You can build a better and more productive working relationship with your boss by following these tips.
The relationship you have with your boss is one of the keys to your happiness on the job, your future success at work, and maybe even your success beyond your current position. It is one of the most important relationships you can ever invest in, and you can build a better and more productive working relationship by following these tips.
Watch and Learn
Observe your supervisor closely when you are training and getting to know the company culture. Keep your opinions at bay until you really understand what people at the company favor and disdain. Observing will tell you if your boss is all business or if he or she has a sense of humor. It will tell you what is most important to him or her, and the things you learn will help you be a better communicator.
You can also learn a lot about your boss by asking intelligent questions. Asking the right questions will clue you in on how your manager perceives the company and you as an employee.
Communicate in Your Boss’s Way
Is your boss a hands-on manager who keeps close by throughout the work day, or is he or she more apt to simply send you on your way to work and only talk to you once a week or so? Adapt your communication style to fit your boss’s. That may mean occasionally stopping by the office or sending out a quick email or scheduling time each day to check in, depending on your boss’s style.
No matter how your boss prefers to communicate, keep the lines open by filling him or her in on what you are working on, the results of what you have finished and anything they can help you with.
Be Professional
This should go without saying, but many people have poor relationships with their bosses simply because they act unprofessional at the office. Dress appropriately, limit socialization to the right times and places and don’t do anything that will undermine your relationships with the people that matter the most ? your supervisors.
Show Initiative
There are few things bosses love more than employees who show initiative. Don’t just sit around waiting for instructions, be proactive! Figure out what you need to do before your supervisor tells you to do it. If something needs to get done, get it done.
If there truly is nothing for you to do, master the art of at least looking busy. Sitting idly is one of the worst things you can do at a job, and appearing lazy or uncaring sends the wrong message to your boss!
