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Bend, Don’t Break: Adapting to Your Boss’ Style
| by Charles Volkert, Esq. |
| Charles Volkert, Esq. is executive director of Robert Half Legal®, a
legal staffing service specializing in the placement of legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in
Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major cities throughout the United States and Canada. |
|
Among the many work-related pressures that legal administrators face, one of the
most challenging can be dealing with demanding or difficult managing partners. You and
your boss may experience problems in just one area, such as communication. Or you
may be like the odd couple, differing in every possible way.
Since the chances of changing the manager’s personality are slight, administrators
will have greater success if they develop ways to adapt to his or her work style and
individual idiosyncrasies. In many cases, this will not entail a complete overhaul of your
own work style or personality, but rather a few subtle but effective adjustments. Here are
some of the most common types of problematic managers, with strategies that will enable
you to adapt so the two of you can work together more productively.
The Micromanager
The Problem. Bosses in this category find it almost impossible to delegate
responsibilities and let go of projects. Whether in the office or away, they feel compelled to
check in frequently with their administrators, often bombarding them with e-mails and
voicemails filled with numerous questions or detailed instructions and advice. Micromanagers
may also tend to be overly critical, and frequently second-guess the way an administrator
handled a problem, made a decision or resolved a crisis.
The Solution. When dealing with micromanagers, your goal is to expand their
comfort zone so that they can let go and trust you to do your job. In order to do that, your
micromanager needs assurance that he will not be surprised by unwelcome developments.
To help this type of manager feel more confident about delegating, try providing more
frequent updates and status reports. It may also be a good idea to frame your plans as
suggestions; for example, “If this meets with your approval, I would like to assign two
additional paralegals to that case.” Although you may chafe at the idea of having to get the
micromanager’s stamp of approval on every last detail, in time his trust in you will increase
and he may be able to step back to a greater degree.
The Distant or Absentee Manager
The Problem. In contrast to micromanagers, distant managers are so hands-off
that they are almost completely disconnected from their staffs—even if they never leave the
office. They rarely provide sufficient direction, leaving the administrator to make educated
guesses about the manager’s preferences and priorities. This lack of involvement leads to
inefficiency, delays and frequent breakdowns in communication. A variation on this type is the
absentee manager, whose travels often make her inaccessible for long periods, often at critical
times.
The Solution. Since detachment is the core problem, the best way to counteract its
effect is through proactive and persistent efforts to obtain the information or guidance you require.
For example, if you’re working with the information technology department to select a new legal
application and you need the distant manager’s input, you might try presenting a written list of
specific “if, then” scenarios (with complete cost/benefit analyses) to find out how she would like
you to proceed. Remember to mention any related time constraints or other factors that might
affect the manager’s decision. In dealing with an absentee manager, it might be helpful to set up a
system of regular communication, such as daily e-mails or short weekly teleconferences.
The Waffler
The Problem. Indecisiveness, hesitancy and vagueness characterize this type. Such
bosses are often unable to make decisions, even when time is of the essence (e.g., when you want
to hire a highly qualified paralegal candidate who’s considering other offers). Waffler bosses are
frustrating because they do not provide clear objectives or constructive feedback.
The Solution. To work effectively with a waffler, you must compensate for their behavior.
This means making decisive, confident recommendations rather than asking for guidance or advice. It
also entails clearly communicating deadlines, which will prompt them to render a decision. And, once a
decision has been made and action taken, it’s a good idea to follow up with the manager for feedback
that you can use to guide you in the future.
The Critic
The Problem. Unlike wafflers, critics make their opinions known, with no holds barred, and
typically in a negative, demoralizing way. Critical bosses tend to fixate on small mistakes and distort them
out of proportion to their significance. Such managers may believe they are motivating you to improve
performance; they do not realize that they are actually undermining you.
The Solution. Maybe the criticism isn’t constructive, but you can view it as informative. By
zeroing in on what they don’t like, critics are indirectly communicating exactly how they want the job to be
done. Try parsing the criticism and reading between the lines for the instructions buried inside. You’ll often
find answers in remarks that begin: “Why didn’t you…?” or “You forgot to….” Armed with the insights you
glean, you’ll be able to handle similar situations the “right” way in the future and avoid negative feedback.
Regardless of how you choose to deal with a difficult manager, focus on protecting your job and
your career. By remaining professional and adapting your own approach, you’ll be able to minimize
differences, prevent conflict and possibly even discover areas of compatibility that will enable you and
your boss to work together successfully.
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