When I arrived in the Czech Republic sixteen years ago, the question I most often heard was, “How can I manage the Czechs?” For many years afterward, this issue remained one of the most pressing challenges for expatriate managers. Lately, however, a shift seems to have taken place, and the question I now most often hear is “How can I manage my boss?”
A very good illustration of this new phenomenon was brought to my attention recently by one of my Czech clients, who inherited a French boss.
When a foreign manager arrives in the Czech Republic eager to tackle a new professional challenge or experience a new culture, he or she is often unaware of the difficulties that both the Czech language and the local mentality can present. This is often caused by a difference in the expectations between the two parties.
A local team often expects the new boss to make the effort to adapt to the Czech environment and to his Czech colleagues. On the other hand, the new boss expects his new team to respect his authority, to support him in his new tasks, to agree with him and to adjust accordingly to his communication and management style.
Being aware of the usual cultural pitfalls, I told my client that if she wanted her new boss to pay attention to her and to listen to her ideas, she needed to learn to manage him; and the best way to manage the boss is to create and develop a good relationship with him by learning to like him and even to praise him.
Creating a good relationship with anyone is quite simple if you remember that people appreciate people who are like themselves. We feel most comfortable with people who behave like us, share the same interests, or have similar ideas or life experiences. Conversely, it’s often a challenge to establish rapport with someone who doesn’t appear to have much in common with us… like a new foreign manager, for example.
I told my client that one simple way to develop a good relationship with her French boss was to start paying attention and to match his behaviors, his communication style and even the kind of clothes he was wearing. When she mentioned that her new boss wore smart, fashionable clothing, I suggested that she also pay special attention to her own appearance. While every culture has its own particular dress code, for many cultures, including the French, being a professional means dressing the part and choosing the formal over the casual.
For my client, another easy way of getting her new boss to take a liking to her was to take an active part during meetings. For the French, active participation during a meeting is quite common and even expected. French are known to voice their opinions and ideas without being asked, and can often interrupt each other. This behavior is much different from how Czechs behave in a group session – they will usually wait to be asked for their ideas and opinions and will never interrupt someone who is speaking, for fear of being perceived as rude.
But the most powerful tool in establishing a good relationship with a manager is to praise him. Praise makes us feel good and increases our self-confidence. Moreover, praise or positive feedback is proven to be one the most effective means of influencing behavior. It works with bosses and employees alike.
“Praise my boss! But how?” asked my client. I told her to smile when the boss says something interesting or funny and to nod when she agreed with him. I also told her to answer her boss’s questions in a positive manner and avoid responding to statements in the negative.
Praising the boss can be quite a challenge for anybody, but I strongly suggest initially giving a new boss the benefit of the doubt. They may do things differently than you are accustomed to. They may communicate differently than the old boss did. They were, however, made the boss for a reason, and you cannot figure out their motivations in a day, or a week, or maybe even in a month. By being open to the new boss, he or she will be more open to you.
For those of us who can’t even imagine the idea of complimenting a manager, it might help to simply focus on what he or she does well and ignore the rest. In any case, wait until you are on solid footing before you try to manage any negatives you perceive.
Understandably, working for a new boss can be uncomfortable for many employees. But I am confident that by finding out her boss’ expectations, improving her understanding of his communication style, and praising him, she will develop a positive relationship with him and manage him successfully.