither time, nor is it
appropriate. So what do you do then? You put yourself in
their shoes. And when we say in their shoes - we mean
wearing their shoes and looking through their eyes! This is
not how you would feel in their shoes. You're not them!

So, this is easier said than done. But here's a few killer
questions to ask yourself:

What will my boss be anxious about?

What do his bosses expect of him?

How does what I do to help him/her look good?

If I/we do "x", what might he/she be concerned about?

By answering these questions you'll be much clearer about
what you need to do to both pre-empt and address their
concerns. It also significantly increases their perception
you really understand where they are coming from, which in
turn significantly strengthens the trust and relationship
between you.

3. Consistently look for ways to add value. This is a
really simple rule. Bosses are more likely to listen if you
speak in "can-do" language, and you are organised, and
sound enthusiastic and eager to deliver results.

Look ahead when discussing a project, rather than dwelling
on what's already occurred. Follow through on promises. And
adopt a "no-excuses" policy. Failing to produce results
almost guarantees a boss will doubt your abilities. So, if
you haven't quite achieved what you set out to do - rather
than saying what you've not been able to do, start with
what you have achieved; be specific about what barriers
there were, and summarise your plans to get back on track.

Your boss has pressures of his own. Don't add to them.

4. Know your style - and know their style; and adapt your
behaviour to suit their preferences. A great analogy from
relationship expert Shay McConnon is that of the "hot
chilli trap". What is this? It's when someone assumes that,
because they love hot chilli, everyone else does too!
Patently, some people do not like hot chilli!

If you're in a foreign country you at least attempt to
learn "please" and "thank you" in their language and show
respect for their customs. It's just courtesy. You adapt
your own behaviour to show respect for the differences of
perception.

To assume, because we speak the same language, we see
things in the same way - is quite clearly erroneous, yet
we still persist in believing the mantra "treat others as
you'd like to be treated."

Absolutely not! Treat others as they would like to be
treated.

So what does this mean for you in your relationship with
your boss? It means the more you get to understand their
style and preferences, and tweak your style to match, the
more likely they are to warm towards you. If you lean
towards an eye for detail and precision, but your boss just
wants the big picture - give it that way. What is their
biggest strength? Capitalise on it. What is their central
goal? How can you assist? If they are extroverts who like
to talk through ideas, provide that opportunity. If they
are introverts who like to be able to read through
something, and ponder it first, present your proposals in a
way which will help them assimilate the information and ask
questions.

Respect how they like to be treated.

And what if they don't show the same trespect for you?
Well, that's a subject for another article!

----------------------------------------------------
Shona Garner is an experienced Executive and Business
Coach, specialising in helping managers build top
performing teams, and increase their own standing in the
organisation.
For a straight talking, practical guide to the top four
secrets of every outstanding manager, visit
http://www.increasingmanagerialsuccess.com/freereport.php

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