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Leave

Leave, especially for a week or two for a nice vacation , is fun. But to propose it to your boss is not exactly one even though your boss may have never rejected one. why is this? 'cos leave, unlike salary or other perks, is not an entitlement but a benefit. Means, your boss actually has to approve it for you to get/take it. Leave is often misunderstood as an entitlement. Even when the boss approves and everything is tied for your nice vacation with you loved ones, there are uncertainties lurking. In these times of crises and daily firefighting in many businesses brought on my the large economic growth and opportunities, we are never sure if we will be able to go off as planned even on sanctioned leave. The best thing to do in these situations is to plan way ahead and the first step in your plan is to go to your boss and discuss your planned vacation, period you would be gone, who would be in-charge in your absence and where you are going etc. Tell him/her this before you make all the reservations. Never give your boss a fait accompli situation where he/she cannot suggest alternatives. Get his/her buy-in and a formal approval and then make the reservations. This way you have him/her committed. This normally means that except for the gravest of crises, he/she would let you go and find a way to manage in your absence. Many of us may fail to do this and find ourselves having to cancel our planned vacations because of a small crisis that invariably pops-up a day beforeat the workplace.

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