So you report to someone who is always very busy. Welcome to a very large club! Today’s tool aims to focus your conversation with your manager or project lead so you can get the information you need. This is especially relevant for Executive Assistants, folks in Operations, those who report to Senior Leadership and anyone with an Always Busy Manager.
Before I keep going, I need to name a couple of things:
- There is a difference between paralyzed-by-imposter-syndrome-and-can’t-work-independently and literally-doesn’t-have-enough-info-to-complete-task. You deserve a manager who can discern between the two.
- Ideally, when you started your role, you were able to set a healthy cadence of check-ins with your manager. If that hasn’t happened, that’s okay. You need to reset expectations and ask for what you need. (Have you heard the phrase “always we begin again”? That’s probably a good mantra to adopt!)
Is it 15 minutes every morning? 30 minutes on Mondays? Capturing a regular time on the calendar will help immensely so you don’t waste energy fighting for time every single week.
To get unblocked, walk/Zoom into your next meeting armed with this simple template.
Note: if you can’t get regular time blocked, this tool will be even more useful. Show up, talk fast, be direct and ask for what you need.
Unblock Me Tool
Project this is related to: _______________________________________________
What I’m blocked on: _________________________________________________
Decisions that need to be made: __________________________________________________
Capture any new information you receive :
_______________________________________________________________________
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Need support in a tough role? Consider contacting one of our coaches. We’re trained to help you find your way.