Why Your Boss Shouldn’t Have The Same Background As You

I’m amazed at the number of times I hear the complaint about peoples bosses that ‘They don’t get it they’re not a (fill in the specific expertise here) person”

My boss isn’t a Major Gifts person, they just don’t get it.

My boss isn’t a Data structure analyst, they just don’t get it.

My boss isn’t a ….

You get the picture.

This statement is nothing but a declaration of victim-hood does nothing to move a situation forward.

In most organizations someone in a management position should actually not be a subject matter expert. Their job is to provide the structure and resources necessary for a subject matter expert (SME) to continue in the most efficient way. If management were SME’s, chances are they wouldn’t have the time to work on the management side of things.

If a SME feels that they are not getting the resources or support that they need then it’s not because they need a manager who shares their expertise. It means that they need to properly inform their manager and make the appropriate requests.

The statement “my boss doesn’t get it …” actually says “I haven’t done a good job of articulating what I need.

I suggest that the next sentence after “my boss doesn’t get it ….” should be, “If my boss was a (insert area of expertise here) person, these two things would be different”. Be specific. Then take that list to your boss and explain how these two things will improve your workflow.

Don’t be a victim. Take charge of your situation.

Oh, and you may not get your two things. That doesn’t mean that your boss doesn’t get it. If means you don’t get those things. Maybe there is something else that can make your job easier or maybe you need to be more articulate on why these should be a priority.