I Hate Being Asked To Do Something Unreasonable At Work - Can You Help?
Here are some tips to help you handle Your Boss's Unreasonable expectations - After all, you want to do a great job as they depend on your work
The problem with unreasonable expectations is
that it is totally subjective
One of the biggest reasons I have people come to me wanting urgent help is because they're frustrated at work
They feel their boss's expectations are unrealistic
They’re frustrated and feel like they aren't being treated fairly
They’re going to tell their boss to shove it
I've had it
They don't understand me
They’re overloading me
How do I cope with this?
They just want to run out of the door which usually leads to even more frustrations
I can't tell you what your boss expects
But here are some common unreasonable expectations and how to handle them
- Your boss asked you to do something that is impossible for you to accomplish in the time frame given
- Your boss gave you a task without checking if the team has enough work to do, or if everyone is busy with current tasks
- Your boss may be giving you extra work to push you to be your best
Sometimes unreasonable expectations are assigned to us at work, and it's best to clarify if they are truly unreasonable with your boss
Clarify what you think is really unreasonable and why, then ask your boss if it is really unreasonable
It may seem unreasonable to you because you can't finish the task within a short period of time, or because it requires a lot of work
Create a list of everything that's on your plate and the corresponding deadlines
Ask your boss what the expectations are and ask your boss to help you prioritise those tasks, because you may find the boss will look at the list and go, oh no, that's not urgent, I'd like you to focus here, here and here
And then suddenly you're not so overloaded
It’s always important to give someone an opportunity to explain their reasoning and you’ll pick up the vibe from the boss pretty quickly
If you’re getting more than your share of work in the team - remember your boss manages more than just you, they manage other people as well
And so sometimes they may not always be across everything on your plate
Your boss may be giving you extra work to push you to be your best
If you have a really good boss often they will set expectations that will push you out of your comfort zone
When we get so comfortable doing what we do and can pretty much do it in our sleep, your skills stagnate
So a good manager, a good boss will know what you’re skilled at and will help you grow your skills
And before demanding that your boss be reasonable, consider whether you're the problem
You may have simply misinterpreted their intentions or failed to understand their goals
Perhaps they're expecting more of you because they respect you and believe in your potential
If you've been doing good work and achieving your goals, it's unlikely that your boss is trying to punish you with extra assignments
Clarifying expectations with them will help both of you figure out if there is a misunderstanding or an unreasonable expectation
It's likely that there is not—your boss is just looking for more results from the same amount of effort, which is a totally reasonable goal