1 Surfing Principle to Get Your Boss to Agree

"Killer surf today, Brah!" Could you imagine saying that to your boss, and he responses, "Yep, let's ride some waves." Crazy thought? But that same principle can be used with any boss, and it works every time. When you're ready to surf, you check the waves, and most surfers, even if they don't like one another, they will agree upon good surf, all nodding together like bobble-heads on the same rhythm. Furthermore, you could absolute hate someone, or be standing by some aggro that's angry at the world yet you would agree on the surf conditions. When translating this to your boss, you both must find the common thing, like good surf conditions, that you both can agree upon. For you, it's important to find out what motivates your boss, then find out how your values fit within his values. It is virtually impossible to wait for your boss to find out what you value, unless he or she is truly a great leader. But if that was true, you would already be enjoying your job.

Having been a boss for a while at all levels of an organization, I found that there are three basic goals that I had in my personal and my company's goals, the basic surf conditions for any boss are making money, hitting budget, and customer happiness. All three of those basic company surf conditions are hidden in any of the goals, mission, or other statements you may hear from your boss. Most likely, if you are at a big company those hidden gems are laying on a sign in the break room like storm signs on a beach warning of high surf, it's pretty obvious once you look. If you are at a small company, those goals are hidden in the evening stress of your boss as she balances her books or looks at an angry customer to deal with about a missing receipt during a return. In either condition, it all basically translates to the three basic conditions. Now, some may be different, such as working at a non-profit, but generally it's the same no matter where you work.

Once you grasp the relationship between surf conditions and company goals, you can find common ground with your boss. Now look into your values and translate into what you are doing as a job to those goals your boss values. Here are two examples, if you like to get a pay check, then you want to help your company make money or hit budget because that is how you get money for surf trips. If you like making people happy, you can help those customers, who are people, find what they are looking to buy. It's pretty easy stuff, and if your boss is asking what you are doing, you can say "helping these people pick the right product." or something similar, he'll flip out in joy. Looking into something that you value and finding a relationship between something your boss values more than his attitude or a small insignificant task, he'll always agree to higher goals. It's like that aggro surfer agreeing to surf conditions, it's freakish when it happens. As a result of you finding common ground, you may hear things like "Now that's a good attitude Johnny boy." or "You're focused on the right things, I'm glad you work for us." Now that may be hard to grasp if you didn't have that good of a relationship in the past, but here's the good thing, you were honest with yourself, you just translated your own personal values and goals into something that fit your job. Now you have lead position and it's your turn to take the wave.

Now go surf!