Mixed or conflicting messages in the workplace are not as unusual as you might think – and often, your immediate supervisor is the guilty party. To be clear, bosses don’t (usually) send you conflicting messages intentionally – it’s typically because they’re dealing with shifting priorities and you become the unintended recipient of their muddled minds. Having said that, however, in order for you to get things done, you need clarification. And it’s up to you to take positive steps to get it.
But it’s not always easy to initiate or follow through on the conversation. Which is why I lay out the five steps, in detail, in my latest column in The Globe and Mail, published just this morning. In What to do when you get mixed messages from your boss (or anyone else at work), I explain, with example phrases, how you can speak up to achieve clarity when conflicting messages confuse you.
If you’re a paid online subscriber to The Globe, here is a direct link to the column on their site: https://tgam.ca/3gkQpSv. And if you’re a subscriber to the print edition, my column is expected to publish there on Wednesday.
I’d love to hear more about situations you’ve faced when you’ve received mixed messages, either from the boss or someone else. How did you deal with it? Do you have ideas to share with everyone else? Please comment directly below.