There are times when we feel that we could get the Employee of the year award, and then are times when we feel that we are at the bottom of the pile. It is a common feeling that you are lagging behind at work, that you are not able to perform at the best of your ability. When you feel you are underperforming, you should ask for help instead of fighting a lone battle. All bosses appreciate employees who take the initiative to improve their own performance.
But this cannot be an easy conversation. You have to accept your limitation in front of the boss, and then reach out for assistance. But this is important to grow professionally at work. So, how should you have this conversation with the boss?
Accepting The Reality
The first step is to realise that you are underperforming, that it can be improved, and that you need to ask for guidance. It could be that you are working fine, just the project is taking time to show results. So, reflect and introspect whether you really need help.
Shruti Rajpara, from Spicetree Design Agency, suggests that it is normal to feel like an underperformer at work. She adds, “It is better to speak up instead of keeping it to yourself. Speak to the boss for help. Also speak to colleagues who inspire you with their working style and performance. You can also read more about your field of work, watch tutorials, and try to upgrade your skills.”
Get Clarity Before Communication
No boss likes when you come to them with problems, you need to consider the situation from the perspective of the boss. Do you need some course to upgradeyour skill, do you need to start doing another task for sometime to refresh your working life or do you need to be mentored by an expert to learn the ropes of the work better? Consider some options before you go to the boss for help.
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Talk To Your Boss Honestly
You need to be honest about your strengths and weakness when speaking to the boss. You don’t need to imitate his strategy, just ask for some guidance that he or she would have because they are aware of the larger picture. So, ask them honestly what you could do to improve your performance.
These approaches will help you to speak to the boss when you feel you need guidance to improve your performance at work.
