2 Things to Consider Before Disagreeing With Your Boss - The Muse

2 Things to Consider Before Disagreeing With Your Boss - The Muse2 Things to Consider Before Disagreeing With Your BossImagine this Your boss announces a new plan to reorganize the office, specifically, wzu siche people sit and work, to improve collaboration and work flow among team members. You listen as she talks, but the more you hear, the worse you think her idea is. As you nod your head, your brain is screaming This will grind work to a halt I wont be able to focus in a completely open space next to my chattiest colleagues So, what do you do Do you tell your supervisor you disagree or let it slide? No one wants to get on the boss bad side, but there are worse things than speaking up. Like, bedrngnis speaking up at all when you know your boss is about to make a fool of himself because he didnt have all the facts. Almost every boss-employee relationship is influenced by a set of unspoken, unwritten agreements. One of the strongest for managers is this one I will never fault my emp loyee for correcting me if doing so keeps me from looking stupid to my boss. Learning to disagree with your superior without insulting him or her is among the most important job skills youll ever learn. In fact, it might even get you promoted Its just important to keep these two things in mind before you do it1. Take Ego Out of the EquationIts important to make a distinction between when you disagree with your boss because he or she doesnt have all of the facts or because its a matter of opinion. If hes an expert on the subject and youre not, dont lead by saying you disagree. Instead, ask your supervisor to explain his thinking. First, this shows that you allow for the possibility that its your lack of knowledge at play. Second, you may learn something new. And third, if you still disagree, at least youll have all of the information.Say you fall into that third category its purely a matter of opinion, but youre still certain your way is better. How should you proceed? To start, ask yourself Is disagreeing about this worth it? If it doesnt influence you, wont make your boss look stupid, or wont do harm to anyone (most especially the customer) let it slide. For example, even if you think you shouldnt serve the exact same lunch at every board meeting, the board members arent coming for the food, so its not the end of the world. 2. Consider the ConsequencesBut sometimes, letting it slide isnt an option. (For example, if your boss suggests cutting a small aspect of your program- that you know is much-loved by clients.) departure by asking open-ended questions. Try Would you be open to a suggestion for a different way to approach this? or simpler still Can I toss out a different idea? If he or she says, no, let it go. Its a good indication that he or she wouldnt be receptive to your approach anyhow.Its also important to weigh the consequences of what will happen if you dont speak up. The more serious the consequence, the more important it is for you to be adamant an d willing to risk over-stepping.Begin by explaining your intentions and then share your opinion. I once watched a friend who was a project manager on a big job with millions of dollars at stake patiently (and repeatedly) explain to her client that if they didnt do something the way she was suggesting, her client risked losing a lot of money. She started with I make it a rule to not disagree with my clients unless I know theyre suggesting something that will cost them more than they want to spend- this is one of those times. From there, she shared her opinion. You could take this same approach with your boss if you foresaw consequences to her proposed plan.Finally, dont think that the facts of an argument will speak for themselves- they rarely do. Decisions and disagreements are human actions and are therefore always subject to human emotions. You dont have to sing Kumbaya or try to be overly nice, but its important to take emotions and feelings into account when youre disagreeing wi th someone, especially if that person happens to be your boss. Photo of women looking at computer courtesy of Shutterstock.