You're facing power dynamics with your boss. How can you ensure your ideas are heard and valued?

It is important to have trust with your boss to avoid the power play coming into picture. Keep the alignment in place and understand the expectations from your boss to prepare and present better. Be proactive with your work, have your ethics in place and avoid unnecessary arguments Seek feedback and try to work on the same. Have a healthy work relationship with your manager and this would for sure help to avoid those power dynamics coming into picture.

Establishing trust with my boss is crucial for ensuring my ideas are taken seriously. This trust is built through consistent, high-quality work and reliability, which demonstrate my commitment to the company's vision and my boss’s expectations. By showing I understand and align with these priorities, I build a strong rapport. Proactively seeking feedback further shows I value his perspective and are dedicated to mutual success, making my boss more receptive to my ideas.

Your boss is your most important ally & so establishing a relationship based on trust, ASAP, is crucial. The way to do this is by doing exactly what you say, & if you can't, proactively explain why you can't then provide alternatives The easiest starting point is by meeting deadlines for the work assigned to you. By delivering on time, you are showing that you take your job seriously & can be trusted to get it done. This can be for small things: - Sending an email update by end of week - Reviewing a document before end of day - Scheduling a team meeting next Tuesday Or bigger things: - Delivering a report to the client by August 19th - Conducting a retrospective on the project & sending summary 2 weeks post completion Your word is bond

The presentation timing of your ideas can hold equal importance as the ideas themselves. Seek moments when your boss is minimally distracted and most receptive, such as during designated one-on-one meetings or when they indicate openness to novel ideas. Refrain from approaching them during high-stress times or amidst pressing deadlines, as your suggestions may be disregarded or undervalued. Recognizing and capitalizing on opportune moments can significantly enhance the impact and reception of your valuable contributions.

💡Effective communication with your manager requires empathy and strategic thinking. Put yourself in their shoes to understand their pain points, priorities, goals, and communication style. Meet them where they are, adapting your approach to their preferences. Instead of presenting your ideas outright, engage them by seeking their advice on similar situations they've faced. Example: Rather than, "I think we need to change our project management software," try, "I'm curious about your experience with managing large projects. Have you ever encountered challenges with collaboration tools? How did you address them?" This opens a dialogue where you can introduce your ideas within the context of their past experiences/current priorities.

To effectively communicate with my boss, focus on aligning my ideas with their priorities and the company's strategic goals. Use terminology and concepts that resonate with them, highlighting how my proposal addresses specific problems or improves outcomes. By framing my idea in the context of achieving broader company objectives and demonstrating its value, I make it clear that I'm contributing to the big picture. This approach helps ensure that my boss sees the relevance and potential impact of my suggestion.

"What are your goals for this quarter?" I ask this because I want to help them achieve their goals. By helping them achieve their goals, I am showing that I am vested in their success, because #teamwork Once I know their goals, I work on developing solutions or reccomendations on how I can help. This provides me the opportunity to show what I'm able to do within my current remit, & also what I COULD do if my remit expanded. I am helping them help themselves, while also helping me The biggest criticism I hear from senior leaders is that their (junior) teams aren't solution oriented - they don't want to just hear problems. Even if you think your solution(s) won't be accepted, bring them up anyways, because the effort will be noticed

To ensure my ideas were heard and valued, I focused on a few additional strategies. First, I made an effort to understand my boss's communication style, whether they prefer emails or one on ones, and tailor my communication accordingly. I also presented my ideas within the context of solving current challenges the team or company is facing, making them more relevant and urgent. Another key approach was to involve my boss early in the ideation process, seeking their input and making them feel invested in the idea. Additionally, I advocated for my ideas by showing enthusiasm and passion, which helped in garnering support. Finally, I acknowledged and incorporated feedback, demonstrating that I am flexible and collaborative.