How Joel Told His Boss He Was Wrong
Joel has only been working in a metal shop for 20 months. It's the first real, timed job he’s had, with a boss, withholding, regular work hours, etc. He has a good relationship with his boss, but his boss has been in the industry over forty years and doesn’t think he has much to learn from someone who is so new. It doesn’t help Joel’s credibility that Joel is 17 years old.
Joel struggled to be tactful while explaining to his boss that there's a better way to do things. He found it incredibly frustrating to spend 45 minutes machining a part that he knew could be done in 15 if done his way.
Joel always heard his boss out because he knows his boss had more experience than he does. Sometimes he did pick up information and ideas he didn’t know. But often Joel was left feeling unheard and believing his way was faster.
This left Joel with the age-old question…how can he tell his boss he is wrong?
The obvious answer to the question was: carefully.
The less obvious answer was: he doesn’t tell him he’s wrong. Instead, Joel needs to bypass the question of right and wrong and change the conversation into one of learning, preferences and options.
How Joel Approached His Boss
Joel reflected on what he needed to communicate when he addressed the issue with his boss. He wanted to acknowledge:
1. His boss’ authority.
2. His appreciation for what he learns from his boss.
3. His desire to bounce his ideas off his boss and have it considered.
Joel kept these things in mind when he addressed the issue with his boss. He said,
• Boss, can I talk to you for a few minutes?
• Boss, sometimes I think I’ve uncovered a faster way to do things, and I’d like to be able to run my ideas past you to see if I’m right, and if I’m not, why not. That way, if I’m on to something, we can increase productivity, and if I’m missing something, I can learn from you. You know so much, and I’d like to be able to draw from your expertise. Could we try that?
The boss was open to the idea, but there was still some resistance the first time Joel challenged the boss’ directive. He said,
• That way works, but I’m thinking we could even improve on that if we…(Note the use of the word “we”.)
The boss replied, “This is the best way.”
To which Joel replied,
• You’re probably right, but I’d sure appreciate your help showing me why and where my approach falls short.
Joel’s boss offered a few lame criticisms, but couldn’t find anything substantial. Joel considered his comments and said,
·
• Those are good considerations, but I’m thinking this new approach still has merit. Are you okay with me doing it the new way?
The boss was, and ever since then, Joel was able to get the boss to listen to his ideas.
Your Boss Need to Hear From You
While all bosses are different, most managers want to hear about it when they’re about to make a mistake or there’s a better way to do things How you communicate will make the difference between your words being taken as welcome information or insubordination.
Related Article
For a related article, read: How to Tell the Boss He’s Wrong: the Dos, the Don’ts and the PowerPhrases to Give Feedback Up the Ladder http://www.speakstrong.com/articles/Howtotellthebossheswrong.html
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Meryl Runion and Speak Strong (SpeakStrong) provides Power Phrases (PowerPhrases) and other tools to help you improve communication skills at work and at home.
She is the author of the books PowerPhrases!, How to Use PowerPhrases, Perfect Phrases for Managers and Supervisors and How to Say It: Performance Reviews. She can be reached at 719-684-2633 or by email:
