Management Tip of the Day: Get Clear Direction from a Boss Who Is Vague

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile AUGUST 31, 2012 Get Clear Direction from a Boss Who Is Vague If your boss routinely delegates projects without telling you how things should get done, and then picks apart your work and asks you to start over, you need to get proactive. Asking for more clarity upfront is a place to begin, but if that doesn't work, try figuring out your boss' viewpoint in another way. When you're asked to handle a project, draft a preliminary plan for how you intend to approach the task. Set up a meeting with your boss to review it and see what he thinks. Incorporate his feedback into a revised plan and share that with him again. Keep doing this until your boss signs off. If you do this often enough, your boss may eventually realize that he can save time by being more specific at the outset. Today's Management Tip was adapted from the Harvard ManageMentor Online Module: Time Management. Buy the course to apply tools and techniques for managing your time » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Ebooks on HBR HBR Press Get instant access to 30 of HBR Press's bestselling books including: The First 90 Days, Blue Ocean Strategy, The Innovator's Dilemma, Leading Change, Understanding Michael Porter, and the entire HBR's 10 Must Reads series — without the hassle and cost of shipping. Visit our ebook page to browse all 30 titles and learn more about this exciting new offering. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Recognize Employees Who Step Up When Starting a Company, Get Your Values Right Ease Your Employees Into Change Don't Pursue a Doomed Idea Take Off Your Headphones See the Big Picture Before Making a Decision Win the Pitch Handle Both Kinds of Conflict Take Mini Email Vacations Every Day Stop Wasting Your Boss's Time All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing HBR's Morning Advantage The Harvard Business Review Morning Advantage delivers the latest business ideas from beyond HBR.org directly to your inbox every morning — and it is free! Sign up today >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)