Blog 68:  How do I manage multiple expectations from a range of others – superiors, colleagues and subordinates?  PART 2:  Having a clarifying conversation with your boss.

This blog is targeted at those who are struggling with conflicting expectations in their workplace.  Who else feels like this at work?

• This isn’t even my job, why am I doing it?
• I keep being pulled away from my ‘real job’ and feel I can’t achieve there.
• Why am I travelling to Timbuktoo for this presentation?  It’s Jim’s role.

Part 1 of this blog series on clarifying expectations had you look at your role descriptions and have non defensive conversations with both some of your colleagues and the staff you supervise.  Hopefully now you have a clearer view of your role and some of its history.

So now it’s time for a conversation with your supervisor. But first, make sure you’re clear on your outcomes.  What are the numbers the organisation and my supervisor expect of me? Notice the way i am trying to drill into the numbers?  What are the clear and measureable outcomes you need to achieve in your role? This is the information that trumps everything else.  Sometimes your role description and outcomes may not align . . . and i know that sounds ‘off’, but it is the reality of many workplaces . . . it will be your achievement of outcomes that will get you ahead.  Great outcomes trump.

Now, armed with a clearer view of your role (and job description) and outcomes (clear and measureable), it’s time to have a conversation with your supervisor. 

How to enter the conversation.  Centre yourself.  Maintain a non-defensive, curious posture. Try asking your supervisor, in a very informal way, something like “Can we catch up sometime?  I’m trying to gain clarity around my role and refine my outcomes . . . make sure they’re aligned to yours and the organisations.  Can we catch up when you’ve got a minute?” 

Now your supervisor may say “Sure, let’s do it now” . . . so make sure you are ready, even though you were expecting to open a conversation sometime in the future.  Regardless of when you have this conversation, maintain your curious posture.  You are trying to learn as much as you can about the role and what is expected.  Try to identify those invisible scripts, the expectations that aren’t written . . . and write those down.  Be an active listener.  You will build trust with your supervisor if you can maintain this stance. 

And a word of caution first.  Don’t burn any bridges.  Maintain that non-defensive curious posture.  You may find out why some of these ‘invisible script’ tasks have found their way to you.  Just be a learner and take good notes.

Because the next step is to retreat and reflect – a regular theme in the your life caddy blogs. 

The reflection:  Now it’s time to compare and contrast.  You have your original job description, your outcomes list and notes from your supervisor as well as those from your colleagues.  What is the same, what is different?  Take time to stew on this. 

Part 3 in this series will aim to take possible courses of action from your research into your role.  How can you use this information and make a difference.  Remember where we have come from . . . we’re trying to juggle multiple expectations.  So we are looking for clarity and focus. 

Good luck with the reflection exercise.  It’s a good investment in you,

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