Helping Your Boss Get Better

An item in Sales & Marketing ManagementI suggest not taking this at face value. Time to
Magazine really caught my eye one day, not soset things right! Though a sad reality has brought
much for what it actually said but for what ityou to this fate, you're by no means doomed to
COULD have said. In a report on readerit. Though everyone else may be suffering, how
responses to a survey about the performancesabout you taking some action? Only YOU can help
of their bosses and their bosses' skill levels, theyour boss get his or her job done. And yes, I
magazine stated: "While respondents gave theirknow, I know: We've been conditioned to think of
managers high ratings in the areas of selling andourselves as "lower" than our bosses and certainly
personal skills, they gave poor marks for theirnot responsible for helping them figure out how to
management skills. More than 33% rated theirdo their jobs. Why should we, after all? Aren't
managers at less than 50 (on a scale of 100) inthey're getting paid more than we are to know
terms of capability."what to do.
Our first reaction to such a commentary mightThe hard reality though is this: If we do NOT help
be, "Gee whiz, what a mess! Those respondentsour bosses, we lose too. In fact, everybody goes
have it rough. Why doesn't somebody whip thesedown with the ship, together... there will be no
ill-gotten, nudnik managers into shape?" But asurvivors.
more effective reaction to such distressing newsSo ask yourself these questions: What advice
might more likely be found by activating acould you offer your manager? Are there
less-conventional approach.resources you could locate that would help
While true that these respondents' companiescurrent and future projects succeed? How could
ought to be packing their managers away to ateamwork in your department run smoother,
good old-fashioned management-skills trainingobjectives become sharper, paperwork and
program, one thing is nonetheless for certain: nobusywork decrease?
matter how much we advocate such actionsNext step two: How could you (carefully,
here, most companies still will not do so. Nevercourteously, subtly) communicate what it is that
have, never will. Instead, most managers will beyou do so as to augment your boss's skill gaps?
left to struggle along, alone.Can you help him learns from your efforts,
It unfortunately has always seemed to be theabsorb insights, acquire the skill of performing
prevailing practice at too many companies tosuch tasks himself?
promote an individual to management becauseThe trick here is to seek out ways to eradicate
she/he has been sensational at somethingthat old devil "hierarchy snobbery," ringing
else--high-scoring sales rep, great-with-people HRconstantly in your head (and mine). Instead, get
practitioner, financial whiz kid. On becoming aon with the business of making everyone around
manager, however, it's assumed that the title andyou-- boss and colleague-- look stellar. For you
increased salary was all the higher-ups needed topersonally, this sort of behavior will develop your
do. You've got the job, goes the message, nowown management skills and likely display you as
go take charge and just do it. Poof! You're aan ace performer, propelling your own climb up
manager... now you're different.the management staircase. When you get there,
Is this how it happened to YOUR manager/boss,as a bonus, you may not be in dire need of similar
or even to you? If so, where does that leavehelp or skills catch-up, as scads of others before
you both? Wallowing in chads of inexperience andyou have needed. By reaching out to help your
skills deficiencies, I'll wager.boss, you'll be training yourself.