You want to be a professional, but at the same time, you need to make sure your boss knows what’s important to you. This can be tricky when it comes to asking for more responsibilities or even more money. You don’t want to come off as being too demanding or too needy, but at the same time, you need to advocate for yourself as much as possible.
Here are a few ways that can help you advocate for your needs.
Know your priorities
To be effective in advocating for your needs, you need to know what they are. If you’re unclear about your priorities, it will be difficult to advocate for them effectively.
Before approaching your boss with a request or suggestion, think carefully about the following questions:
- What do I want from this conversation?
- What does my boss want?
- What does the company want?
Be honest with yourself
The first thing you need to do is be honest with yourself, your boss and your team. Understand what it is you want and be clear about how you’re going to achieve it. Be prepared to be flexible and adaptable as circumstances change; be prepared to compromise when necessary; and finally, if something isn’t working out as planned, don’t panic—change direction!
Be clear and direct with your boss
- Explain what it is you need and why, using a respectful tone. If you’re not getting what you need from the job, then it’s important that you explain this to your boss in a straightforward manner.
- Don’t be aggressive or combative—just be direct. You don’t want to come off as needy or desperate when talking about your needs at work because this could turn off your boss and make them less likely to take action on what you’re asking for.
Ask the right amounts of questions at the right time
- Ask for feedback from your boss. This can help you figure out what information is helpful and what isn’t, so you don’t waste their time with unnecessary questions. It also gives an opportunity to talk about how things are going at work without having to do it on the spot. If you are not given feedback or offered any insight into your performance or the project at hand, then you need to consider having a deeper conversation and try to ask various questions. Do not take it personally, but stay committed to receiving proper feedback. Depending on the situation, you might even want to consider asking for feedback from a boss of your boss.
- If there are no clear deadlines for projects coming up soon and there aren’t any other pressing concerns affecting other aspects of work life, then ask for some general guidelines instead of waiting until it’s too late—this will help prevent any potential problems down the line (like missing deadlines).
Remember: The goal is always open communication between both parties involved, so no one feels left out during these conversations; otherwise, people will start getting defensive because one person doesn’t understand why another person wants certain things done differently from before when those same methods worked just fine in previous situations/professions/etcetera….
Establish and keep boundaries right
Even if your boss isn’t a good source of support, it’s important to establish and maintain some boundaries with them. This can be tricky, but it’s also necessary for your mental health and well-being.
- Know when to say no. If you feel your boss asks you too much, say so. For example, if they ask you to work on the weekend or during lunch hours, politely decline their offer and explain how it impacts your own schedule (e.g., “I don’t want to take away from my family time at home by working during my lunch break; instead I think we should try to find a more suitable time, what other time will work for you during this week?”).
- Know when and how to ask for help/support/advice from your boss. We often assume that our bosses are all-knowing experts in every industry—but that couldn’t be further from the truth! It’s okay if there is something they don’t know about our job function because we do. So make sure that everyone is communicating openly with each other.
We’re all human. We all have needs and desires. And we should all be able to express those needs and desires in a way that makes us feel heard. But if there’s one thing that anyone who wants to be successful in this world needs more than anything else, it’s self-awareness—the ability to recognize their own development areas and strengths, understand what they need out of life, and act accordingly. This takes time; it doesn’t happen overnight. But with perseverance, we can all become proud advocates for our own needs by finding empathy toward others while still maintaining respect for their boundaries.
