May Busch* has some strategies for those who need to get the attention of a boss who is always rushing from meeting to meeting.
In my early days as a manager I was always busy — in fact, too busy.
Busy was my badge of honour, and I prided myself on getting a lot of things done.
Unless something was urgent, I didn’t feel I had time to meet with my team outside scheduled catch-ups.
The few who did manage to get time with me were the ones from other offices (I couldn’t very well say “no” when they’d flown in from Madrid, Frankfurt or Paris).
I felt putting more meetings in the diary were a waste of time, and the first meetings to be cut or denied were with my team.
While that was short-sighted, it was how I operated for many years.
While I’m not proud of this behaviour, I did improve over time.
So, if your boss is like this too, then know that there’s still hope.
In the meantime, here are three strategies to improve your chances of getting that meeting with your busy boss:
Frame your ask; get to know their assistant, and meet them where they are.
The most straightforward way to get a meeting is to ask for one.
When you do, it’s important that you frame your request in a way that makes it useful for your busy boss.
That is, be clear about what’s in it for the boss. After all, they’re busy and they need to be able to justify that time spent with you.
For example, if want to update your boss on what you’ve been working on, that may not sound urgent or compelling.
While it’s useful from your perspective, it’s less exciting for your boss.
If it’s to update your boss so they’re prepared for a meeting with their boss, that becomes a priority.
Similarly, if you have an idea that will save your boss and the team time, money or aggravation, that would be compelling too.
This brings us to the second strategy. If your boss is senior enough to have an assistant, they’re likely to trust and rely on that assistant.
This was certainly true of me as a boss.
My assistant was the one who controlled my calendar and moved meetings around because things were constantly shifting.
I relied on her judgement and she had a lot of influence. So if you were mean to my assistant, it put you in the doghouse with me too.
Of course, you’ll need to check that your boss does rely on their assistant in the same way I relied on mine.
If it is the case, then their assistant will be a gold mine of information and advice to help you navigate your boss’s calendar.
Now for the third piece — make it easy for your boss to meet you.
That means getting to know their routine, schedule and habits.
When I was a junior associate, there was one sure way to speak with our boss; that was to catch him as he walked to the elevator at 6:05pm every night.
If necessary, we would ride down the elevator or even speed walk to the train station with him.
Catching your boss on the way in or out of the building works well.
At the present time, everyone is aware of the need for contact and connection, and it feels harder for bosses to know what’s going on without talking to people.
So don’t be shy about asking for a virtual meeting.
When you get the meeting or call have an agenda — maybe even one you send ahead of time.
The best way to get another meeting is if your boss comes away feeling it was well worth the time.
If you can’t get a regular slot, then learn to use email to get a meeting.
That means writing a short email to intrigue them, but don’t give them all the details.
That’s why I’m a fan of writing just a few bullet points. Make them ones that leave your boss curious to learn more.
If the reason your need to speak live is because the topic is too sensitive to put in writing, tell them that too.
Just make sure it lives up to that billing when you finally get on the Zoom or phone.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you must have a long time slot. The busier your boss, the less time they’ll have.
Become known for having short, crisp meetings, and use these precious meetings as a time to demonstrate you can be concise and succinct.
From a practical perspective, ask for a shorter time slot, like 45 minutes instead of an hour or better yet, 15-to-20 minutes instead of 30.
When you get in the meeting, use less of the allotted time than they’ve given you.
When you end your meeting early, you give your boss one of the most valuable gifts possible — time.
In all likelihood, your boss is in back-to-back meetings without time.
Your boss will be grateful for getting those extra five minutes.
Armed with these strategies, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to keep your boss updated, even when you have a boss who’s busy.
*May Busch works with smart entrepreneurs and top managements to build their businesses. She can be contacted at [email protected].
This article first appeared at maybusch.com.
