ECEN Winter 2015 Manage Your Boss

ECEN Winter 2015 Manage Your Boss “ … the expression managing your boss, does not refer to political maneuvering or apple polishing. Rather, the term means the process of consciously working with your superior to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and your company.” “ … the expression managing your boss, does not refer to political maneuvering or apple polishing. Rather, the term means the process of consciously working with your superior to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and your company.” Harvard Business Review, Jan. - Feb. 1980, pp

ECEN Winter 2015 Manage Your Boss What kind of relationship do you want to have with your boss? What do you see as the role of your supervisor? What has been the most positive experience you have had with a supervisor? The most negative?

ECEN Winter 2015 Manager’s Motivation The work environment is very different than the university. Professors: Professors: Teach material to students Teach material to students Evaluate students (grades) Evaluate students (grades) (the student’s success does not directly impact the success of the professor) (the student’s success does not directly impact the success of the professor) Managers: Managers: Get the work done on time Get the work done on time Maximize employee productivity Maximize employee productivity Keep employees happy Keep employees happy Reduce costs Reduce costs Advance their own careers Advance their own careers (the success of the employees does directly impact the manager’s success.) (the success of the employees does directly impact the manager’s success.)

ECEN Winter 2015 Your New Boss “The most important relationship you have in the work place is with your boss. S/he has more influence on your career than anyone else.” “The most important relationship you have in the work place is with your boss. S/he has more influence on your career than anyone else.”

ECEN Winter 2015 Manage Your Boss “Since having a good working experience with your boss is essential to your future, it behooves you to spend quality time developing this relationship.” “Since having a good working experience with your boss is essential to your future, it behooves you to spend quality time developing this relationship.”

ECEN Winter 2015 Manage Your Boss “The boss-subordinate relationship is very different than the relationship between a parent and a child, in that the burden for managing the relationship should not and cannot fall entirely on the boss.” “The boss-subordinate relationship is very different than the relationship between a parent and a child, in that the burden for managing the relationship should not and cannot fall entirely on the boss.”

ECEN Winter 2015 Key Questions to ask the Boss (pick 2) What are the 2 or 3 key things I need to do next year to be a more valuable employee? What are the 2 or 3 key things I need to do next year to be a more valuable employee? Is there anything about my job performance I need to correct? Is there anything about my job performance I need to correct? Am I likely to be promoted in the next 12 months? Am I likely to be promoted in the next 12 months? What can I do improve my chances for promotion? What can I do improve my chances for promotion? Is my job with this company in any jeopardy? Is my job with this company in any jeopardy?

ECEN Winter 2015 Key Questions for the Boss (pick 2) What are the 2 or 3 key things I need to do next year to be a more valuable employee? What are the 2 or 3 key things I need to do next year to be a more valuable employee? Is there anything about my job performance I need to correct? Is there anything about my job performance I need to correct? Am I likely to be promoted in the next 12 months? Am I likely to be promoted in the next 12 months? What can I do improve my chances for promotion? What can I do improve my chances for promotion? Is my job with this company in any jeopardy? Is my job with this company in any jeopardy?

ECEN Winter 2015 Determine Your Manager’s Expectations Don’t focus exclusively on the technical aspects of the job. Don’t focus exclusively on the technical aspects of the job. How important is this job? To the company?; to you? How important is this job? To the company?; to you? When are assignments due? Where in the design cycle are you? When are assignments due? Where in the design cycle are you? Who is responsible for delivering results? Who is responsible for delivering results? What is “good performance” on this job? What is “good performance” on this job? How involved does your manager want to be in your decisions? How involved does your manager want to be in your decisions?

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Trust Personal exposure Risk Rewards Ability to Contribute

ECEN Winter 2015 Decision Making Process Identify Problem Implement the Solution Choose Best Alternative Develop Alternative Solutions Inform your Boss!! Test the solution

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Level 5: The Slug No Trust implements the solution The employee will: The boss will: find the problems, develop alternatives, Decide on solutions, Gives assignment to the employee

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Level 4: The Reporter Low Level of Trust implements the solution The employee will:The boss will: develop alternatives, Decide on solutions, Give assignment to the employee identify the problem, tell the boss about the problem

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Level 3: The Cautious worker Moderate Level of Trust implements the solution The employee will:The boss will: boss decides on solution based on employee data, Gives the assignment to the employee identify the problem, Presents the problem with alternative solutions to the boss,

