需和老板讨论的九个问题

05-14

By Anthony Balderrama Career Builder

You probably have a list of questions you'd ask your boss if given the chance.

大概只要一有机会你就有一大串问题要问老板。

"You really paid someone for that haircut?"

"这个发型真的是你花钱请人剪的？"

"Must your lunch always include garlic?"

"难道每次午餐你都得吃大蒜吗？"

"How did someone as nice as you end up marrying someone so unpleasant?"

"你这么一个好人怎么和这样讨厌的人结婚？"

If you have any desire to keep your job, you'll keep those questions to yourself. Unfortunately employees have a tendency to keep all questions to themselves, even when speaking up can help their careers.

如果还想保住工作的话，你最好将这些问题留给自己。不幸地是，员工们往往把一切问题都保留了，即使是那些有助于事业发展的问题。

"Workers choose silence over dialogue because they worry about damaging credibility, fear retaliation from key decision makers or doubt their voice will make a difference. And when employees choose silence, progress suffers," says Kerry Patterson, co-author of "Crucial Conversations."

《至关重要的对话》一书的作者之一 Kerry Patterson说："人们选择沉默是因为他们担心这会影响上司对自己的信任、害怕决策者的报复、怀疑自己的建议不会起作用。当员工选择了沉默，就不会有进展了。"

Whether you keep quiet because you're afraid of embarrassing yourself or you don't think your questions mean much, you should start speaking up.

不管沉默是因为担心提问会让自己难堪还是认为自己的问题没多大意义，你都应该提出问题。

"A colleague once said to me, 'I can tell more about a person by the questions they ask than by what they tell me,'" says Edith Onderick-Harvey, president of Change Dynamics Consulting, an executive consulting firm. "The same is true for managers. Questions about the broader organization's goals and priorities, your role in achieving those and asking for feedback tell your boss you are focused on a career with the organization, not just a job."

执行咨询公司Change Dynamics Consulting主席Edith Onderick-Harvey说："曾经一位同事对我说，'一个人所问的问题比他所告白的更能让我了解他这个人。'对于管理人员来说也是如此。问那些关于公司更高层面上的目标和需要优先考虑的事情之类的问题、你在实现这些目标中的角色的问题并寻求反馈，这些都向老板说明了你关注的是公司的发展而不仅仅是自己的那份工作。"

Here are nine questions to ask your boss that can help your career. (Just don't ask them all at once -- your boss is probably a busy person.)

下面九个问题会有助于你事业发展（不要一次全部问完，因为你的老板很可能是个大忙人）。

（1）"How do you measure success?"

"你如何衡量成功？"

Employees often forget that their performances are graded in some form or another. In order to understand how your work is quantified, you should be speaking the same language as your boss. Find out if your manager is only concerned with numbers and results or if with how you achieve them also matters, Onderick-Harvey advises. Then, you base your future work on his or her priorities.

员工们往往忘记自己的表现是按照某种标准来评分的。为了了解你的工作是如何被衡量的，你应该和老板统一看法。Onderick-Harvey的建议是：看看你的老板是否只注重数字和结果、还是会也注重完成工作的方式。然后你将来的工作就以他/她的关注点为前提。

（2）"What areas do I need to develop to advance my career?"

"为了自己的事业发展，哪些方面是需要改进的？"

This question shows your boss you are in control of your future and are not waiting for someone else to make things happen, Onderick-Harvey says. If you can articulate what your career goals are, your boss can tell you what experience you need to gain before you can move up the ladder.

Onderick-Harvey说，这个问题表明你掌控着自己的未来而不是在等别人实现你的未来。如果你能明确表达自己的职业目标，你的老板就能告诉你为了目标需要获得哪些经验。

（3）"What strengths do I have that will help my career?"

"我有的哪些长处有利于我的事业发展？"

Don't be so focused on looking for your weaknesses that you forget to ask about your strong points. You might think you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, but your boss could have a different opinion. This question isn't an excuse to beg for a compliment; it's an opportunity to show the boss you want to steer your own career, Onderick-Harvey says.

不要太关注寻找自己的弱点而忘了问一问自己的长处。也许你认为了解自己的弱点和长处，但你的上司可能有不同的看法。Onderick-Harvey说，问这个问题不是求得表扬的借口，而是向老板表现你希望掌控自己事业的机会。

（4）"How often are performance evaluations conducted and who is in charge of them?"

