If you're employed or in the process of looking for a job, you'll probably be dealing with your boss on a regular basis. Your relationship can greatly affect your career advancement, salary, and overall mental well-being. There's no way around them, and it's in your best interest to put most superlative foot forward and learn how to deal and handle them with ease. Below you will find some suggestions that we believe may improve your relationship with your boss, or at least help you understand them better.
1. Keep in mind that your boss may be of help sometimes. Whether your boss has good management skills or not; he may have insightful advice for you to utilize on the job. There's much to learn from a bad boss- just remember, odds are they didn't get their job simply from their looks. Even the worst of bosses have word of wisdom or two.
2. Know and understand your boss's expectations. Your relationship is symbiotic- meaning that if you're successful in your job, so is your boss. Both of you rely on each other to accomplish tasks at hand, and your boss may have his/her boss come down on them if you fail to meet goals that were established. And we all know where the axe is going to fall if that happens- right at your neck.
3. Meet your boss's expectations. Tip number two and this one go hand in hand. If you fail to accomplish the goals and objectives your boss has placed upon you, you have no one to blame but yourself. If the task is too obtuse for one person to handle or the assignment is unrealistic in nature, it's up to you to approach your boss, enlighten him/her on your predicament, and either suggest an alternative or ask for advice on how to complete your job. Bosses across the nation would never begrudge an employee for occasionally checking on their performance status. It's a great way to find out if you're performing where your boss needs you to be.
4. Keep yourself squared away. Bosses hate nothing more than an employee that's high maintenance. They will grow to question your ability and skill if they have to check your work continuously. They'd appreciate an employee they can depend on in a crunch, and understand if you make the occasional mishap- it's going to happen and does so to everyone. Be the employee who doesn't need to be told what to do at every turn, and take responsibility for achievements as well as trouble areas.
5. Be up front with your boss. If you've made an error or totally tanked on a project, then fess up immediately with a plan of action to rectify the problem if possible. You don't want the news to reach them from one of your co-workers; or even worse- their boss or a client. This also applies to successful tasks and good news that will improve your boss's job and work.
6. Give your boss "props" in your success. When you receive accommodations for work well done, it's not the time to say that you worked damn hard with no thanks to your boss. Recognize them for their contributing factor in your triumph- even if it was so minute you can't recognize it. If your boss is truly the ogre who barks commands and never lifts a finger to help, then now is not the time to address that.
7. Don't get personally involved in your work. Easier said than done for some of us. However, when your work gets criticized you take it as a personal attack. By allowing your personal feelings to take over your professionalism, your work may start to lack- you may question your ability and produce less than stellar work. Just remember, your boss's success is directly linked to your getting the job done right and competently. Not all bosses are able to recognize this, but they wouldn't assign something to you they didn't think you could accomplish. So, get it done right the first time- just the way they want it.
8. Don't make your boss look bad. Upstaging them is one of the quickest ways to professional suicide. Correcting them in public as well as pointing out their faults will lead them to resent you. If they believe they misspoke during a presentation, but truly haven't, then you can point out that they were correct the first time. Any other situation could land you in hot water.
9. Handle your boss if needed. It's horrible to think that you may have to manage or handle your boss, but it happens a lot. It's a definite if you're looking to climb the ladder quicker then most. Manipulation in the good of the job isn't the most professional method to get what you want. But folks do it everyday- especially if their boss is less than desirable. What's better is to take the initiative, look for opportunities that will pull you away from the rest of the pack. Suggest a new S.O.P. and explain how it would benefit the business as a whole. Go further in asking his assistance to redirect upper management from saying no until you can prove it's successful. This way your keeping the boss in the loop even you if really aren't.
-Author Unknown-
*Thanks to TO who sent me this post.
6 comments to How to have a better working relationship with your boss
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Andrew Always have positive mental attitude. Do not protest if you are asked to go the second mile as sometime that is just a test question from your boss to gauge you.
Be a team player in the office that you work in. For the boss will find you to be more adaptable with a team spirit and can be easily tasked to work with other colleagues.
Honesty is the best policy ! Be sincere, courteous, honest and carry a pleasant personality around the entire office. Your great enthusiasm in work will carry you far in any working carreer.
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Unknown Dear Walla
Thank you once again for yet another brilliant comment that gleams with style, depth and fragrant essence to bless all who read this. May I request for your permission to repost this as a stand-alone post on another day?
I hope to receive a positive response from you for such beautiful and stylish writing and its wonderful enlightening and enriching message must be shared.
Take care and have a lovely evening.
Cheers
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Unknown Dear Andrew
My deepest thanks to you for your practical and wise input. The points you have highlighted are surely essential for successful communication and a vital building block to a mutually rewarding and fulfilling relationship.
Thanks for taking the time to bless us with your thoughts and experience. Have a restful evening and God bless!
Cheers
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walla Please do as you wish with any of my comments posted here, dear mws.
And congrats on your children's musical successes!
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Unknown Dear Walla
Thanks for your positive response and for sharing my joy :-).
Will post it soon!
Take care and have a great day!
Cheers
walla It has been said that to go higher, the employee must show and deliver three things:
1. good in work in present post;
2. initiative while working in present post; and
3. the qualities required of the higher post in view.
For instance, (1) may mean precision in delivery...maximum output to quality required in minimum time and resources used, and once that is achieved for one task, to multitask more and more at the same performance level.
(2) may mean to think beyond silos of the present post for the good of the team and upwards for the good of the company which includes the well-being of the customer, and then for each case, pro-act with suggestions or actions that can improve tasks, not necessarily one's own, or save costs, or protect the interests of the company but without creating other issues.
(3) is actually proving to the boss that the employee already has the qualities to go into the next higher post but this must not be done pushily otherwise zealousy may arise, and the ease at which it can be done calls for each employee to plan in advance his.her own career aspirations which in turn call for personal motivation which in turn calls for internal rhythm alloyed to character sharpened by the desire to do things well.
A good employee would want to have a better working relationship with the boss. A good boss would want to have a better working relationship with all employees. Employees are not necessarily challenges all the time. Some are just wayward; others need extra coaching; all have inner individual potential. Like people.
A good boss works magic - s.he can smoothen things seamlessly but at the same time raise the bar, an action which tends to create kinks. Like mistakes, kinks have their own roles to play in the progress of enterprise for they enable learning how to avoid future mistakes while opening channels for fresh ideas on how to improve things.