“No surprises” is always a good policy when it comes to your relationship with your boss. Plus, you want to make sure both of you are on the same page, and that you benefit from the good advice he or she may provide. And if you are in a regional office, this kind of regular updating is essential to make sure “out of sight” is not “out of mind”.
There’s no better time than the start of the year to make sure your boss knows what you are focused on doing this year to advance the organization and your team. Do it properly – have a focused session to talk them through your plans. That way, there will be no surprises.
Think of this like being an entrepreneur with a Board of Directors. Your boss is the Chairman of the Board, and it’s your duty to keep him or her in the know. How else will they know enough to properly advocate for you? It’s definitely good for your career.
One of my direct reports, Joan (not her real name) would set up a meeting with me 2-3 times a year to walk me through her update for her region.
These 30-minute sessions turned out to be good for Joan’s career: I got to see her in action being strategic, understood exactly what her game plan was as well as her progress toward it, and also got to know her better as an individual.
And when the division had asked about Joan’s region, I had the key points at my fingertips, which made me look on top of things and gave me enough information to be able to advocate for Joan too.
Set up a time to meet with your boss in the coming week for this “no surprises” session.
When you meet, keep the materials to the bare minimum (just 1-3 pages – “short and sweet” as we used to say; you might want to send this ahead of time), use the opportunity to confirm that your boss is supportive, and see if he or she has any suggestions.
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May is an executive coach, speaker, advisor, and author of the #1 international bestseller VISIBLE: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul, or Working Yourself into the Ground. She’s a seasoned business executive with a passion for helping leaders be the best they can be.
As an executive coach and mentor, May brings 24 years of front-line corporate experience and expertise, most recently as COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, to help professionals overcome (often hidden) obstacles, advance to the next level in their careers and reach their full potential.
