How to Ask Your Boss for Anything and Get It

The easiest way to get anything in life is to simply ask for it, you might get a quick yes. In business and in life many people get what they want because they asked for it. Try asking, you might be pleasantly surprised.

In the real world asking only gets you so far. Here are 5 strategies you can use to help ensure the answer you get when asking a boss for anything is yes!

1) Show Respect - An important element of getting what you want from a boss is to show respect for the position they hold, even though you might not agree with all of their decisions. The boss cannot please all of the people all the time, at some point someone will get hurt feelings it's important to deal with the situation diplomatically & respectfully rather than acting on emotion.

2) Become an Advisor – An advisor is someone who the boss holds in high regard, this means they will seek you for advice in one or more areas. You can be an advisor in any number of areas. As an advisor it is important to not only identify problems, but also try to be solution oriented. A boss may get lots of complaints, rather than being another complainer come with a few suggestions in mind. Give your boss at least two agreeable solutions, that way the boss is making a choice rather than feeling forced down a path.

3) Show Your Commitment – It can be hard to find the positive side, but chances are that there are positive things going on in your work. Someone who is supportive and optimistic is a brighter light than someone who is always negative. Show enthusiasm not emotion; attend work activities even though it might be hard to find the time. But by showing your support and making a point to at least say high is a way to show commitment.

4) Become friends with your boss - The better you know and like someone the harder it is to say no, think about this in your own life, those closest to you have your ear. You want to foster that type of relationship with your boss. You should have regular meetings with your boss; ask for 15-30 minute weekly meetings. Keep your boss aware of what you are working on. Your goal is to remain relevant in your bosses’ eyes. 
 
5) Last Resort – Every once in a while you will get a dud boss, they just may not be qualified to do the job or you may have a personality conflict. In this case the best way to change is to move on. Seek a boss you respect & want to learn from. In some cases you may find a boss within your company, or you may need to move to another company.

A person who shows respect for their boss is a friendly committed advisor has a much better chance of getting a yes answer than someone who has done none of the above. If your strategy doesn’t work, there is always the last resort, but hopefully it won’t come to that.

John M Hawkins