Building a Partnership with Your Boss

by Jerry Wisinski

The Boss and The Assistant. It's a basic business relationship, and the structure is easy: The Boss gives orders, and The Assistant obeys. But there's an alternative that's better for both assistant and boss, and it's called "partnership." In this eye-opening book, assistants learn how they can break out of old, narrow roles and enjoy working with a boss instead of for a boss. This change liberates creativity and self-confidence, and reveals hidden...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814470130
• ISBN13: 9780814470138
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Amacom
• Length: 120 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.9" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 17 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

An essential starting point

Being a corporate coach who specializes in the relationship between executives and assistants, I find this book very useful. While it is not the end-all, be-all solution, it is a perfect start to building a partnership. The book is easy to read with realistic tips; I give it to my clients to augment our coaching sessions. I especially like the stages of partnership model explained in the book. It builds on the basic stages of management and is useful for both the executive and assistant. Well done! righthandresources.com

Essential to Partnering with Your Manager

This book is outstanding. I highly recommend it if you want to take your working relationship with your manager up to the next level. If you think you're working relationship is great now, this book can make it even better. I liked the way the author lists the steps in preparing this concept to your manager. It was easy to follow and really makes you put a good deal of careful thought in the preparation process. I also liked the idea of action items not just for the assistant, but for the manager too. Remember a good working relationship involves both assistants and managers. Just working through this process together improves the relationship. Luckily, my boss endored it!

Good for Beginners

This book is helpful for people new to their jobs. If you don't have anyone who can give you good advice, try this book and you will gain understanding and wisdom about how you should act in your workfield.

A Bible

If you want to get more out of your administrative career, read this book. It's practical, useful and relevant. I highly recommend it. LOVED IT. GET IT.

Best Pick For National Secretary Week - Or Any Week

This book is unique in that it is a step-by-step guide for a secretary to initiate and implement a business partnership model with his or her boss. The four stages of the partnership model are, tell, explain, consult, and empower. Wisinski explains each stage in detail including when the partnership model needs to be set aside for a particular project or task.The book is full of helpful questionnaires that guide you through analyzing your boss, your work place culture and your own strengths. Wisinski says, "Work values carry with them unstated expectations of others; that is, unconsciously, we expect others to see things the way we see them. More specifically, your boss probably expects you to understand and act in accordance with his or her values."However, knowing your bosses work style may not be that easy to figure out. Wisinski provides six questions that help isolate your bosses 'unstated expectations.' So what do you do with the results? "Ask yourself the critical question: Where are you willing to adapt your work values to fit the values your boss has without losing your individual sense of self?" "Persuading and Influencing Your Boss" is one of the best chapters in the book. Wisinski says, "Think of persuading and influencing as a negotiation process." The chapter explains how to prepare for the discussion, present your idea, ask for a reaction, ask questions, identify areas of common agreement, develop alternatives and determine an action plan. The last chapter may be worth the price of the book, "Managing Conflict With Your Boss (and Others). Wisinski identifies five methods of managing conflict and then explains which one to use depending on the conflict and the personalities involved."Building a Partnership With Your Boss" is an easy read, but don't hurry through it. If you take the time to fill out the questionnaires and do the exercises you may find that you'll become a more effective and valuable employee - and enjoy your work more than you ever thought possible.