http://professorford.com/2010/04/05/how-do-i-get-my-boss-to-change/ Personal Leadership Effectiveness for People at Work Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:14:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://professorford.com/2010/04/05/how-do-i-get-my-boss-to-change/comment-page-1/#comment-549 Jeffrey Ford Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:30:27 +0000 http://professorford.com/?p=412#comment-549 Barbara Family businesses have their own challenges because family members seem to feel free to treat each other differently than they would others. Have you asked your "Dad" if he has any interest in growing the business if it could be done with no additional demands on him? I wonder what he would say if he were to read what you wrote here - does he know that this is your feeling and that of other employees? Have you or your husband asked him what his concern is? To prepare for such a conversation, you might check out closure conversations in The Four Conversations as well as the book Crucial Confrontations which provides ideas on how to have closure conversations. Given your commitment, it seems worth investing in the conversation even if it may be uncomfortable or difficult. Regardless of the outcome, you will know more about what he "cares" about and what he is willing to do. Barbara
Family businesses have their own challenges because family members seem to feel free to treat each other differently than they would others. Have you asked your “Dad” if he has any interest in growing the business if it could be done with no additional demands on him? I wonder what he would say if he were to read what you wrote here – does he know that this is your feeling and that of other employees? Have you or your husband asked him what his concern is? To prepare for such a conversation, you might check out closure conversations in The Four Conversations as well as the book Crucial Confrontations which provides ideas on how to have closure conversations. Given your commitment, it seems worth investing in the conversation even if it may be uncomfortable or difficult. Regardless of the outcome, you will know more about what he “cares” about and what he is willing to do.

]]> http://professorford.com/2010/04/05/how-do-i-get-my-boss-to-change/comment-page-1/#comment-548 Barbara Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:00:44 +0000 http://professorford.com/?p=412#comment-548 Along these same lines, my boss, who is also my father-in-law, does not seem to care about any of the things that normal bosses care about. He owns the business, and I know that he cares about paying-off the bank, but he doesn't seem to care about sales or staff efficiency or setting expectations or establishing workflows or protecting the agency from errors / ommissions claims. He doesn't seem to believe in our product - insurance - to the point that he goes out of his way to sell policies that don't provide enough coverage. He is 10-years away from retirement, and I understand that he wants to slow down, but without a focus on sales, all of the employees are stuck with having to "slow down" too. Salaries have been stagnant over the past 4.5 years, not even keeping up with inflation, so that with rising prices on gas and food and electricity, etc., things are getting very tight. For those of us who still have a mortgage and young kids, we are sacrificing alot to make ends meet. My husband and I are both working in the business, and we want to put our time and energy into building it, but "Dad" won't allow us to do anything that would mean more work. I want to stay in the business because I left a very lucrative 6-figure income to join the business almost 5 years ago, and I want to make my sacrifice worthwhile. I also enjoy the flexibility of the family business when I need to take care of our daughter. I just don't know what to do to make this work. Do I need to get out now and just find a new job? What can I do to help my boss to care about his employees' needs, in addition to his own? Along these same lines, my boss, who is also my father-in-law, does not seem to care about any of the things that normal bosses care about. He owns the business, and I know that he cares about paying-off the bank, but he doesn’t seem to care about sales or staff efficiency or setting expectations or establishing workflows or protecting the agency from errors / ommissions claims. He doesn’t seem to believe in our product – insurance – to the point that he goes out of his way to sell policies that don’t provide enough coverage. He is 10-years away from retirement, and I understand that he wants to slow down, but without a focus on sales, all of the employees are stuck with having to “slow down” too. Salaries have been stagnant over the past 4.5 years, not even keeping up with inflation, so that with rising prices on gas and food and electricity, etc., things are getting very tight. For those of us who still have a mortgage and young kids, we are sacrificing alot to make ends meet. My husband and I are both working in the business, and we want to put our time and energy into building it, but “Dad” won’t allow us to do anything that would mean more work. I want to stay in the business because I left a very lucrative 6-figure income to join the business almost 5 years ago, and I want to make my sacrifice worthwhile. I also enjoy the flexibility of the family business when I need to take care of our daughter. I just don’t know what to do to make this work. Do I need to get out now and just find a new job? What can I do to help my boss to care about his employees’ needs, in addition to his own?

]]>