Yes, Boss!
By Jyotin
The relationship between a boss and employee is a delicate one. And where the boss is unpredictable, this equation can be a sticky one. While the popular British serial, “Yes, Minister” gave a comic face to this relationship, real-life situations are never as hilarious, and are often more trying.

• Types of bosses
• Types of workers

TELL ME WHY

• Why can’t my boss realise how hard I work?
• Why do I have to explain things again and again to my staff?

Yes, Boss!
By Jyotin

The relationship between a boss and employee is a delicate one. And where the boss is unpredictable, this equation can be a sticky one. While the popular British serial, “Yes, Minister” gave a comic face to this relationship, real-life situations are never as hilarious, and are often more trying.

Being in the good books of a boss is essential to an employee’s career advancement. And coping with the mood swings and temperamental fluctuations of a boss is a challenge many employees are faced with. Some emerge winners. Others always remain in the boss’s bad books.

Basically, it is the specific dynamics of each workplace that determines what makes a boss happy and defines the cordiality (or lack of it) of the employer-employee relationship. Each employee, whether in the government, corporate or public sector, gains on-the-job knowledge of what his/her seniors expect of him\ her and what keeps them happy.

Stressing on the need to keep the boss happy, Ritesh Vaid, a junior executive in Ritco Travels, says, “I try to please my boss by achieving my targets on or before time and by raking in maximum profits for my organisation”, while Dr Bindu Singh, Assistant Medical Officer, Homoeopathic College, Chandigarh, opines, “My boss likes it if I treat my patients well and attend to my duties efficiently”. Sonia, an HES officer, echoes similar sentiments, “Job expertise, dynamism and punctuality are the key to keeping the boss happy.”

Easing the boss’s work pressure is quoted by Pushpinder Singh, Manager, Centurion Bank, as the first step towards good employer-employee ties. “ I am always actively shouldering my boss’s work. I take on extra work to lighten his load”.

Good, sincere work is another factor that keeps seniors smiling. Manorita, Manager, JT Airways and Travel Services, feels, “Being competent at one’s job and finishing assignments on time keeps the boss in good humour”.

But what if a boss rails and rants at an employee despite the best efforts he/she puts in? What if a boss blows his top off, seemingly without provocation?

Advises Sonia, “Diplomacy is the best policy when confronted with an angry or grumpy boss. Remain civil and composed when confronted with an irate senior”. Bindu is of the same view, “Try to understand the boss’s bad moods and practise tact at such times”.

“Luckily, my present boss is not even remotely difficult,” says Pushpinder. “But if a boss is being difficult it is best to maintain one’s cool. Understanding the pressures or problems of the boss can put volatile situations in a proper perspective”, he recommends.

Ritesh follows the same strategy. “Hear out the senior even if he is fuming. After he has blown off steam and normalcy returns, approach him again”. Kamla Khanna, who works in a LIC office, proffers similar pearls of wisdom, “Try to know your seniors’ nature. And avoid confrontation at all costs”.

But a bad mood is only one of the things a difficult boss can impose on his subordinates. What if a disgruntled senior imposes unreasonable targets on you, gives you unrealistic deadlines to meet, makes you do overtime and uses other pressure tactics?

“As long as the pressure put by the boss is positive i.e. good for the company’s growth and doesn’t sap the staff of their stamina, it is welcome. In my field the pressure could be to achieve maximum customer satisfaction or boost the bank’s growth rate’’, says Pushpinder. “In fact, I have performed well in times of stress by downplaying the tension and acting as a buffer between my seniors and juniors”, he says.

A head of department or company chairman can be a slave driver, giving his juniors a tough time and piling on extra work on them. “There are so many ways a boss can pressurise his staff — by calling sudden meetings, placing difficult deadlines, demanding overtime or sending them on unwarranted tours”, points out Sonia. “These situations can be dealt with by staying emotionally in control and charting out priorities, according to the urgency of the work”, she suggests.

Agrees Ritesh, “One’s office head can pass on unnecessary work or impose unremitting pressure of targets. This can put additional strain and stress on the workers’’. But he tries to maintain cordial relations with his seniors and colleagues to pre-empt any explosive situation.

In Bindu’s job, any fall in the patients’ strength or a spate of complaints from patients draws the ire of the boss. But, she maintains, “Fortunately, I face no work pressures from seniors”. Kamla adds laughingly, “In my job, there are days when there’s hardly any work but we simply have to look busy”.

The ground rules, thus, for the boss-junior relationship are: perform well, but if you have a boss who’s difficult or is volatile, simply steel your nerves and chant, “Yes, boss’’.

Types of bosses

Grumpy: Is usually in a sullen mood and smiles rarely. And you can do little to cheer him.

Gregarious: Is happy-go-lucky, friendly and chatty. And not many things can offend him.

Reticent: Quietly does his work and lets you do yours, is noninterfering, but it is difficult to know when he/she’s happy or unhappy with your work.

Responsive: Tries to know the employees needs and problems .He\ she interacts with the staff but also keeps a polite distance, when need be.

Types of workers

Cribbers: Always keep complaining about the workload. Difficult to get work out of them.

Plodders: They’re usually workaholics. They keep doing their work. May also take on others’ burden. Usually carry a martyr’s halo around them.

Grabbers: Great ones for grabbing plum assignments and credit for work that others may have done.

Performers: Can be depended on to deliver the goods. They’re dynamic and bold without being aggressive, and are willing to try out new ideas.

TELL ME WHY

Why can’t my boss realise how hard I work?

This might be due to lack of communication, objectivity and goal clarity.

The employee is certainly not working hard in the right direction if the boss is not realising it.

Is he working hard on the computer game or my worksheet.

The boss is always aware of an employee’s performance. May be he is looking for the right time to reward him for the same.

Well, the boss might not be having the right intrapersonal skills.

The ideas might not be flowing properly, in the right direction.

The bosses’ expectations are according to their own level of experience or knowledge, which is mostly higher than that of employees.

The style of working of the boss may be different from that of the employees.

Preeti Varma from Accord.