When relegating staffs with new assignments, corporate leaders are inclined to give a lowdown of whatever needs to be achieved, pointers, and some task reminders. However, more often than not, some things get left out involuntarily, and if you don’t speak up, you’re likely going to end up confused and doomed to fail. Here are 4 questions you can ask your boss and clear up any misunderstanding, and show that you’re up to the task.
When is the Assignment Due?
Not asking this basic question will mess up your work priorities. Once you receive an assignment, you need to know when you’re required to complete it. There’s a big disparity between work due next month, versus due within the month. So ask this necessary question. You don’t have to drop everything to make way for a newly assigned task, either. It makes a whole lot of difference to know how much time you have to prepare.
Should I Be Speaking to Anyone Else About the Project?
It is imperative to know if you should be collaborating with other people to work on a specific task. Perhaps someone from a different department already started it and you might need to take over from where they left off. Or, to be more efficient, others might have attempted certain methods that didn’t work and this knowledge can be of great help to you. It’ll help you save time. Mutual cooperation also entails dividing workloads among members, and that’s definitely an advantage versus going at it by yourself.
Why Am I Doing This?
Asking this question doesn’t mean to imply that you’re re-evaluating your status at work. You need to ask this question so you can direct the course of your work accordingly; to understand its overall purpose, what it’s objectives are, and what it is for. Learning these basic things makes you appreciate your task. It’s like stepping back a bit to take in the bigger picture. If you’re creating a training program, for example, knowing your audience and what you’re trying to impart to them, why, and how, will definitely help shape your work.
What is Expected of Me?
It is vital to ask this question right at the outset, so you know what you have in front of you, and how to deal with it in the coming days. Especially in handling major projects, it is possible that there are certain sections of it that your boss is supposed to handle. You need to be clear about that and not just assume things. What if he expected to share some other relevant tasks with you but forgot to mention it? It is best to avoid being in bad situations as much as you can. It would be great to be have a boss that’s sensitive to detail, but even they can make mistakes. So when you’re in doubt about an assignment, don’t assume things. Rather, make it your responsibility to ask the questions that matter and note down the things that are important to finish the job. Ask these questions and prepare yourself for success.