What do you do if your boss in Emergency Management is not responsive to your communication?
Communication is vital in emergency management, especially between you and your boss. But what if your boss is not responsive to your messages, calls, or emails? How do you handle this situation without compromising your work or your relationship? Here are some tips to help you deal with an unresponsive boss in emergency management.
The first step is to try to understand why your boss is not responding to you. Is it because they are overwhelmed, busy, distracted, or disorganized? Or is it because they are avoiding, ignoring, or dismissing you? The cause of their unresponsiveness may affect how you approach them and how you resolve the issue.
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In my experience, crisis management can make/break leaders. The leader's role is to assess and manage ever evolving situations during the crisis. Communication is the key and if boss/leader is not responding, my first recommendation is to find out the reason, try to find out their whereabouts. May be it is just the mode of communication has broken down or may be they got pulled elsewhere or burned out. Regardless, a contingency (pre) plan should have been in place. After exhausting all ways to establish communication, someone (could be you) else should take over and announce temporary change in command. Announce that to your team, re-direct your individual tasks and assume the temporary role or follow the next line of succession.
The second step is to choose the most appropriate and effective channel to communicate with your boss. Depending on the urgency, importance, and nature of your message, you may want to use different methods, such as phone, email, text, or face-to-face. For example, if you need a quick answer or confirmation, you may call or text your boss. If you need to share detailed information or documents, you may use email. If you need to discuss a sensitive or complex issue, you may request a face-to-face meeting.
The third step is to be clear and concise in your communication with your boss. Make sure you state the purpose, the main points, and the action items of your message. Avoid unnecessary details, jargon, or ambiguity. Use bullet points, headings, or summaries to organize your message and highlight the key information. Also, be polite and respectful in your tone and language.
The fourth step is to follow up and document your communication with your boss. If you do not receive a response within a reasonable time frame, you may send a gentle reminder or a follow-up message. You may also escalate the issue to a higher authority or a third party if necessary. In any case, you should keep a record of your communication with your boss, including the dates, times, channels, and outcomes. This will help you track the progress, avoid misunderstandings, and provide evidence if needed.
The fifth step is to seek feedback and improve your communication with your boss. Once you receive a response from your boss, you should acknowledge it and thank them for their time and attention. You should also ask for feedback on how you can improve your communication with them and what their expectations and preferences are. You should also give feedback on how their responsiveness affects your work and your relationship. By seeking feedback and improving your communication, you can build trust, rapport, and collaboration with your boss.
The sixth step is to manage your emotions and expectations when dealing with an unresponsive boss. You may feel frustrated, angry, anxious, or hurt by their lack of communication. However, you should not let these emotions affect your work performance or your professionalism. You should also not take their unresponsiveness personally or assume the worst. Instead, you should focus on what you can control, such as your own communication skills, your work quality, and your attitude. You should also set realistic expectations and boundaries for yourself and your boss. By managing your emotions and expectations, you can cope with the situation and reduce the stress and conflict.
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