Q & A Table of Contents
How Can I Communicate Better With The Boss?
From: John, Trinidad & Tobago
Question: Unknown to me, I was hired by a company for "office" political reasons. The person who hired me, the then CEO, is no longer with the company. Although I have proven myself workwise, I am having some problems communicating with the new CEO who is also the executive chairman. What negotiation tips can you offer to make for better communications?
Response: While it is a bit risky to make assumptions based on your question, It sounds as if you do have reasonably frequent contact with the CEO in the normal course of business.
In order to establish good communications with the CEO, you need to think about the issues s/he might find interesting or important that relate to your job. In addition, it could make a great deal of sense to try to learn what other interests they have -- at work or in their personal lives -- about which you can have conversations. You may want to talk with other folks at work to learn more about the CEO so that when the opportunity arises you can ask him/her questions that give him/her an opportunity to discuss things s/he finds interesting.
People like to be listened to. They generally find it rewarding to find people who pay attention to them, rather than focusing on themselves. Thus, the CEO is more likely to be interested in having you listen to him/her than being asked to give you an evaluation of your work.
Good luck with this;
Steve
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