How Joel Told His Boss He Was Wrong

            

Joel had only been working in a certain metal shop for 20 months. It's the first real, punch-the-clock job he’s had...one with a boss, withholdings, 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 but 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 minutes, if done his way.

Joel always dutifully heard his boss out, because he knew his boss had more experience than he did. Sometimes, he picked up information and ideas that he didn’t know. But often Joel was left feeling unheard and believing his way was better.

This left Joel with the age-old question…how could he tell his boss he was wrong?

The obvious answer to this question was: very 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. Joel 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 Needs 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.


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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. You can read more about her at www.speakstrong.com.

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