Having a good relationship with your boss is a win-win. It creates a lighter, friendly and more co-operative office. However not all bosses are accommodating and understanding. There are some terrible bosses. If you find yourself in this sticky situation, what can you do to improve your relationship with your boss?
First, check the label. You have to check on your responsibilities and to-dos. Checking the label helps you understand how you contribute and be productive in the workplace. It goes without saying that bosses want hardworking, productive employees.
Next, show you are willing to befriend your boss. But don’t try too hard! Little steps may do. You can start by simply adding personal remarks in your conversations, like “have a good day!” and “wish you well!” This will help to break down the barriers and make the relationship a little less formal.
Value time. Make sure you show up on time and submit on deadlines. This requires strong time management and organizational skills; list down the tasks so you can manage and prioritize effectively.
Let us admit that not all bosses are ideal. Sometimes you have to focus on the positive. What are your boss’ good qualities that you can be inspired from? Focus on those and let them be your source of motivation to do better each day.
Connecting may help. Connecting can mean sharing interests and hobbies. Over time, these shared connections can make the relationship with your boss stronger. Just don’t forget that you still have to establish a wall for your boss-employee relationship. How about maintaining an open communication? One example is asking for feedback and keeping your boss posted on things which may concern you in the workplace. This allows you to be more open with each other. This may also involve offering your own skills- you should keep your lines open too!
Try your best not to cross the boundary. Try not to build a relationship so strong that it negatively impacts the workplace. Know the boundary and make sure you do your deliverables first, because you are there as an employer. At the end of the day, you are still within an employee-boss relationship. The tip here is to be professional enough. Do the work and try to let go of petty disagreements and misunderstandings. Always maintain a certain level of professionalism.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to seek advice and mentorship. Not only would this show your boss that you respect their expertise, but you will learn quicker. This is also a good start if you have your sights set on promotion.
Now, the closing statement shall be: knowing what is too much and too less. This may be overwhelming because how do you really know? Too much or too less- be mindful and patient as developing a good working relationship with your boss may take trial and error.
A good take on this is to put on your boss’ shoes. How would you feel if you were in their position, managing you? The manager-employee relationship works both ways- have there been times when you could have been more understanding?
Be mindful that not all relationships can be improved immediately. Relationships require effort and therefore a process. The length of that process depends on the situation and the people involved. Also be sure to maintain the positive relationship you have built- don’t get complacent and assume that it will stay positive.
Relationships need mutual effort- let’s hope your boss will do their part to improve their relationship with you. However, you may need to take the first steps; do well in your responsibilities and your boss will be more open. The important thing to remember is that the process may take time- don’t be discouraged by small setbacks along the way.
