Meetings with the boss can be at a premium in most corporate environments. Employees don’t get nearly as much face time with their managers as we expect. Meetings can be as infrequent as once a month. So if you want to make sure that your interactions are effective every time, there are a few things you can do to make the most of the meetings. Here are our suggestion for maximizing face time with your bosses.

• Be proactive. Don’t expect to make a good impression by only passing your boss in the hall or seeing them in the break room from time to time. Ask for a meeting to discuss what has been going on, talk about your goals, and learn what their impressions are. If you aren’t on top of this, it may not be until your annual review that you have more than a passing hello.
• Determine expectations. When you do meet, feel free to ask your boss exactly what they are expecting to get out of this conversation. Do they want a status report? Are they interested in learning about your innovative ideas? Will they be receptive to a discussion of your goals within the company? And don’t be afraid to tell them what you want to accomplish.
• Do your homework. Never walk into a meeting unprepared. Whatever it is that you want to talk about, make sure that you have everything you need to make your case. For instance, if you want to discuss how your most recent project positively impacted your department so you want to be considered for more responsibilities, bring the data that supports your argument.
• Make time for the future. Regular meetings are usually scheduled to discuss specific information, such as the status of a current project. You can’t expect your boss to take the initiative to discuss your long term career options. When you want to know about what the future has in store for you, ask for a conversation.

Do you want a more positive relationship with your boss? Contact the staff at VincentBenjamin, with offices in Phoenix, Denver, Los Angeles and Orange County, to learn more today!