(Posted 470 days ago)

Do's and Don'ts:

Do ask for ideas on how your manager prefers to work: ask for her thoughts and ideas

Do share your ideas on how you prefer to work: tell her what methods help you accomplish your tasks

Remember that changes in behavior take time--for everyone involved!

Do use open-ended questions (they begin with "How," "What," "Why," "Who," and "Where") vs. closed-ended questions (they usually begin with, "Do you")

Say This:

"I'd love to share with you my ideas--and of course hear your thoughts--on how we can work efficiently on this project. To start, I'd like to share with you how I prefer to work and in turn how I am most productive. Weekly 1:1s at a set time help me to focus my thoughts and come to you prepared with ideas, questions, and problems. How do you feel about our setting up a 1:1 each Monday afternoon? In addition, I'm happy to prepare a status report for you, so you feel comfortable knowing about my progress on projects. And I can send that report to you prior to our Monday meetings. This way both of us know where we stand in terms of projects and we don't have to check in with each other each day, unless it is necessary. One way of working that I do not prefer is feeling that I need to check in with someone all the time. That can distract me from concentrating on the task at hand. And I would think that you, too, want to be in a situation where you can trust that I'm getting the work done. What do you think?

Now I want to hear from you how you prefer to work and get your best work done."