Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. (Doug Larson)
“If I stay late and am only filing microfiche, I’m being more productive than you. Bryan, you need to put in more hours.” That is how my manager convinced me he knew nothing about productivity. I also learned what he valued the most – hours of work.
The only way to change that attitude
I didn’t consciously set out to break my manager of that mindset. I should have. It cost me real money in lowered reviews and salary because I refused to work more hours unless there was a real need.
To fix your boss, you have to find out what hurts him. Find out what will get HIM outstanding reviews. If he is only evaluated on hours worked, you have to fix HIS boss. If he gets evaluated on projects finished, revenue increases, innovation, customer complaints, referrals to the sales department, or any other factor, then you at least have a chance at changing his mind. Ask him. Ask his boss. Listen to what he complains about other than hours worked.
Now start tracking your performance in the areas he is evaluated on. See if you can figure out how to help improve HIS performance reviews. Make sure you document how bad things are, so you can prove how much you help.
Start giving your boss weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual evaluations of your own performance. Show him what you are doing that benefits him the most. You would be surprised how concentrating on you boss’s career can help your own. Reminding your boss weekly of how you are helping him get a raise will change your own reviews and increase your earnings.
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Something To Do Today
If you don’t have a job journal, start one. It can be a three ring binder or a spiral notebook. It doesn’t matter. Start tracking your job performance. And start writing down all the things your boss seems to be the most worried about.
This Friday you can turn in that first report to him. He will say, “What’s this?” You can reply, “I spent a couple of minutes putting together a list of things I accomplished this week. I thought it might help when you are deciding on my next raise or promotion.”