The Secret behind Your Boss's Mindset
Evolving from Employee to Indispensable Decision-Maker
Hey Friends 👋
The higher up you go in an organization, the more your job shifts from doing to deciding.
It starts to be more about making choices than doing the actual work.
Think about a CEO.
They don’t do the designing, making, selling, or marketing.
Their job?
Deciding what to make, where to make it, who to sell it to, and how to market it.
A lot of people starting out don’t get how tough it is for big bosses to make decisions all the time.
Making a bad choice? Easy. Just pick something without thinking.
But living with a bad choice? That’s tough, and it sticks around.
Big bosses are always worrying about this. They ask a bunch of questions like:
Did we look at all the info we need?
Did we miss any big ideas?
Can we trust our info?
What’s our move?
When do we do it?
Who’s going to do it?
Why are we doing this?
Every choice brings up a whole lot of questions.
Here’s a tip I learned from my mentor:
Don’t just go to your boss with a problem. Bring a problem and a way to fix it.
Why?
Because deciding stuff is hard.
When you just drop a problem on your boss or any other executive for that matter, it’s like giving them extra work.
A good employee tells the boss about a problem. A great employee brings the problem and a potential smart fix.
Imagine this: You go to your boss and say,
“We’ve got an issue.
Here’s how bad it is and what could happen if we don’t do anything.
This is what I think we should do, and here’s why (the data) it’s a good idea.
Can I go ahead and fix it?”
Bosses love meetings like that.
Why?
Because they get the scoop on something they might not know much about. And with just one word from them, “Okay,” the problem’s taken care of.
Here’s the takeaway:
Don’t just show up with problems. Bring problems and solutions. It’s the best way to show you’re really valuable.
Bosses see two types of employees:
Those who make their lives harder;
Those who make problems disappear.
Which one are you?
Have a great week!
Vibhor
Things I thought about a lot this week
Last week, my mind was preoccupied with several things that kept me busy. The following thoughts consumed most of my time and attention.
1. Why experience costs more?
2. Every decision matters
If you were to travel back in time before your birth, you would likely feel scared to take any action.
Why?
Because even the slightest changes to the present could have significant influences on the future.
When applied to the present, it is a reminder that the way you choose to live each day truly matters and has the potential to shape the future.
3. If you are being micromanaged
Try this approach to demonstrate your value to your manager:
Create a relevant metric that aligns with your role and track it for a month.
Once you have the data, present the metric to your manager along with any other necessary information to build their confidence.
Be transparent and include both good and bad results.
Finally, agree on a reporting schedule that works for both of you.
This will help you establish a clear understanding of your role and the value you bring to the team.
My Favourite Things This Week
Book: The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
This book offers a unique glimpse into the mind of a ruler. Marcus Aurelius's works are a source of leadership wisdom, particularly on resilience, responsibility, and self-discipline.
YouTube: Is Consciousness a Miracle?
I enjoyed this discussion because it brought together two perspectives that are often seen as conflicting - spirituality and science - and explored how they can complement each other in understanding the mysteries of consciousness.
The way Sadhguru and Professor Pinker approached the discussion with mutual respect and an open mind was truly refreshing.
Quote of the Week
"Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too."
From The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Most watched YouTube video last week
In order to maximize the value of the product, a Product Owner must interact with the Development Team throughout the Sprint.
Product Owners need to be available to clarify topics and to discuss with the rest of the Scrum Team how to respond to situations that impact the Sprint Goal.
There might be a variety of reasons why the Product Owner is sometimes not available. One possible explanation could be that they are overloaded. In this video, I show you how the Product Owner and Scrum Master can work together to resolve this impediment.
Last Week’s Posts
🙏 Thank You!
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Here, I try to give you Career, Progress, and Self-Development insights as I learn them myself.
Wish you a successful career journey ahead.
Until next week 👋
“I share things I wish I knew in the starting years of my career in the corporate world."
Vibhor Chandel