How to Handle Unrealistic Demands From Your Boss - The Muse

How to Handle Unrealistic Demands From Your Boss - The MuseHow to Handle Unrealistic Demands From Your Boss Wanting to impress your boss is natural. You work hard, your manager and colleagues notice, and eventually youve made your way up the ladder. Pretty clear, right? Well, what happens when your boss isnt exactly on the same page- or even planet- when it comes to his or her expectations of your performance? Its a delicate situation. On one kralle, its never fun to tell your manager you cant handle your workload- whatever the reason. But on the other, youre setting yourself up for failure (and a whole lot of stress) if you keep quiet.Ill be the first to admit that telling a manager he or she has unrealistic expectations isnt easy, but with a little guidance, its totally doable. Before you pull your hair out or give yourself an ulcer, heres what I suggest1. Do an Insecurity CheckOK, so before we go any further, you have to make sure what your boss is asking for is in fact, unreasona ble. While you may feel a deadline is too tight or a task is beyond your capabilities, your boss might know better. Managers- good ones, anyway- will often push you to stretch beyond your comfort zone to help you develop new skills. After all, knowing how to do everything all the time feels great, but without new challenges, our skills become stale pretty quickly. If your boss is pushing you to do more and youre feeling overwhelmed, first ask yourself why. Is it because you really cant do the work? Or is it because its something new that youre not too comfortable with yet?Figuring out where the stress is coming from is a good first step. And if you discover the real reason for your anxiety is simply insecurity or inexperience, give yourself a weg and take your best shot.If however, that isnt the case, read on.2. Consult Your ColleaguesEven if your workload is something that only you can do, your office mates- especially those with a bit more experience or expertise- may have some gr eat tips. And Im not talking just about the work. If youre feeling frustrated with your boss expectations, chances are other people have been there, too.Ask around the office, and see if any of your co-workers can provide insight or expertise on handling the workload or handling your boss. For example, if you check in with Bob from accounting, you might learn that your boss tends to lean on employees she can trust. Without that insight, you may have assumed your boss was simply a disconnected taskmaster. And while this information wont magically lighten your workload, it will guide your strategy on addressing your overflowing plate. 3. Make a ListOnce youve determined your manager isnt simply helping you along your career path and youve chatted with your colleagues, its time to figure out exactly why your managers requests are unreasonable. Whenever Im facing a challenge, organizing my thoughts in list format always helps, and this situation is no exception. Write down everything th ats on your plate, especially the demands you think are unreasonable. Then, think through why youre feeling challenged to get things done. For example, it may seem obvious that the reason youre stressing about a project is because your boss gave you the assignment on Monday, its due on Friday, and you dont have enough time to get things done. But is that really the issue? Sure, time will always be a consideration, but whats preventing you from dropping all your other obligations to get this one done? Does your boss even know what else you have on your plate? Make a list of everything youre working on that will be impacted by the new assignment, including who else is involved and the corresponding deadlines.A detailed list and timeline of what youre already working on will not only help you see your workload in its entirety, itll give you the backup youll need for the next step.4. Talk to Your BossThis shouldnt come as a surprise, but given our natural motivation to meet or exceed ou r managers expectations, this is by far the hardest step in the process. Fortunately, you have a great list in hand to help walk your boss through the challenges youre expecting. Heres how to approach that meetingDo it Early The instant you suspect your boss is overestimating your capacity to get the job done, after youve completed steps 1 through 3, speak up. Be Confident Telling your boss youre anticipating challenges meeting his or her expectations may feel like admission of failure, but its not. Approach your conversation with your boss with confidence- but not cockiness- and your boss will see that your concerns are coming from experience, not insecurity.Have a Plan Its one thing to voice a concern, but when a deadline is at stake, solutions are whats really needed. If you know your boss is asking too much, its fine to say so- your list will back you up here- but make sure you have some alternatives ready when you do. Maybe its extending the deadline on another project or enlis ting the help of a few colleagues with more experience. No matter what you do, dont go to your boss empty-handed. If your manager seems to have lost touch with reality when it comes to his or her expectations, getting a handle on your own first is key. Get to the bottom of whats really stressing you out about your boss demands, and be prepared to have a constructive discussion about why he or she might be expecting a bit too much. If youre prepared and thoughtful, chances are youll exceed expectations anyway.Photo of stressed man courtesy of Shutterstock.