Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

October 22, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm.

What your boss feels when your name comes up

Howdy ,

Today, I’d like to share a case study with you.

It’s about a manager at a fintech company. Brilliant guy. Delivered flawless analysis. His models were tighter than anyone else's on the team.

He couldn't understand why his peer - someone who made a few more errors - got tapped for a strategy role.

It boiled down to one question: "When your boss thinks about assigning you a project, what emotion do they feel?"

Silence.

Then he responded: "I don't know. Confidence, I guess?"

Here's what was discovered: His boss felt anxiety. Not because of quality issues, but because of the experience of working with him.

Radio silence for days, then a perfectly executed deliverable with zero context. No heads-up on blockers. No interim updates. Just: "Here's the final product."

Functionally flawless. Emotionally exhausting.

Your boss has emotional needs you're not addressing.

Most professionals think, "My boss only cares about results." However, even the most analytical leaders, the ones who live in spreadsheets and data models, have emotional triggers.

Fear of being blindsided. Anxiety about reporting upward. Stress about team performance. Need for control. Desire to look competent in front of their boss.

You're not managing their therapy. You're managing their peace of mind.

The 15-Minute Reframe

Here's how to layer emotional value onto your functional delivery without adding hours to your workload:

Before you deliver anything, ask:

"What negative emotion might my stakeholder experience if I deliver this the default way?"

Then architect the experience to eliminate that emotion.

Let me share a few examples to stir up your thinking:

Your boss gets anxious when projects go dark. The fix? A 2-sentence Tuesday update: "Quick heads-up: Analysis is 60% done, on track for Friday. Flagged one data gap—already working with Finance to resolve."

Functional value: Same final deliverable.

Emotional value: Your boss now reports upward with confidence instead of hedging.

Your boss hates being blindsided by problems. The fix? When you discover an issue, frame it as: "I identified [problem] and here are three options, I recommend [solution] because [reasoning]. Let me know if you want to discuss."

Functional value: Same problem solved.

Emotional value: You're now the person who brings solutions, not problems.

Your boss feels pressure to demonstrate team capability. The fix? When presenting in meetings, include one sentence that positions their leadership: "Thanks to [Boss Name]'s guidance on the approach, we were able to..."

Functional value: Same presentation.

Emotional value: You just made them look good in front of their peers.

This Isn't Manipulation

Some professionals resist this because it feels like "office politics" or "sucking up."

Here's the reframe: Surgeons have excellent surgical skills AND excellent bedside manners. The bedside manner isn't manipulation. It's professional maturity.

This reminds me of an episode of the TV series, Bull where Bull has to find a way to reverse the negative effect of a surgeon with a God complex who is being sued for malpractice.

Yep, it turns out the problem was not what the surgeon did, it was his lack of bedside manners. You can check it out, season 1 episode 6, if you have the time.

You're not changing what you deliver. You're architecting how it's received.

Your diagnostic for today:

Pull up your calendar and look at your next deliverable. Ask yourself:

1.  What negative emotion might my boss experience if I deliver this the default way?

2. What one touchpoint could I add to eliminate that emotion?

3. When in the process should I add it? (Hint: Usually at the moment anxiety would peak)

If you've already downloaded The Service Excellence Scorecard™, you'll see exactly which emotional value gaps to prioritize. If you haven't grabbed it yet, it's still available here: [Scorecard]

Tomorrow, I'm showing you Layer 3, the value layer that doesn't just get you recognized, but turns your boss into your advocate.

P.S. The pattern most professionals miss: They wait until the deliverable is complete to communicate. Emotional value happens during the process, not just at the finish line.

Keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up so you don't miss any edition. Click here to sign up.