Coach's Corner
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Question:
My boss doesn’t have time to meet with me, so it’s hard to get the project information I need. How can I get my boss’s attention?
Answer
First of all, it is not very unusual so try not to take it personally. Your boss, like many of her/his peers is juggling many balls, pressures and priorities simultaneously. S/he is counting on you to successfully complete your project on time and within budget because their success is directly linked to your success. Short term, you will need to get her/his attention. Just generally asking for some 1:1 time to meet won’t get their attention. Take some time to think about what specific information you need to move the project forward and what the consequences to the project will be in terms of quality, schedule and cost if you don’t get the information you need. Consider the best method for communicating this message. Does your boss respond better to email or voice mail? Use the mode that works best for them and concisely provide them with the situation you are in, the request you are making and the short and long term consequences to the project if you don’t get the information needed. You may also want to provide an option for your boss if you think there might be someone else they know who could provide you with what you need. Long term think about how you and your boss could improve the process to avoid this problem in the future. This might involve an effective project launch session, regularly established 1:1’s or project team meetings or web based tools for real-time collaboration and support.