Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Remember when they used to say women can never understand men and men can never understand women as women are from Venus and men are from Mars? Well, apparently Bosses are from Pluto and employees are from Earth.
More often than not, you will have to think ahead and anticipate what your boss will say or react to things you have done, or the half of the time, things you have not done, or done well. Well they expect you to know or read what's on their mind, failing which, only you will suffer the consequences. If you ever gave them the bewildered or blur look, thinking what wrong you did to deserve this, or worse what has this got to do with me, you will be in for a longer "discussion", a discussion that only involves you talking 10 percent of the time. During that 10 percent, you will only say a few simple things which usually sounds like "Yes.... Yes... No, I don't think...... But..... Ok... Ok... Ok..." Bottom line, always end POSITIVE. The longer you drag your NOs and BUTs, the longer you will see the horizon of the conversation. Not that I am saying they are always right, I am saying that in their mind, they ARE right. Theres no always, they are just right. Well to be more sympathetic towards them, every human being begins a conversation thinking they are right including me. Just that as the conversation progresses, the weighing scale seems to tip over to the other side when its between a boss and an employee. For my case, it tips over at a very fast pace. Nowadays, I just say yes 3 times and nod my head 5 times. Trying to look attentive to what they say helps alot.
What I have learn for the past year of what bosses really meant:
1. If its not too much trouble, can you help me to get this done?
This means if it doesnt cost you a trip to the moon and back, get it done.
2. Do you understand what I mean?
This means after explaining to you, they themselves understand 70 percent of what they said. The remaining 30 they expect you to know what they meant or what they are thinking. This often results in "I thought you said that... Did I? I said...." So if you don't understand pls clarify, dun act smart, dun assume.
3. Do you think there is a problem in this?
There is no think. There IS a problem. And what are you waiting for? Waiting for me?Go solve it.
4. " ? "
This universal symbol might only happen in my office emails. Its short and sweet, no extra alphaberts and open to imagination. But please, when your boss forward you an email with only a " ? ", it means trouble. It means all of the above. It doesn't take a trip to the moon to do this, what are you waiting for? Why wasn't this done? Don't you foresee the problem? Why cant you just understand? Pls get it done and revert to me. I mean NOW.
5. If you want, you might want to add...
Its not if you want. Its you must. I just said that in a nice way so you can exercise some thinking power and decision making. Obviously there is only one decision.
Lastly I wana add I did not write this entry coz I am having a bad time at work. I mean work is work. Work is sian for most of us, and we do endure downs period in our work life. We should seek to understand why boss behave in certain ways. They were like us before.... But just like Pluto used to be a planet like Earth, its no longer a planet. So it merely forgot whats a planet's life is like.