Never Trust Your Boss Too Easily Some bosses often say to their employees: “Feel free to voice any opinions you have about me, don’t be shy, I’m very easy-going.” Or they might say: “We’re all in this together, if there’s anything you’re not happy with, just bring it up, and I’ll do my best to fix it.” At these times, the boss might appear very sincere, encouraging you to speak up. Some employees might take this opportunity to offer frank criticism, perhaps even bluntly. The boss might listen with a smile. But soon after, this employee might find themselves facing unexplained trouble from the boss, or assigned to thankless tasks, all under the guise of ‘training’. It might take a while for the employee to realize that they’ve ‘offended’ the boss by giving feedback, leading to the conclusion that the boss’s words are not to be trusted lightly.
However, this isn’t always the case. Some bosses genuinely want to hear feedback when they ask for it or encourage a more relaxed interaction. They do wish to know their flaws and correct them. Yet, when you actually point out their shortcomings or mistakes to their face, it still might not sit well with them. This isn’t necessarily because the boss is insincere, but rather, it’s human nature. As the saying goes, ‘honest advice is harsh to the ear’, and few can listen to criticism without getting upset, let alone accept and act on it.
