Five steps to improve your boss

I want to pick up on my last blog and answer the question: "What can you do if your boss can't lead?"

Improving your boss's leadership skills can't be done overnight. But it is possible. Here are five steps to get the leadership you want:

1) Know what it is you want!

If you want your boss to improve you have to know what you want her to do better. What would you like more or less of? What difference would it make? Figure this out before you go any further.

2) Spend time chatting about leadership.

Most of us can't just dive into giving our boss critical feedback. So start by chatting about leadership: discuss an article you've read, a blog you subscribe to, or a leadership book you've heard of. Or you could simply ask her what she thinks about leadership ("What do you think are the three most important leadership skills?" etc).

3) Ask your boss to give you some feedback.

By asking your boss to give you feedback you open a 'feedback dialogue' that, hopefully, will lead to your boss asking you for feedback in return. It is important you ask for feedback on specific behaviours, are the model 'receiver', and actually do something meaningful with the feedback. If your boss can see the positive effect of her feedback on your performance she might be tempted to seek some herself.

4) Give your boss some strokes.

When you are ready, give your boss some feedback about something she did well. You have to find the right 'style' and the feedback must be specific: "I just wanted to say that when you spoke about our new customer management programme this morning, I really liked the energy and enthusiasm you showed. I think the team was really inspired by that."

This will probably feel uncomfortable. But if the feedback is specific, well timed and well thought out it will be appreciated.

5) Go for the kill (but be gentle)!

Finally, when you feel able to offer critical feedback, do it gently. Most of us are frightened of feedback even though we know it's good for us. Start by asking for permission ("May I give you some feedback on the meeting this morning?") and if permission is granted, offer something positive first.

Cynics call this the 'Bad News Burger' (good feedback followed by bad feedback followed by good feedback again). But there is merit in it. Whatever you do, make the feedback balanced otherwise the good stuff just sounds patronising. By 'balanced' I mean, make it as well thought out as the critical feedback.

Give some examples so she knows what you're talking about and, most importantly, describe the impact of the behaviour. If you miss this step the feedback has no meaning. It would be like a climatologist saying, "The earth is getting warmer". So what? Without impact we don't know whether that is good or bad!

Finally, describe what you would like instead and the impact this would have on you and the business. Again, the only reason to do something differently is if there is a tangible benefit.