

Learning to effectively communicate at work is an important part of your career. Hard-to-initiate conversations like this aren’t easy, but they do get easier. ”įocusing on the outcome of your request indicates that you see the big picture, and there are few managers who wouldn’t appreciate that. Try this: “If we could take off of my plate, I’m confident that I could place more attention on, ultimately exceeding my goals and working to advance the company in. Presumably you want to continue delivering quality work, and the way to do that is to literally have less work. When you speak to your boss, explain your goals. It’s about working diligently, managing expectations, and not burning out. It means spending an appropriate amount of time on a reasonable amount of work. Having a reduced workload doesn’t mean coasting. This is about what’s going on with you and how you envision things improving.
#To inform you full
Comparing yourself to co-workers when, chances are, you don’t know the full story, is murky territory, and I don’t recommend it. Illustrating exactly what’s keeping you busy encourages collaboration. Don’t depend on him to dig into the reason for your struggle instead, offer specifics that’ll help lead him to an easy understanding of what’s really going on. In the first example, you’re basically asking your boss to process how you feel about your situation. “I’ve been having some trouble keeping up with the amount of things on my plate right now, and was hoping we could talk about my role in and, since these things are taking up a significant amount of time.” “I feel like I’m being asked to do more than my co-workers and I don’t think that’s fair.” Speaking in general terms probably won’t do you any favors. Not all managers are skilled at navigating individual problems and identifying root causes, so avoid assuming yours will magically have all the answers. Is the work simply too great for one person to accomplish in a reasonable numbers of hours each week? Some additional support may save more time than it costs.ĭo you lack the appropriate resources to do the job? Consider researching and requesting a better system or additional support.ĭo you lack the training required to do the work efficiently? Think about requesting additional training, so that the work becomes less time-consuming.Ĭharles Kettering, former CEO of General Motors, once said “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” When you don’t provide specific examples of the problem you’re experiencing, you put the burden on your boss to be the problem-solver. Consider these questions (and their answers) as you work to come up with those suggestions:

Prepare to work with your boss by coming to the meeting with a few proposals. You’re having a conversation with your boss wherein you identify a solution that’ll ultimately improve the product of your work. But when you view the problem as a real and solvable issue, suddenly you’re not just griping you’re problem solving. It’s also important to keep the following in mind:Įxpressing dissatisfaction with your situation without offering a way to fix the problem is complaining. Really, no matter how stressed you’re feeling, it’s important to take a step back from your emotional state and properly plan for a conversation about having too much work. For example, rather than stopping your boss as he’s heading out the door to lament the number of hours you’ll be stuck at your desk finishing reports, you’ll want to schedule a meeting.

Let’s go over the basics first: You want to be deliberate in your approach, not impulsive. Talking to your manager about an excessive workload without sounding lazy or like a complainer is possible if you know how and when to issue your concern.
