How can you get your boss to invest in your career? Here are some evidence-based recommendations: • Seek information. Regularly ask your boss for information regarding the formal and informal organizational system, policies and procedures, politics, and organizational culture: How do things really get done in the organization? • Seek feedback. Ask for honest feedback about your performance during and after assignments from your boss and others. Don’t wait for your annual performance appraisal to learn how you are doing on the job. • Manage your boss. Learn as much as you can about them. Ask them to lunch to discuss your plans (i.e., develop an effective working relationship). • Negotiate more job challenge. Ask for changes to your job, and develop it so you can be most effective, playing to your strengths but at the same time meeting organizational goals. • Be positive. View challenges as opportunities and see teammates and the organization in positive ways. Be optimistic unless someone proves you wrong. Leaders trust followers who are more proactive, and they are more likely to empower them. They like them and see them as more competent. Organizations can look at proactivity in selecting employees and create a culture that supports proactivity. This works best when leaders and followers have the same level of proactivity. Leaders should make sure that followers feel safe to speak up................

Discussion Questions

1. How important is it to be proactive during your first 6 months in a new job? How often should you meet with your new boss?

2. Develop some examples of how you can ask for more challenging work assignments. Draft an outline of talking points for how you would present these requests to your boss (or future boss).

3. Discuss how you can develop trust with your boss so that they see you as competent.