Wednesday, July 06, 2005

What do you want to see happen?

Today I took the "Lominger" competencies assessment (an optional online program offered by my employer).

You rate yourself on 67 competencies, assigning each one to a category: "top strengths" "skilled" "less skilled" or "do not use."

I had more "skilled" areas than "less skilled," but only six "top strengths." Five of my strengths were pretty much natural aspects of my personality, but one was something I've had to struggle with and work on in the course of my career — "Boss Relationships."

The keys to "boss success" I've discovered are these:

1. There is nothing (legal) you can do to change a boss who is a jerk. Get to work immediately on a transfer within the organization or find a job elsewhere, before you are transformed into a whining loser.

2. If you work for a good boss, your job is very simple: Figure out what that boss needs you to do, and do it. Periodically check with him or her to make sure you're on track, and make any necessary course corrections. If your boss starts going around the bend (unfortunately, this happens) refer to Key #1.

3. No matter how wonderful your boss is, there will always be problems and miscommunications. The magic words for those instances, given to me by a former colleague, Julie Swor, are: "What do you want to see happen?" Try it. It really is magic.

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