[The term boss has always been distasteful to me. In this excerpt I changed boss to manager in the title. In a matrix-style organization it is much more about lines of command and spheres of influence. When people use "boss" to describe me I feel like I am outside or above the team. It is important to maintain objective leadership, but when it becomes "us" and "them" the collaboration has become one of duty and not of passion or trust.]
5 Things to Never Tell Your Manager
Though full disclosure and transparency are buzzwords today, that doesn't mean your boss wants to hear about everything going on in the office.
1. All about the technology — and nothing about the business.
2. There's only one solution.
3. Bad opinions about your colleagues.
4. There's no way.
5. A surprise.
Note: "Getting help early could help keep a small problem from turning into a disaster," he says.
[When the asking for help is seen as a weakness or a failure then the team will silo any problems and keep individual agendas that do not necessarily support the entire team. Lincioni's book on Silos is a fantastic example of this issue.]
This article excerpted courtesy of ComputerWorld. Pratt is a Computerworld contributing writer in Waltham, Mass. Contact her at marykpratt@verizon.net.
@jmacofearth
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