How To Effectively Communicate With Your Boss

Everyone has a boss. Even if you are in business on your own, someone is out there plucking the puppet strings of your career.

I work with a myriad of people who have incredible success and terrible issues with their boss. Some bosses are insane, some are saints, some are psychotic, and some are surprisingly normal.

One area I find where most people begin to see the cracks appear in their relationship concerns how they communicate with their boss.

Healthy, regular communication will always ameliorate any potential situation, ensure problems are addressed, and steps are taken in a reasonable amount of time.

Things go wrong when people forget two-way communication resembles a tug-of-war with a huge rope. When one side doesn't communicate and pulls away, the other side needs to fill the void, take up the slack, and increase their communication.

So how do you do it? Here are some simple rules:

1. Regular — get it on their calendar; meet with them to discuss what's happening.
2. Short — make it a 10-15 minute meeting; the shorter, the better — focus on the tactical.
3. Stick to business — cover what you're working on and discuss next steps. Use an update sheet (1 page) to document what is discussed.

Here's a great template I suggest to all of my clients (Rule: Only 1 Page):

Accomplishments (from last week):

• Accomplishment 1 (keep each bullet point short)
• Accomplishment 2 (keep it less than 5-7 words)
• Accomplishment 3 (easy to scan)

Projects for this week:

• Project 1 (projects to be completed this week)
• Project 2
• Project 3

Strategic Calendar (in the near future):

• Project - Due Date (must have due dates)
• Project - Due Date
• Project - Due Date

Concerns & Issues:

• Issue 1 (talk about obstacles)
• Issue 2 (come with solutions)
• Issue 3

This template allows you to document your progress and ensure there are no crossed expectations about what you do and what your boss wants you to do. In addition, when you have 52 of these sheets in a binder, reviews go so much easier because you have a syllabus of accomplishments to choose from.

If you meet regularly with your boss (say weekly) for 10-15 minutes and use the recommended template, your relationship will strengthen and soar.

What do you use to update your boss (or clients) on your progress?