Most of us in the corporate set-up always have the desire to grow in an organisation such that our career gets the move on and for that we need to take more responsibility. But what is really baffling is how do we get to ask for more responsibility and make sure that we just do not end up adding more to our existing workloads. In that regard, we also need to train ourselves to become professionals who seek to contribute and not hanker after fancy titles or designations. In this article, I intend to put forward seven ways that can help you to avoid the uneasiness in asking your boss to give you more responsibility that would set you up for more success in your career.
- wake up the business owner in you
If you are ready to take more responsibility to see your career grow then you need to think like you are the owner of a business and not wait for your boss to tell you what you are required to do. You need to change your perspective and see yourself as a business owner who is providing customized service to the company. If you are able to acclimatize yourself with the business owner mindset, then you will realize that you will inevitably work towards your business’s success and your thought process will revolve around things like how would be your performance in the coming year that would further help in your career growth.
- treat your manager as a client
One of my friends told me that if one wishes to succeed in an organisation, then it is important that he/she views the manager as their client. In this case, he/she will be your only client that has been budgeted for your salary. As a business owner, your primary objective should be to satisfy your customers’ needs which may include their preferences and pain points. In such a scenario, you will be able to do this with little to no judgment, rather you will be happy to see how the manager reacts to these activities and prioritize them accordingly.
- MAP responsibilities with interest
You should always be on the lookout for opportunities at the workplace that aligns with your professional interests. Further, you should also keep it in mind that the new responsibilities that you want to take up, should deliver fruitful results for both you and your company. It is only then that you will be able to work with more enthusiasm and vindicate to your manager that you are the only right person for the added responsibility.
- prove your ability
Although it is quite obvious, but more often than not it gets ignored. The simple formula to prove your ability is to be good at whatever you are doing as part of your current job. It is foolish to expect that someone will offer you new responsibilities if you are unable to give satisfactory performance in your current role. On the other hand, if you are one of the star performers in your current role then your manager will be more than happy to support your career growth by offering you new responsibilities, but the onus lies with you to build your manager’s confidence in you.
- present a business proposition
Imagine that you are pitching a new business plan to a potential client, and not asking your boss’ permission for new responsibilities. This mindset will help you to build a business case which should include the critical impact you can bring in for the business. You should be able to justify to your boss that it is the right time for you to take on the new responsibilities. Also, try to determine the potential cost for you to assume the new work which can be reviewed by your manager. Such eagerness and well chalked out plan from your end will only prove your interest for the new responsibility.
- you need to manage your work
One of the dilemmas that may creep in your mind while asking for new responsibility is whether you will end up taking more than what you can actually handle. In order to ensure that you do not take too many tasks on your own hand, plan to delegate some of your current work. But you have to be wise in allocating the work such that whoever does it would benefit from doing the work because it is either their passion or it would help their career development. Although, it is your boss who makes the final call, but if you can present a well-prepared allocation plan then it makes it much easier for your boss to envisage the benefits of giving you the new responsibility. You should know that it is a lot easier to react to a recommendation than having to come up with one. I can assure you that your boss will be very happy with the effort.
- timing is of the essence
You must have heard the phrase that “Timing is everything”. Well, it is true in every aspect of life and as such your timing to ask for new responsibility also has to be perfect. So, you should take into account your manager’s current workload and state of mind. For instance, if your company is currently dealing with some cutbacks or has announced some layoffs which has put your boss under tremendous pressure, then it is not the ideal time to bring up your own agenda. On the other hand, year-end review, organisational restructuring, budget planning or one-to-one meetings can be a great opportunity to talk about your desire for new responsibilities. But make sure that you do not jump onto the topic straightaway, rather start by saying that you have some ideas for further improvement of the department. This way you will be able to engage your boss in a more fruitful way and then eventually push in your agenda.
conclusion
So, it can be concluded that at some point you will have to ask your boss directly that you are keen to take more responsibility to progress in your career. However, the key is to let them know without being too pushy or disrespectful. Try to take your manager’s opinion on ways in which you can develop your skills and experience because such gestures usually flatter them, which is a good way of getting them on to your side. I think by practising the above-mentioned ways you will succeed in achieving greater heights in your career. Best of luck.
Leave A Comment