A respectful and productive relationship with your boss can play a crucial role in your career. While completion of targets may be your boss’ priority, there are a number of things that determine the bond or rapport that the two of your share. Since your boss spends more time with colleagues than with his own family, perhaps it would be safe to say that he or she would be looking for more than just superficial relationships with colleagues at workplace.
A harmonious working relationship with your colleagues and supervisors can be a morale and productivity booster and ultimately help in uplifting your career. Are you wondering how to have a successful relationship with your boss? Here are some points that can help you.
#1. Stay Above Gossips And Office Politics
Your behavior reflects on the person who you work for, and the last thing you want at the office is making your boss look bad. You may think that your colleagues are trustworthy and what you say will remain in the small group, but the best choice you can make is never engaging in office politics or bad-mouthing your boss behind their back. The relationship you share with your colleagues at one point may not stay the same in future, and the words may get out. This can weaken your relationship you have maintained with your boss so far.
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#2. Get To Know Your Boss Personally
Just to be clear, we are not asking you to be a friend of your boss or hang out with their family over the weekends. All we are saying that it would not hurt you to ask them how their weekend went and how was their holiday if they went on one. Find out about their interests and the interests that they enjoy outside the office. Now and then, step out of the role of an employee and get to know your boss on a personal level.
#3. Ask For Feedback
Hones and unbiased feedback are how we understand what we are doing wrong and improve upon them. In an ideal scenario, you should not have to ask your boss about the feedback on your recent performance, but he or she may have a little too much on the platter. If that’s the case, it falls upon you to reach out to your supervisor and ask for feedback. It would show your boss how dedicated you are towards your work as well as your zeal to grow and learn.
Find out why self-criticism can help you become a great founder here.
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#4. Look And Act Professional
It is a popular saying that you should dress for the job you want and not the job you have. You may be killing it at the office, and your boss may be a fan of your work, but the way you dress may be coming in the way of you getting promoted. The way you dress may be hip but is it appropriate for the workplace?
#5. Be Innovative And Take Initiatives
Every manager, or for that matter, supervisor, wants productive and motivated people who are not afraid to put forward ideas. If you are in a company where it is imperative for people to pitch in ideas for new services, products, process improvements, and projects, then gather the confidence to raise your hand every once in a while to share your thoughts or volunteer of some work. Taking initiates and being innovative tells your manager that you are enthusiastic about your growth in the company, which in turn will strengthen the relationship that you share with him or her.
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#6. Be Loyal
You cannot expect your boss to be loyal to you if you are not loyal to him or her. The first thing you should do in their regard is to try not to keep secrets from your boss. Lying to them is the last thing you want because getting caught in one will not only make them lose trust in you but can also result in your losing your job. If you find people bad-mouthing your boss behind their back, just let them know subtly so they understand that they can trust and rely on you. Loyalty is also important for the boss for working relationships in developing and maintaining the team.
#7. Be Yourself
You need to be yourself if building relationships in the workplace are on your mind. You may think you are a great faker and that nobody can tell when you are only pretending to be their friend or respecting them, but understand that it is not as simple. One of the key qualities of being a manager is understanding people and reading between the lines. There is a reason that they are in the position that they are in and you are working for them, and it is not the other way around. Being a faker or the person that cannot be trusted is the last thing you want your manager to think about you so genuinely be the person that you are and take things up from there.
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#8. Treat Your Boss Like A, Well, Human
Bosses come to work with their game face on, and the only thing on their mind is getting their company closer to its goals. While some like to create an image of a superhuman for themselves and only like to interact with subordinates when necessary, most appreciate when the people who work for them treat them more than just a person who signs their paycheck. You can ask them to be involved in the office or outside work activities that you and your colleagues may be planning for. They may or may not join, but they will certainly appreciate you for your thoughtful gesture.
#9. Perform
The first and the most important thing that every boss demands from his or her employees is performance. Have you ever heard of under promising and overperforming? An employee who works as expected does not stand out from the lot, but the one who outperforms expectations does. If you are taking an assignment, provide a realistic timeline for it and surprise your boss by completing your tasks earlier than expected.
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#10. Understanding The Communication Channels And Keeping Them Open
Sometimes what you say to your boss is more important than how you say it. Does your boss like short and crisp emails or detailed ones? Do they want you to come to their office or everything or ping them on the phone when you need to talk to them about something? Formal channels of communication do not always work so keeping an informal channel open can come in handy. Apart from that, it is also of paramount importance that you communicate honestly and openly with your supervisor. This can help you build a rapport, seek advice when needed as well as share your progress with them.
Whether the relationship will boost your career in the long term is something that you can’t say for certain, but one thing is for sure that sharing a rapport with them will make your time working for them exponentially easier. Tell us what you think about the post and what other things can help you build or maintain a healthy relationship with your boss. We love it when you write to us.
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