[Dear Lewis] How do I talk to my senior leadership about my immediate boss?
A promising leader faces the challenge of addressing concerns with upper management regarding the performance of their immediate supervisor.
Come on in, folks, and cozy up for another installment of Dear Lewis.
Today, I've got a gem of a tale featuring this incredible executive I've been guiding. She's dealing with a boss who's not exactly perfect, and she's teetering on the fence about laying it all out for the higher-ups.
So, I guide her through the dance – her tangled emotions, the reasons why she should spill the beans, and the art of doing it with finesse.
PS If you've ever thought about diving into the world of executive coaching, now might be the perfect time. Check out the details on this page, and let's see if we can make some magic happen! 🌟
🤔 How do I talk to my senior leadership about my immediate boss?
So, picture this: I recently coached Susan, a powerhouse Asian-American director rocking it at a big-shot Fortune 500 company. Susan was wading through the corporate swamp, dealing with all the usual suspects—office dynamics, communication hiccups, and the eternal quest to make her voice heard. The cast for this coaching gig included Susan, her direct boss Cory, and Lisa, the skip-level executive. Susan, Cory, and Lisa are not their real names.
Our mission? Untangle the cultural threads shaping Susan's moves and highlight the fine art of corporate chit-chat.
Now, Susan had the skills, no doubt. But when it came to those skip-level talks, especially with Lisa, it was like she hit a stumbling block. Her default setting was all about throwing out business updates, missing golden chances to build a posse within the company. I told Susan straight up, "Get tight with Lisa. Buddy up with her."
I drummed it into her: spill the tea on Cory's less-than-stellar management style to Lisa. But Susan pumped the brakes, worried about being slapped with the tattler label. I gave her the lowdown—speak the truth, and no one's slapping labels on you. We dug into her fears, and bam! Turns out, it was that "model minority" upbringing, where being flawless, avoiding drama, and handling stuff solo were the unwritten rules.
As Susan traced back to her recent 360 feedback—peeps saying she had a hard time asking for help—I nudged her to turn it into a chance to shake things up. Time to air her thoughts, voice her wants, and cast a wider net beyond Cory and Susan’s directs.
Sure, it was a little like breaking in new shoes, but Susan eventually spilled the beans about Cory's lackluster game to Lisa. And guess what? Lisa lapped it up and, with a bit of practice, Susan got comfy sharing the scoop on Cory. In the end, Lisa gathered the receipts and decided to give Cory the boot. Now, Susan's got a new boss, she's all smiles.
But there's this lingering guilt about potentially being the reason Cory got the axe. I told her straight—she's not Cory's keeper. And if she didn't spill the tea, someone else probably would've. I reminded Susan she should be patting herself on the back for flipping the script—speaking up, pushing for a better outcome, and bagging a win.
Simple, right? Well, not always
I'm here to help. Email me if you have any management or employee challenges. I've got your back, and your identity will remain anonymous.
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