by Alvos

Created on: August 17, 2009

No worker in a company is free of facing issues. Even the big shot that has the "Employee of the month" wall upholstered with his photograph has faced issues, but have you ever asked yourself how does this guy manage to give the boss the news when something bad happens? How is it that the boss has this person as his right hand and sets him as an example at every chance he gets? Well, the difference between this guy and the rest of the people working with him is the attitude that's taken when something is wrong. Of course this is no the only factor but trust me, it helps a lot.

Many of us have the habit (a really bad habit I must say) of "transferring" the responsibility of giving such news to another person without even realizing that bad news are an opportunity to really demonstrate why we deserve to have our photograph in the mentioned wall.

What a boss values the most is not how good you perform your job, but how capable you are of overcoming any issue that comes across. This aspect is what really gives your boss the confidence to go on vacation knowing that you will be the wingman he needs to keep things going in his absence.

Every time bad news arrive, be the first one to embrace them and try some of the following tips that will ensure you a competitive edge within your coworkers.

Be proactive: Don't approach to your boss just to say "Hi boss, we have a problem." Instead, try fixing the problem yourself or in case of a complex issue, try preparing a set of possible solutions. Make your boss aware that something is wrong, but let him know that you are quite capable of fixing the problem or at least that you already took the time to save him some effort and allowed him to pick from a list solutions instead of making him figure out what to do.

Build the habit of doing research: Many times the issues you will face will be new for the company and you might not know the solution, but unless you google them and get no results, there will always be a solution so don't waste your time inventing the wheel. If an issue is so extreme that google doesn't give you an answer try other sources of information and gain popularity by being the first posting the answer in the web :)

Show some leadership attitude: Many issues will not involve your area of expertise but there will be someone in your team that might show proficiency in the subject, so lose the fear of asking for help. It will be a huge plus with your boss to let him know that you were capable of coordinating with your teammates in order to find a solution to a problem. This will also give you points to reach the first place in the "command line" in case your boss gets promoted or moves to another company.

Recognize your limitations and don't say no: There will be moments when despite all your efforts you won't be able to give bad news to your boss without being empty handed. In these cases let your boss know how you tried to solve the issue so he can see that you gave your best effort, and admit that you need of his expertise to find a solution. If he asks you to follow another path as a possible way to fix the problem, accept it and follow it. After all, he is the boss for a reason don't you think?

Every problem you get your hands into will allow you to learn from the experience and will prepare you to face the future issues with more professionalism and ease. Next time bad news show up try following these tips and start earning your way to the hall of fame!

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