Collect information
You need to understand what needs your boss has and what working style they prefer. It is also very useful to know what pressures the person in that position faces. Bosses often don’t make clear their priorities and expectations. They may even not be aware of what their own preferred working style is. You need to find this out for yourselves, according to an article on the management-issues.com website.
Take the initiative
If you don’t take the initiative, then you may be spending too much time on the wrong things. How to deal with this matter? Whenever your boss assigns you a task, you should find out whether or not it is high priority. You also need to know what your boss is expecting. This may be difficult but you need to clarify anything that is initially unclear.
If you are already working on something and you aren’t completely clear about expectations, it is up to you to take the initiative. Schedule a short meeting in which you can discuss your objectives. Or you could just send a plan of action via e-mail and wait for a reaction.
If your boss is extremely busy or difficult to talk to, you might try to collect all the necessary information from people close to the boss or from previous subordinates. You could also consider what pressures your organisation is facing in order to find some valuable clues regarding the current priority.
Use the right communication channels
Do not assume your boss prefers the same information channel as you. That would be very risky. Ascertain whether your boss is more a listener or a reader. In the case of a listener, use the phone or meetings in person. For a reader, is it better to use e-mail or should you rather leave memos or short notes on the desk? Find out the best means of communication.
-jk-