Illustration by Maus Baus
Having clear and consistent communication with your manager is essential to delivering strong results. You need to know their expectations, and they need to have insight into your work to give useful feedback and help you grow. That’s why working with a manager who is too hands-off can be challenging, especially for people in remote environments. If you find yourself in this situation, the first way to improve the relationship is to get clear on your and your manager’s work styles. Once you each understand how the other prefers to communicate and solve problems, you can set up a system that works for you both. You should also advocate for a weekly one-on-one meeting with your boss to make sure you’re aligned on goals. Lastly, it’s in your benefit to network with your manager’s peers. Being connected to other leaders in the company will give you access to cross-departmental opportunities, and make your work more visible throughout the organization.
In a fully remote environment, a hands-off manager can be both empowering and challenging. While you may appreciate a certain level of autonomy, clear and consistent communication with your boss is essential for delivering strong results. Knowing what your manager expects is key to hitting those targets, and gaining visibility — which is needed to excel in any role — is difficult if your boss is unaware of your efforts. These issues always exist with a hands-off manager, but they become even trickier in a remote setting where access to your boss is limited.
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