Let’s agree to disagree: Learn how to properly complain to your boss

by Talentese Team 16/04/2018

Being heard in office is a very important thing. Being heard when you’re complaining about something is even more important. There is a thin line between complaining properly and not. Sometimes it might come across as extremely negative or be whining. Whenever you are tempted to complain about something to your boss always keep in mind that it should be fruitful to the company you work in. complaining without that goal or aim is just whining about personal conditions that do not affect the company in the long term. Many times services of a career consulting company may help in structuring your concerns and making them sound more company-friendly. Having said this, it is desirable at times to complain or provide feedback about professional concerns with your boss in order to improve your productivity and efficiency at work. If you do it properly while using the correct words, your complaint might not have a negative impact and might actually be a positive one. This will also help with your personal employee branding in the long term. If you approach your boss or manager in the correct manner with a professional reason, he or she will listen to your concerns carefully and assist or help you in dealing with them in the right manner. If you require other resources, that do not involve your immediate boss, you should let him or her know, and approach the right department or persons. Let us look at how to complain properly to your boss about something. Determine your issue: Start with identifying the problem or issue that you wish to complain about. Ensure that your issue is not a minor one that you can resolve or work around without any interference from your boss. If this is unavoidable, only then will the issue be deemed as really important. Once you determine the issue and the degree to which you are inconvenienced, speak to a few trusted colleagues. If they are able to resolve it amicably and to your satisfaction, then you do not need to approach your boss about it. If you are unsure of how to approach the issue or problem you are facing you should set an appointment with a career guidance counselor from a career consulting company. This will ensure that you are well prepared for your issue and have determined the gravity of the concern before you approach your immediate supervisor or boss about it. Keep a few solutions ready: Many times, your immediate boss will ask you for the solution to the issue or problem you bring up. If it is a system, process, or protocol related issue, you could try to come up with a few solutions that you think might be helpful. If you are unsure and there is only one solution to the issue, then voice that out with minimal emption entering your expressions or your voice. You need to be able to ask for what you would like without undermining the earlier process or person you are complaining about. Explain in brief about what the concern is, why it has arisen, and how you wish to change it. If you are unsure about how to do this, you should speak to a career guidance counselor to assist you. Approaching your boss without a few solutions is like asking for a solution that will be dissatisfactory to you. If you just ask for it, you might be able to get it without having to approach your boss about it again. This will not only improve your communication skills but will also reflect positively on your personal employee branding. Focus on facts: Many people lose focus on the facts and get highly emotional while speaking to their boss about a problem or an issue that is disturbing them. unless it is not a personal issue that is affecting your professional life, keep your emotions aside and only focus on the bare facts in front of you. If you need to find additional ways to get information, you can seek career counseling for experienced professionals and get a cost versus benefits assessment done in order to get your facts right. Ensure that you do not complain about personality traits of your colleagues, their mannerisms, how they dress, eat, and speak. This will reflect poorly on your strength of character and end up harming your employee branding instead of enhancing it. Do not make any assumptions without backing it up with facts or blame your colleagues for work poorly done if it does not affect your work as well. Ensure that you keep the entire issue very professional and ethical at all times. Keep it management-friendly: Before you take any complaint or issue to your manager, you must consider how it will affect the company. Keep your complaint in the form of a feedback and portray it in a positive manner. Do not expect miracles from your boss immediately. Do not also expect that they will take your side. Most managers will look at it from a managerial point of view and then take a decision looking at company culture, policy, and bottom lines. Always ensure that your complaint will assist the management and then frame it to your advantage.