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Questions to Ask Your New Boss

Questions to Ask Your New Boss

Dealing with a new boss can be a huge task for many employees. Especially when the boss is strict, demanding, or plain mean. Knowing what questions one can ask a new boss can be a new way of making work easier! Alexander Djerassi is an entrepreneur with a success story in line with employees’ management.

Here is the list of questions that can be of great help in a diverse way.

1. How long has he been the boss?

This question can be conveyed in many ways. For example, it can be asked in a casual way or by directly asking him if he has been the boss for very long, with a pause before he replies, which could be an expected answer for him like “Oh, I have been the boss for almost two years.”

2. How much control or decision-making do I have?

This is a fundamental question that can be conveyed in many ways. One way of conveying the question with a good pause before he replies by saying, “So I am supposed to be a right-hand man, and I will be privileged with the same rights as the boss have?” The boss will have no choice but to say yes. Any other answer would not sound good at all.

3. What should I accomplish in the next three months?

This is a good question that is essential to know before the time runs out. This will give a good insight into what is going on in the boss’s mind. If a boss does not know what to do or has no idea about his goals, they might be scared, and it will go down well with the employees.

4. What is the one thing you would like me to do above all else?

This is a question that informs the employees on how to prioritize. Another way of asking this question could be, ” So what would you like me to do most of all?” This will help in knowing his priorities and let the boss know if he has had prior experience.

5. What are my strengths and weaknesses?

This is a question that will go on well with the employees. This will also help in knowing what the boss is looking for, and it can be used to one’s advantage by saying something positive about his weaknesses. This can open doors to more improvement opportunities.

6. What can I do to improve my skills or knowledge?

This is an essential question that could help an employee learn something new and be better. For example: “So what are your suggestions on how I can learn more?” Or “I am so open to learning new things, and I hope you will give me a chance! Thanks.” This is a crucial question that could bring in desired results.

7. What are key performance indicators?

This is a great question that will help the employees to understand how their boss measures up. It would be great if they did not know the key performance indicators. This question can also give them a piece of information that they did not already have. This is how an employee can use performance indicators to their benefit and gain, especially if they know that their boss has no idea about it.
Also, questions such as these can be used casually or directly asked by a boss or even by an employee. Alexander Djerassi is also a huge proponent of keeping employees happy and enjoying their work at all times.