prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been s

The word manager is defined in the Oxford dictionary as “person in charge of a business” and in today’s world this can mean many things. Most managers not only carry out the role, they also experience the role via their line manager.

So how can you make this experience as pleasant as possible and maximise what you get from the relationship with your manager?

As with every relationship there will be pressure points and one of the best ways to avoid pressure points is to understand them.

For example, are you frustrated when you present a four page report to your line manager and it is dismissed without being read? Your first assumption may be that your idea or project was not good enough, or that your manager does not value your work. The reality could be that your line manager does not like to read lengthy reports, struggles with pages of data, and would much prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been so

ne manager.

So how can you make this experience as pleasant as possible and maximise what you get from the relationship with your manager?

As with every relationship there will be pressure points and one of the best ways to avoid pressure points is to understand them.

For example, are you frustrated when you present a four page report to your line manager and it is dismissed without being read? Your first assumption may be that your idea or project was not good enough, or that your manager does not value your work. The reality could be that your line manager does not like to read lengthy reports, struggles with pages of data, and would much prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been s

best ways to avoid pressure points is to understand them.

For example, are you frustrated when you present a four page report to your line manager and it is dismissed without being read? Your first assumption may be that your idea or project was not good enough, or that your manager does not value your work. The reality could be that your line manager does not like to read lengthy reports, struggles with pages of data, and would much prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been s

that your idea or project was not good enough, or that your manager does not value your work. The reality could be that your line manager does not like to read lengthy reports, struggles with pages of data, and would much prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been s

prefer a one page diagram of the concept and a quick chat to answer any questions.

Have you ever pulled out all the stops to deliver a task only to be told that this was not what was required?

Or have you been so angry at your boss for something that it has consumed every waking moment of your life over the last three days that your work has suffered as a consequence?

The solution lies in one word ‘communication’. Once you master effective communication relationships are always more productive.

Here are some top tips:

•Sit down with your manager to discuss your goals and establish what your line manager’s goals are. This will allow you to understand what is important to your manager and anticipate peaks and troughs in your workload.

•Try to figure out what type of communication your line manager prefers. For example some managers have high energy levels, plan everything to the second and when they say you have ten minutes to brief them on something this is exactly what they mean. There are others who are more laid back and will want to chat for an hour when ten