Summary of Alison Green's Ask a Manager

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 When dealing with a resistant boss, it’s important to be clear about what you want. If you want X, be upfront about that. Make it clear that you understand that your boss may have different information or a different perspective than you.

#2 If you’re worried about your performance, ask your boss for more insight. Say something like, I’m concerned about the feedback I’m getting. Is there anything I can do to improve my work.

#3 If you find yourself in a new job that's significantly different from the one you signed up for, speak up. You want to find out whether you're just pinch-hitting for someone else short-term or this is what the job will look like long-term.

#4 When dealing with a problem with a coworker, be direct and stick to the facts. explain what’s going on, what the impact has been, and what you’re hoping your manager might do in response.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: May 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822500662

IRB Media

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Insights on Alison Green's Ask a Manager

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

When dealing with a resistant boss, it’s important to be clear about what you want. If you want X, be upfront about that. Make it clear that you understand that your boss may have different information or a different perspective than you.

#2

If you’re worried about your performance, ask your boss for more insight. Say something like, I’m concerned about the feedback I’m getting. Is there anything I can do to improve my work.

#3

If you find yourself in a new job that's significantly different from the one you signed up for, speak up. You want to find out whether you're just pinch-hitting for someone else short-term or this is what the job will look like long-term.

#4

When dealing with a problem with a coworker, be direct and stick to the facts. explain what’s going on, what the impact has been, and what you’re hoping your manager might do in response.

#5

If your boss regularly fills your evenings and weekends with non-urgent work calls and emails, you might conclude that he expects you to be available then. However, it’s possible that by setting some boundaries, you can effectively push back on your boss’s expectations and recover that time for yourself.

#6

When dealing with your boss, keep these phrases in mind: I can do it that way, but I want to flag that X could potentially be a problem if we do. If you think that something your manager is asking you to do is a bad idea, this is a way to say so without seeming argumentative.

#7

If you don’t have much to do at work, it might be because your boss hasn't figured out how