No matter how great your supervisor thinks your work is, you always need to worry about ROI. Maybe your boss loves you, constantly praises your work, and brags about you to others. But In some cases, a boss’s love can actually put your program at risk. Here are three reasons you should track ROI and value to protect yourself, your team, and your program—even if no one is asking for it.
1. Unexpected things happen
For the sake of your program, it’s important to always be prepared for the unexpected. Your boss could get hit by a bus, get fired, or you could be part of a reorg. Anytime there’s a change in leadership, you may find yourself needing to explain some things. For example, you might have to justify budget decisions to new management. Just because your previous leadership approved an expense without question, doesn’t mean that someone else can’t come into the picture and begin asking away. Suddenly, you might find yourself having to answer why X, Y, and Z were needed and how they improved the work you put out. So it’s always good to be prepared for these types of things.
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2. Your supportive boss could be clueless
Is it possible your manager is not asking you to prove ROI because they aren’t aware of what they should be expecting it from you? Or maybe they are assuming that you know what you are doing, and are taking care of business? They may trust you fully and perhaps get praise from your program participants every once in a while to reinforce that trust. However, this trust can be easily lost if your boss finds out that you have been cutting corners or if you make them look bad.
For example, imagine your boss goes to a conference and while networking, a fellow manager asks, “How does your team prove your L&D programs are valuable?” Cue deer in headlights look. At best, they come back with several questions to understand your work better. At worst, they lose trust in your work and begin to keep close tabs on what you are doing or look elsewhere for someone who can provide what is needed. So, be careful what you do and how you do it – your clueless boss may eventually get a clue, and if you’re not doing your job well, you could lose everything.
3. Your boss could simply not care
The worst-case scenario for any employee is having an incompetent boss who throws you under the bus when things go south. This type of boss is usually incompetent themselves and is looking to cover their own behinds when things go wrong. These supervisors will be quick to point fingers and they take no ownership of their teams or the actions of their direct report. So, why would they care if you are not prepared to defend your work? That’s your problem, not theirs.
Another telltale sign that your boss falls into this category is if they start making plans to leave the company when things get tough or if they already have a foot out the door. If they don’t plan on being around when questions about the team or program get asked, why would they care if you are doing your due diligence? Maybe they have a history of jumping from job to job when they notice people are paying attention and simply skate by collecting a check in the meantime. Or perhaps they keep talking about retirement?
Lastly, a third sign that your supervisor could be the type to throw you under the bus is if they simply don’t care about their direct reports. This could manifest itself in several ways, such as never taking the time to get to know you as a person, or not caring about your work/life balance. Do they fail to ask you meaningful questions or have no clue what you actually do? Take note and prepare. If you find yourself working for a boss who falls into any of these categories, it’s best to be proactive and take care of yourself and your team.
So, there you have it. Even if your boss loves your work, always be prepared and track ROI when no one is asking—because you never know when the unexpected will happen. No matter what happens, you must be ready to take on the challenge. That means being flexible and adaptable and always having receipts to back up your programs and decisions. By being prepared for anything, you’ll be able to maintain a level head and keep your team on track, no matter what changes come your way. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
