Creating a Great Relationship with Your Boss
Posted in Management & Leadership
As long as you are in your company, and you work for a boss, you are firmly attached to him. You are also attached to your boss' history, reputation, politics, choices, and to some extent, his future.
Your relationship with your boss will affect your reputation and will have a major influence on what you can accomplish on the job and where your career would go.
If you have any hope of creating, maintaining, and managing any productive relationship with your boss, here are some tips that you absolutely must follow.
Never outshine the master - You are actually making a big mistake if you are outsmarting, outwitting, or outmaneuvering your own boss. Of course you should always do your best, but do it in a way that complements your boss' strengths.
Make your boss look good - Engage in a smart game of professional flattery. Congratulate him when your company reaches its goals, for instance, or when he the office is about to acquire another company for a merger. This positions you as a person who is not only ambitious, but also supports the company's objectives.
Exceed expectations - Do more than what you can do for the company, and credit your boss for the motivation. If your achievements make your boss look great, he won't see you as a competitor but as an indispensable member of the team.
Bring solutions, not problems - The smartest way to succeed and get promoted is to be the person that your boss looks to first when there is something that needs to be done, managed, or fixed. Do not jeopardize the company with your mistakes and even personal problems.
Protect your boss' back - Keep any professional or personal issues of your boss confidential, especially those that might affect negatively on him. Also, stand in for your boss without hesitation if he is ever unavailable. However, be sure to give him credit. Finally, never use your position to trade information.
