Why You Should Learn What Matters to your Manager

You know your manager has their own manager, or at least someone higher up in the business that they report to. But have you ever considered how this person assesses your manager or decides whether or not they are doing a good job? Few people ever think about this. Without this information, you can’t be sure how to do a good job for your manager or make a good impression. This is why you should simply ask your manager about how their performance is measured or reviewed. Asking is better than making assumptions.

Look out for the occasions when your manager has impressed whoever they report to. Find out what they’ve done to make this good impression. This provides several benefits:  

  • You can make sure that your work helps your manager to impress their manager. This is good for both of you. If you help your manager do their job well, they will appreciate you as an employee and will come to know you as someone they can rely on. This will earn their respect and encourage a good working relationship. Having a good relationship with your manager will pay off because it means you will enjoy your job more, and you will also have more opportunities for promotion. 
  • Knowing how your department’s success is measured helps you to prioritize your tasks more effectively. If you don’t know what the goals are, you will not know which tasks to focus your time and energy on. However, by observing your manager and their style of work, you can learn to focus your efforts on the right things and do your best for the whole department.  
  • When you and your manager are working together to achieve what’s best for the whole department, you feel you’re playing on the same team. A sense of teamwork is never a bad thing in the office. If you all have the same goals and priorities, you will feel as if the job is much more manageable. 

 

Topic: Sweet Teams Are Made Of This