Dear Readers: Toxic bosses seem to get a lot of attention, but absentee bosses often fly under the radar. How can you advocate for yourself when your boss is missing and therefore, doesn’t have your back?

Whether you have a boss who is always MIA or don’t have a boss altogether and report to a leader at least one or more rungs higher on the company’s hierarchy, it could be challenging to be recognized for your performance if it feels like nobody’s watching. Plus, you may not get adequate support and resources to develop new skills to navigate new paths.

Some managers are being downsized and they’re not being replaced. Layoffs have surged to more than 30% lately that impacts middle managers, as per 2023 data by Live Data Technologies for Bloomberg.

You’ll need to be proactive. Seek out an internal mentor and build alliances with other departments, if you can. Especially if you previously worked for a micromanaging boss, not having boss interactions can feel liberating, at first. Be cognizant, however, of what you need to succeed: someone to go to bat for you if you have an unresolved issue, a fierce advocate during salary review meetings, and someone who sees and values your contributions to the organization.

Self-advocacy is important. Craig Guarraci, founder of Tech PM Career Path and career coach, said, “Since managers will have limited time managing many direct reports, employees will need to self-advocate more often for interesting assignments and promotions to ensure that their manager is aware of their career aspirations. Self-advocating includes being proactive as employee review season approaches.”

Even if you’re proactive with internal higher-ups and an organization provides guidance, there is a difference between leaders and bosses.

Roger A. Gerard, former vice president of HR in a healthcare system, a seasoned leadership consultant and the author of “Lead With Purpose: Reignite Passion and Engagement for Professionals in Crisis,” said, “Leaders will never be obsolete, though bosses might be. There is a difference. Bosses tend to be poor listeners and act like their opinions are law. They often use ‘blame and shame’ tactics and think it is their job to motivate their employees.

“Real leaders, on the other hand, listen carefully to those doing the daily work, understanding that their perspectives are key to solving problems and meeting the demands of the work itself. They understand that motivation is an internal driver that people bring to their work and any use of blame/shame undermines that motivation.”

Looking at the big picture, Gerard said these great leaders involve people in change decisions and foster co-authorship to ensure an authentic “buy-in” to organizational change. “Engagement surveys tell us that workers who have a great relationship with their leaders are more productive, and more engaged in the work. Not so much with bosses,” said Gerard.

Tribune News Service