"多久进行一次工作考核，由谁负责？"

Basic questions such as this one are crucial to your performance, says Dr. Ivonne Chirino-Klevans, professor at Walden University. Understanding the mechanics of your job should be a top priority at all times. Make sure you know if you have quarterly or annual goals to aim for and how they impact your daily tasks.

Walden大学Ivonne Chirino-Klevans博士认为这样的基本问题对于工作至关重要。无论什么时候，理解自己工作的机制都是最重要的。要确保明了有没有季度目标或年度目标要实现、并了解这些会如何影响你的日常工作。

（5）"What are the options for growth within the organization?"

"在企业中有那些成长选择？"

Although you might expect this question only belongs in a job interview, it's worth asking even after you've been employed for a few years, Chirino says. Company structures change all the time and you should know what opportunities are open to you if you want to advance. Once you know what your options are, you can decide what your next move is, whether it's aiming for a new position or looking for a job with a better future.

Chirino说，也许你会认为这个问题只会在面试中出现，但其实在工作几年后也是依然值得去问的。公司结构是不断会变化的，如果你想发展的话你需要知道有哪些机会。一旦你知道有什么选择就能决定下一步该怎么走--调换一个新岗位或者找一份更有前途的工作。

（6）"Do I understand this correctly?"

"我理解对了吗？"

When you have a project that has many components or a new set of guidelines, be certain you have a grasp on what your task is. Tackling an assignment without knowing you're on the right path leaves the opportunity for a rude awakening on the due date. Check in with your boss to ensure you understand everything the way he or she intends it. If you don't ask the right questions, you could derail your own career even though you're fully capable of doing the work, Chirino warns.

当你要进行一个项目，构成复杂或者有一套新的指导方针，一定要准确了解自己的任务。在不知道是否对路的时候就承担工作，很可能会快到截止日期时才会觉察到错误。和你的老板确认自己了解他/她所希望的一切。Chirino警告说，如果不提出这些恰当的问题，那么即便完全有能力做某件工作，你也可能会在事业上遭遇不顺。

Caution: Use restraint when asking this question. No boss wants to repeat himself or herself ad nauseam.

小心一点：问这类问题时要克制。任何老板都不愿意总重复自己说过的话。

（7）"What can I do to help you?"

"我如何能帮助你？"

This simple question is important but often forgotten, according to executive coach Suzanne Bates. Even if you can't help, your boss will take note of your offer. "It's lonely at the top, so if your boss sees you as someone who wants them to succeed, you stand out."

执行教练Suzanne Bates说，这个简单问题非常重要，但是却往往被遗忘。即便你帮不上忙，老板也会注意到你的主动。"高处不胜寒啊，所以如果你的老板将你看做是一个希望他们成功的人，你就会得到另眼相看。"

（8）"What is the most important priority we need to focus on?"

"我们需要去关注的最重要的、该优先考虑的事情是什么？"

This question often goes unasked because employees fear appearing incompetent. Really, it shows concern about your responsibilities and your team's goals. When you have several ongoing projects and your boss adds more to your workload, knowing how to prioritize grows difficult. Managers want to hear from employees who are concerned with improving business, says Gayle Lantz, an organizational development consultant and executive coach.

员工们往往不会提出这样的问题，因为害怕会显得自己没能力。但其实这能显示出你关心自己的责任和团队的目标。当你有几个项目同时进行，而老板又给你加了工作量，确定这些项目哪个该优先完成就很困难。企业发展顾问和执行教练Gayle Lantz说，管理者们愿意听听那些关心企业提升的员工的看法。

（9）"Can I take on this task?"

"我来做这件事行吗？"

Too many employees take a laissez-faire attitude toward their careers and relinquish control to their bosses, says career expert Dr. Rachelle J. Canter. Bosses have their own lives to worry about, however, and don't have time to map your future. Rather than let your career meander, look for opportunities to prove you have initiative and leadership skills. Find ways to build experience and gain skills that you currently lack.

职业专家Rachelle J. Canter博士说，许许多多的员工对事业采取放任态度，将管理规划抛给老板。然而老板们都有自己的事情，没有时间为你规划未来。不要让你的事业听之任之；寻找机会、证明自己是一个主动、有领导能力的人。想办法积累经验、获得你现在缺乏的技能吧。

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