Communicate Proactively When You Have Multiple Managers

4 Min

Don’t let miscommunication affect your work with your managers.

When you are working for multiple managers who need project updates (in a matrix organization or on cross-functional projects), update all of your managers once a week in the same email.

In an email, tell them about

1. The progress you have made on your projects.

Let them know where you stand on your projects or tasks. This helps all of your managers understand your work for other managers and lets them know how much you are working on their projects.

Say you work in HR and you’re working on three projects: a plan for going to college job fairs, hiring a new office manager, and your everyday work consulting employees on HR issues.


You might send an email including the information on the following card.

Progress:

College Job Fair Plan (Manager: Jay): We submitted our plan to Jay and got revisions on Thursday.

Hiring Office Manager (Manager: Yolanda): We posted the want ad on job sites Tuesday.

Everyday Talent Consulting (Manager: Yolanda): I hosted a brief information session on the yearly review process.

2. Next week’s priorities.

Tell your managers exactly what you will be doing next week.

For example:

Next week’s priorities:

College Job Fair Plan (Manager: Jay): Implement Jay’s revisions and start contacting colleges.

Hiring Office Manager (Manager: Yolanda): Schedule our first round of phone interviews.

Everyday Talent Consulting (Manager: Yolanda): I plan to follow up on questions about the yearly review process.

3. Risks

Let your managers know anything that may possibly get in the way of your projects.

For example: Risks:
College Job Fair Plan (Manager: Jay): No risks anticipated.

Hiring Office Manager (Manager: Yolanda): Possible lack of qualified candidates.

Everyday Talent Consulting (Manager: Yolanda): The work on the job fair plan may get in the way of day-to-day work. I’ll let you know early next week if it seems like I need to free up some time.

End your update by asking if anything is missing. Confirm whether your managers agree with the update you have given

For example:

Please let me know if there is anything you’d like me to add to my priorities next week or any risks I have overlooked. 

Note:

Your team might already have a process in place like this. If it does, you don’t have to send this update. There’s no reason to send your managers information they already have, as long as it's all being clearly communicated.

Time for a quiz.

Jordan is emailing his managers an update. He included information about task progress and possible risks. What is he missing?

Quiz 1 of 1

Jordan is emailing his managers an update. He included information about task progress and possible risks. What is he missing?

a
How much time he spent on each project.
b
His priorities for next week.
c
An update on his state of mind.
d
Copies of all of his completed work for the week.

The correct answer is B: His priorities for next week.

Jordan should let his managers know what he will be working on next week. 

Take the next step:

Does your team have a way of making sure your managers know all the work you’re doing? If not, at the end of this week, write an update to your managers. 

Communicate Proactively When You Have Multiple Managers -
Video Transcript

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