Good manners at work: The 7 things you do that drive your boss crazy
Do you drive your boss crazy? It’s a fact of life: we all have to work and that means, unless you are your own boss, you’re answering to someone. Hopefully your boss is a reasonable person and your colleagues are genuine and engaged. Everyone experiences what it’s like to work alongside someone who drives you crazy.
Spare a minute of thought for your boss. How many people do they manage? What are their day to day tasks like? Would you want to trade places with them, and what do they really think of you and your work? Here are 7 things you probably do that are driving your boss crazy. What can you do to fix them? Let’s find out!
You drive your boss crazy when: You’re not self-sufficient
“I realised that (most bosses) felt the demands on them from all different areas were so great that they just didn’t have time to sit down and explain everything to workers,” says Anita Bruzzese, author of 45 Things You Do that Drive Your Boss Crazy…and How to Avoid Them. She says that even though we think of ourselves as the underdog, our bosses are under pressure from all sides to achieve and manage. It can be hard to balance priorities.
You drive your boss crazy when: You gossip
Office gossip can be a career killer. Scientific journal Psychological Science did a study called Gossip and Ostracism Promote Cooperation in Groups. The study found that gossip and ostracising colleagues can actually have a good effect in offices but your boss probably feels differently. Keep your innermost thoughts to yourself and you might be on safer ground with the man or woman in charge.
You drive your boss crazy when: You ask too many questions
Questions can be good, they help us get to the bottom of things but asking too many of them can put you in hot water. “My senior administrator used to ask me about one hundred questions a day, often via email, many of which she could have resolved herself,” says June Frinkles, a managing director if a large Sydney retail company. “I used to wish that she’s take the initiative to find the answers on her own.”
You drive your boss crazy when: You’re lousy at communicating
“It’s critical you understand your boss’s communication preferences and adjust your style accordingly to ensure the two of you remain on the same page,” says Robert Half of Career Builder. “In addition to preferred mode of communication, consider how much – or how little – information your manager would like.” Train yourself to communicate as they do and see your career take flight.
You drive your boss crazy when: You’re not being confidential
Workplaces need to be confidential zones in some ways as workers vie for the best opportunities, sometimes at the expense of their colleagues. “Confidentiality, loyalty and trust are all core values in the executive suite,” says The Financial Post.” Train yourself to communicate as they do and see your career gain some momentum. ” Sound advice.
You drive your boss crazy when: You show up late and have a messy desk
It’s important to respect the personal space of your colleagues and leave smelly food at home, have good personal hygiene and to show up on time – always. These courtesies help all workers to live harmoniously while in the office and can add positively to the culture of a corporate or other environment. Use these little niceties to get on the good side of your boss and avoid being “that person”.
You drive your boss crazy when: You take excessive sick days or miss work
Everybody gets sick, and often it’s unexpected but it drives your boss crazy when you let the team down. Usually people will get a sense when they’re being taken advantage of, and that’s not just bosses but your colleagues as well. If you need to take some sick days, communicate this as early as you can, preferably via phone and not email. Often it’s these the small things that can make a workplace a better place to be.
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