Posted on: Monday, August 6, 2007
Managing a high-maintenance boss
By Andrea Kay
They get more done in a day than most people accomplish in a year. They're brimming with ideas, charismatic, relentless in achieving goals, focused on the task and direct about how they want it done. They are your high-maintenance folks.
Companies need them because the words "can't do" aren't part of their vocabulary, says Katherine Graham Leviss, author of "High-Maintenance Employees."
The problem is that people who work for them may, well, find them a bit challenging. After all, these high-maintenance folks also are emotional and intense and can be, at times, confrontational, demanding, impatient and blunt.
Also, despite their charisma, they aren't people-oriented, says Leviss. And their lack of attention to social interaction often turns into an obstacle because they usually need to work through others to get results.
By high maintenance, Leviss means they take more effort to manage and there's a greater risk that they will fail in a big way. But they are also the visionaries and creative problems solvers who lead companies to make innovative changes, improve things and produce results. So smart companies should always look for high-maintenance employees.
But what if you work for one? Leviss offers these tips to help you convey your ideas and get along with your high-maintenance boss:
Get clues on your boss' mood. Know that the more stress or pressure they're under, the less likely they are to chitchat. So don't be thrown if one day, your boss wants to shoot the breeze and the next day, he's short and intense. Let your boss give you clues he's in the mood to chat or not.
Deliver on time. High-maintenance bosses don't want to be slowed down by missed deadlines. They also want to get to the finish line, so they don't like listening to a lot of counterarguments, says Leviss. If you have suggestions, keep them brief and in order of most important to least important, and state them as benefits or results.
Give only essential details. High-maintenance bosses like to learn, but mostly want to take practical approaches using information they learned. They want to know "exactly what they need to know, when they need it and then they want to move on," says Leviss. So don't bog them down with detail when presenting ideas or reports. Always begin with how the idea will benefit the company, the goal and the customers. Then get into relevant specifics.
Don't surprise your boss. These types of bosses are very sensitive about being kept informed about what they should know. "It has to do with their need to be prepared and stay two steps ahead of everyone else about what is going on," says Leviss. So over-communicate with your high-maintenance boss. Share information that helps them see the big picture.
Show your loyalty. They tend to commit themselves completely to what they do. They appreciate and want the same from you and will be loyal in return. Keep your boss informed so she can stay on top of things. Bring solutions to problems and new ideas to your boss first. Do what you say you're going to do by when you say you will do it.
Approach your boss with solutions. These types of bosses have high standards but also tolerate mistakes. If you make one, be prepared to discuss solutions to fix it. Without ideas, options and solutions, this boss will view communicating as a waste of time, says Leviss.
High-maintenance bosses can be challenging, but if you learn how to work effectively with one and not take their intensity and directness personally, you'll grow and learn a lot.
E-mail Andrea Kay at andrea@andreakay.com.
