212 - Visionary boss

Here's an article from the newspaper that compares two different working styles. Follow the link to get more info on how to survive in the workplace.

Visionary boss driving you nuts?
Office Coach by Marie McIntyre

Q. When my boss gives me a project, he never shares all the information in his head. Because of this, I often fail to achieve his vision of the results. Then I have to revisit completed tasks. He does this with other employees as well. For example, last week he asked several people to prepare PowerPoint presentations for a meeting. After everyone had completed their slides, he suddenly changed the format, so they all had to be redone. If I ask for information in advance, it's like pulling teeth to get him to give me the specifics in an orderly manner. I've started listing my questions with bullet points in an e-mail so he can type answers under the questions. Mr. Visionary says he wants me to think outside the box, but I believe he really expects me to read his mind. How can I work with this person?

A. You and your boss illustrate a classic difference in thinking styles. Creative visionaries focus on the big picture and overlook the details. They get excited about new ideas and love making changes. Sound familiar?
Organized implementers, on the other hand, like to focus on specifics and outline action steps. They plan ahead and despise last-minute changes. You seem to fall into this category.
Your manager's frustrating traits simply reflect the way his brain works. He doesn't impart details because he hasn't thought of them yet. He can't give facts "in an orderly manner" because he's not a structured thinker. For you, however, organizing information may be as natural as breathing.
Since Mr. Visionary is not likely to change, you're smart to focus on adapting. Your strategy of sending bullet-point e-mails is a great example of managing the boss." To be sure his views haven't shifted, try including some checkpoints in your project schedules.
Visionaries and implementers often make a terrific team, because they view projects from complementary perspectives. But unfortunately, as you have noticed, they can also drive each other nuts.

Link - Marie McIntyre