Guide to Talk to Your Boss
Talking to your boss about a work problem may be the fastest way to resolve the problem. Below are steps to help you. You should always adapt your responses based on how the conversation is going with your boss.
Steps to Guide Your Talk
Step 1 Make a Plan
Before talking to your boss, make a plan of what you want to say. You can do this on paper, on your phone, or as an audio note. A plan can help you organize your thoughts and stay focused.
Answer these questions to help you make a plan:
What do you want
to talk about?
What is your ideal
solution?
Do you have anything
to support this?
Is there anything else
you want to talk about?
Example 1
Joaquin and his coworkers do not have clean water to drink near where they are working.
Joaquin’s Plan
What do you want to talk about?
We need more drinking water in the field.
What is your ideal solution?
More water stations closer to where we work. We need enough cool and clean water for everyone.
Do you have anything to support this?
Pictures showing how far the water is and that the water is dirty.
Is there anything else you want to talk about?
Working in the heat without enough water makes us feel dizzy and sick. We can get seriously hurt or even die from being dehydrated.
Example 2
Laura was not paid for the hours of paid sick leave she used for her doctor’s appointment.
Laura’s Plan
What do you want to talk about?
I was not paid for the 4 hours of paid sick leave that I took last week.
What is your ideal solution?
Get my hours paid on my next paycheck.
Do you have anything to support this?
- The text from my boss approving the sick leave.
- My last pay stub showing that the paid sick leave hours were not included in my paycheck.
Step 2 Decide Who to Talk To
Talking to the right person at work can help solve a problem faster. There may be different people in the company who are responsible for different things. You can start by asking someone you trust at work or your boss. If your boss does not solve the problem, talk to another supervisor or someone at the office.
Step 3 Ask for Time to Talk
Once you decide who to talk to, ask if they have time to talk. Unless it is an emergency, approach them during a slow time of the day when they can be more responsive. Setting aside time to talk allows both of you to focus.
Example
Step 4 Have the Talk
When you meet to talk, remember what you practiced. You will want to keep the conversation focused and respect each other's time.
Some reminders:
Thank them for talking with you.
Use your plan from Step 1 to guide the conversation.
Ask the questions you want answers to.
Thank them for their time and summarize the next steps you talked about.
Example
Step 5 Follow-Up
Follow up with a text. This will help you and your boss remember when and what you talked about and the next steps you agreed on. Keep notes (written, text, audio notes) of what happened, who you talked to, and the date it happened.
In your follow-up, include a:
Thank you message with the day you talked.
Summary of what you talked about.
Summary of the next steps and by when.
Example
If your boss cannot or will not help you, you can contact a local organization or government agency for help.