Benefits:

• More influence in your department and beyond
• A higher level of receptiveness to your concerns and needs
• Smoother working relations and less stress
• Your “brand image” (reputation) stands out from those of other employees
• Greater support for your career aspirations
  

Understand her (or him) like you would a customer.

The proven best way to work well with anyone is to become a student of them. Learn your boss’s hopes, desires, worries, concerns, pressures, likes, dislikes, and so forth. Listen to what she talks about, gets excited about and complains about. Also, respect the value of her time when you ask for some of it and try always to align your work priorities to support hers.

Ask what your manager expects from you.

Inquire about what she wants from you in terms of your job performance. This includes both WHAT performance level is expected and HOW. An example of “how” might be building positive relations with other departments. Also, ask how she prefers to be interacted with (e.g. reports delivered verbally or written?)

Express what you need from her.

It has to be a two-way street. You need to get your needs met too. Let your manager know what sort of guidance you would like in order to do your job well. What information do you need and how timely do you need it? How do you like feedback to be given to you? Do you want extra, developmental assignments?

Be a reliable, “go to” person; deliver the performance expected.

The first way to establish a “brand image” of reliability is to deliver on your performance goals and job standards. In other words, do your job well–consistently! A second way is to say “yes” when asked to do something extra or above and beyond your job or when they are looking for volunteers.

Along with a problem, bring your thoughts about a solution.

Don’t just delegate up! You may not have the solution (why else would you be seeking help?) but come with at least some ideas for possible courses of action. It shows you have been doing some thinking and are sharing responsibility for finding an answer. Managers notice and appreciate this a lot.

Express your own views, confidently and reasonably.

It may surprise you but most managers really want your ideas and your input. They don’t, however, want a pleaser who always says what they think the boss wants to hear. Nor do they want a contrarian, an employee who consistently takes the opposite viewpoint. Instead, give them solid, honest input that authentically represents your thinking.

Link your suggestions to her concerns and interests.

People–this includes your boss, of course–“buy” ideas that result in something they want or eliminate something they don’t want. So, whenever you propose a plan or make a request that will help you, package it in terms of outcomes your manager cares about. NOTE: If you have followed Tip #1, you should have a good idea of what these are.