Chapter 17. Supporting and Communicating

Few people advance very far in an organization without having found a way to harmonize their thoughts and actions with those of the manager to whom they report. Doing so requires effort, and often some compromise. It should never require sacrificing personal integrity.

Mutual confidence is central to a good supervisor/employee relationship and must be earned by both parties. As the subordinate manager, you have an obligation to keep your boss informed of decisions and developments in your operations that he or she needs to know in order to make good decisions. This calls for timely communication and accurate reporting. It should not require the betrayal of confidences existing between you, your own subordinates, and your peers.