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Level 2: The Conscientious worker High Level of Trust implements the solution The employee will:The boss will: identify the problem, develop alternative solutions, choose the best solution, inform your boss of the solution proposal, Reviews solution proposal with employee

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Very High Level of Trust Level 1: The Independent worker The employee will:The boss will: identify the problem, develop alternative solutions, choose the best solution, inform your boss of the solution, implements the solution maybe tell the boss later. Reviews solution with employee after implementation

ECEN Winter 2015 The 5 Levels of Trust Trust Personal exposure Risk Rewards The Independent Worker The Conscientious Worker The Cautious Worker The Reporter The Slug

ECEN Winter 2015 Working at different levels What if? Employee thinks Boss Thinks “The boss sure isn’t giving me any feedback!” “Why isn’t this employee more assertive?”

ECEN Winter 2015 Working at different levels What if? Employee thinks Boss Thinks “This guy must think I’m not still in charge of this place!” “Why is the boss asking so many questions?”

ECEN Winter 2015 Working at Different Levels You usually have a dominant behavioral mode with some degree of versatility. Low Versatility High Versatility

ECEN Winter 2015 Levels of Trust - Action Understand your boss’s environment. Understand your boss’s environment. Know his/her strengths, weaknesses, and work style. Know his/her strengths, weaknesses, and work style. Understand your own work style. Understand your own work style. Work towards mutual levels of trust. Work towards mutual levels of trust. It is generally better to over-communicate rather than under-communicate. It is generally better to over-communicate rather than under-communicate. Always be honest and dependable. Always be honest and dependable.

ECEN Winter 2015 Employee Evaluation Typically a formal review every 12 months Typically a formal review every 12 months Possible informal process every 4-6 months Possible informal process every 4-6 months Possible more frequent reviews for new employees Possible more frequent reviews for new employees Good managers give ongoing feedback - recognize it if you get it. Good managers give ongoing feedback - recognize it if you get it.

ECEN Winter 2015 Annual Employee Evaluation Subject: annual performance review annual performance review Date: Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2006 Mon, 15 Oct 2006 From: From: The Boss The Boss To: To: Please make a list of all your accomplishments over the last year. I need this by the end of next week. Keep your write-up under a single typed page. Subject: annual performance review annual performance review Date: Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2006 Mon, 15 Oct 2006 From: From: The Boss The Boss To: To: Please make a list of all your accomplishments over the last year. I need this by the end of next week. Keep your write-up under a single typed page.

ECEN Winter 2015 Annual Employee Evaluation Suggestions: Suggestions: Keep a log or journal of what you have done. This is another good reason to have a lab notebook. Keep a log or journal of what you have done. This is another good reason to have a lab notebook. Jot down 1 or 2 sentences each week Jot down 1 or 2 sentences each week

ECEN Winter 2015 Annual Employee Evaluation Identify what you want to know prior to discussions with your boss Identify what you want to know prior to discussions with your boss Formulate one or two key questions Formulate one or two key questions Focus on the future Focus on the future Does it really help you to know you are rated 12 th in a department of 30 Does it really help you to know you are rated 12 th in a department of 30

ECEN Winter Annual Performance Review Employee: ____Jan H. Roberts_____________ SS# __ ______ Division : ______Video Processing__________ Years of Service: 1____ Accomplishments: Jan has been working on the XF200 video board. He learned the previous design from the XF150 board and upgraded the board for all of the current DSP changes and managed to get an overall 45% improvement in the memory throughput for Overall Evaluation: Jan has had a good year. She has learned a lot about Video Processing and about designing circuit boards for manufacturing. She completes her assignments on time and has established herself as the local expert on the register layout of the FXP processor. She has developed a good proficiency with the CAD simulation tools. Principal Strengths: Jan gets along very well with the factory personnel. He communicates well with them and has responded to several critical factory problems this year. He has a very good background in DSP programming and has made several suggestions which improved the overall performance of the anti-aliasing software. Areas for Improvement: Jan needs to communicate a little better with some of her co-workers. Several days were lost when the FXP processor address space did not match the requirements. She also needs to be a little better organized in her presentations to the group.

ECEN Winter 2015 Homework Assignments Determine how much you will pay in total for a car costing $10,000 which you finance at 5% for 5 years. (assume monthly payments). Determine how much you will pay in total for a car costing $10,000 which you finance at 5% for 5 years. (assume monthly payments). me with your answer me with your answer