Influence

Are you smarter than your Manager? Could you do his job with both hands tied behind your back while eating Cheesecake and watching The Dog Whisperer? Chances are you think you can. Most of us at one point or another experience this frustrating inbalance of intellect…

But, I don’t doubt you’re smarter than he is. You’re one smart cookie.

So why is it that when you’re smarter than your manager, you always end up getting PWND? It’s a good question, and I have a sobering answer: if you choose to fight, your manager will always win. Every time.

The difference between a smart person and a wise person is that a smart person knows what to say and a wise person knows whether or not to say it.

You’ve already got the smarts, so here are a few tips to help you get wise…r than your manager:

1. Ask Questions (and stop making statements)

Do you have a great idea? Do you think your plan should be adopted? Are you having trouble getting your manager to listen to you? Do you hear voices inside your head?

Questions provoke thought. Get your manager thinking about the things you want him to think about by asking the right questions. What are the right questions, you ask? Well, first of all I’m glad you asked. They are the questions that will eventually lead him to reach the conclusion that you wanted to state to begin with. Yes, you are helping him see the light! Think of his thoughts as the sheep and you are the shephard. His inferior intellect can be the Valley of Darkness (for my Sammy J fans – Holla.).

EXTRA CREDIT: Draft out the questions you want to ask ahead of time.
EXTRA EXTRA CREDIT: After you draft your questions, rehearse them with a friend or mentor to hone your tone.

2. Provide Options (and get your ideas heard)

Managers love to shoot down ideas. In a way, it’s their job. They’re your company’s Quality Assurance screen. They got promoted to their position because the company trusts them to make quality decisions that weed out stupid ideas and actions. (I’ll let you say it…)

Here’s the trick: Nobody ever thinks that their idea is stupid.

If you want your idea or vision to get through your manager’s stupid-screen, give her ownership by allowing her to customize your plan. You do this by providing her with a series of “multiple choice” options as you develop your deliverable. Setup strategic checkpoints with your manager where you will provide her with more options for moving forward. It’s kinda like customizing a Dell computer, only in this case it’s a “My Idea” computer…

Here’s the secret: Build the most important parts of your idea into each “option” you present to your manager. Change up the details. Let her choose which option is the best for the project. Commend her on knowledge and strategic prowess. Rinse and repeat. This isn’t trickery, it’s strategy.

PS: Some of you may be worried that this technique may cause the manager to miss something big and that could negatively impact the project… Let me tell you something, if you’re giving your manager options at multiple checkpoints along the way and she still misses something big, that is not your fault.

3. Seek Feedback (always and often)

Of course you are wonderful! We all love to hear that. Nobody likes to hear, “How can a smart guy be so stupid! Now we have to stay up all night to get this presentation done, and it’s your fault!” Whether it’s your fault or not, you can avoid almost all situations like this if you actively seek feedback on your work and workstyle.

Your manager will rarely provide feedback out of the blue (it’s typically rude to give unsolicited feedback). But go ask him for it and see what happens; he will likely be blown away by your level of maturity and commitment to personal growth. Oh yeah, and nine times out of ten this feedback will me much more constructive than the kind you get after you “screw up.”

4. Respond to Feedback (Check yo-self, fool!)

Asking for the feedback is the easier part of the “feedback loop”; actually changing your style is a little more difficult. If you can actually apply the feedback you receive, you are already wiser than 90% of the people in this world. We are all set in our ways, and no matter how much we like to think we are adept to dealing with change, human nature dictates otherwise.

You will inevitably receive more feedback that you disagree with than you agree with. That’s because we all think we’re right and we don’t watch movies of ourselves doing the stupid shit we all do. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re still doing stupid shit. So, do your best to immediately address the feedback that you agree with, and table the stuff that you think is bologna. If you don’t agree with any of the feedback, challenge yourself to pick the one piece of advice that is as close to edible as possible and take a bite. It may be an acquired taste…

EXTRA CREDIT: Poll your close friends about the pieces of feedback you didn’t agree with and see what they say. If they agree with your manager, you may want to reconsider your disposition.

5. Give Praise (when praise is due)

I’m not suggesting you brownnose or be fake. You should give praise to everyone and anyone if you feel it’s warranted. Specifically, if you learn something from your manager or see her do something you think is exceptional, tell her that and ask her to explain how she got so good at it. She will be flattered and talk your ear off, and you will learn. Hell, you may even make a friend.

Don’t ever forget that you are wonderfully smart and talented. And never, never give up your drive to make a difference. I join you in your ambition to change the world! We just have to remember that it’s not the smarts that will bring about change, it’s the wisdom.

ryangeist Communication, Corporate Life, Generation Y, How to, Managing Up