Leadership Strategy - How to Reduce Conflict and Stress by Managing Your Boss

The December topic named “Leadership Strategy – How to Reduce Conflict and Stress by Managing Your Boss” was held on 7 Dec 2012. The Executive Study Group seminar was organized by Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp (HKSTPC). Since I was not available to attend the seminar, I only summarized the seminar notes for sharing.

Dr. Mark Lee's talk separated into seven parts included “Traditional Top-down Emphasis in Most Organization”, “Misreading the Boos-Subordinate Relationship”, “1. Continuous Learning about the Boss”, “2. Assessing Yourself”, “3. Aligning Mutual Dependence” and “A Key Success Factor for All”, as well as, “Group Discussion” at the end.

Dr. Lee quoted Prof. John P. Kotter (Harvard Business School) statement that "Because of the traditional top-down emphasis in most organizations, it is not obvious why you need to manage relationships upward - unless, of course, you would do so for personal or political reasons." and "Too much has been written about managing up in a self-centered, get-mine way. This may have worked in a slow-moving world of oligopolies, where internal politics can dominate and the enterprise can still win. But not today."

Misreading the Boss-Subordinate Relationship
Prof. John P. Kotter (Harvard Business School) said "Bosses, like everyone else, are imperfect and fallible. They don't have unlimited time, encyclopedic knowledge, or extrasensory perception; nor are they evil enemies."

Two misconception are shown below:
1. Boss should be capable and independent.
2. I should not waste my boss time.

The following diagram showed the strategies for managing your boss.

1. Continuous Learning about the Boss

What are your boss's organziational and personal objectives?
What are your boss's long suits and blind spots?
What is the preferred style of working?
Prof. John P. Kotter (Harvard Business School) said "At a minimum, you need to appreciate your boss's goals and pressures. Without this information, you are flying blind, and problems are inevitable."

2. Assessing Yourself

Know your own needs, strengths and weakness, and personal style
Ms. Deborah Singer Dobson (Coauthor of Managing Up) said "Managing the boss is a constant, like being in a good marriage. You don't go around saying you've done enough modifying your behavior for your spouse. We're all in the business of modifying our behavior on a daily basis in relationships that are important of us."

3. Aligning Mutual Dependence
Peter Drucker (Father of Management) divided bosses into "Listeners" and "Readers".
Reader-Style: 
Some bosses like to get information in report form, so they can read and study it. If your boss is a reader, you cover important items or proposals in a memo or report, then discuss them.
Listener-Style:
Others work better with information presented in person, so they can ask questions. If your boss is a listener, you brief him or her in person, then follow it up with a memo.

Dr. Lee quoted Prof. John P. Kotter (Harvard Business School) statement as key success factor that "Manipulative boss management plays no part. Zero. You do sometimes need to help the boss develop a sense of urgency, to craft a vision, to communicate the vision, and more. But the word is help, not manipulate for your own selfish needs.

Reference:
The Centre for Logistics Technologies and Supply Chain Optimization, CUHK: http://www.logitsco.cuhk.edu.hk/
HKSTP - www.hkstp.org