A good relationship with your supervisor is critical, no matter what industry you work in or what job you do. When you’re in harmony with your boss, you’re both more effective in your roles. Establishing that kind of relationship takes effort from both of you. While your boss guides your efforts toward supporting the company’s big-picture goals, it’s also important for you to manage your boss.
Do the words “manage your boss” make you uncomfortable? They shouldn’t. Managing your boss doesn’t mean you’re telling him or her what to do, or what he wants to hear just to keep him happy, or whatever you need to say to keep her out of your hair. Instead, “managing up” means acknowledging that we all come to the workplace with different experiences, skills, values, and personalities. Those variances can sometimes cause friction, even between the most well-meaning of co-workers.
Knowing how to cope with your boss’ personality, management style and goals, communicating effectively, and understanding when to respectfully disagree, or when to remain silent—those are the fundamentals of managing your boss. Failing to effectively manage your boss puts your job success and career development at risk.
What can happen if you don’t manage your relationship with your supervisor?
- Diverging work styles could lead to resentment and inefficiency.
- Frustration may lead your boss to focus on shortcomings and overlook valuable contributions.
- He or she may withdraw, withholding from you the feedback you need to continuously improve your performance.
- You may find yourself in constant conflict with your boss, a situation that will leave you both unhappy.
- You may gain a workplace reputation as someone who is uncooperative or a troublemaker.
- Worst-case scenario: he or she could fire you.
Every employee needs to learn how to manage up and cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship with his or her supervisor. Cooperation and understanding are the best tactics for achieving the professional success you desire. When you understand your boss’ priorities, preferences, and pressures, and adjust your behavior accordingly, you set the stage for a good working relationship.
In our next post on the topic of how to manage your boss, we’ll give you real-life situations and pointers on how to deal with your supervisor in these common scenarios.
