How do you on with your boss

How to Communicate with Your Boss at Work – 10 Tips to Improve Corporate Communications

Corporate communication is a crucial element in the success of business operations. A big challenge, when it comes to internal communication within an organization, is communicating with top-level management.

While business communication tools (via technology) save time, energy, and money, it may still be necessary to learn how to communicate effectively with your boss.

Your boss typically holds the key to your advancement within your company. They also have a tremendous amount of influence on how you perceive your work. You may wake up every day looking forward to work … or … you may dread every time you go in.

Your work will consume a large part of your life, and learning how to communicate with your boss makes sense if you want to enjoy your work. They have certain expectations, and it’s up to you to figure out what they need … especially if you want to advance your career, or at least, enjoy what you do.

Here are 10 tips on how to communicate with your boss at work.

1. Stay on the same page.

To be on the same page with your boss, you need to spend time with him or her. There is no shortcut. Getting more time on your boss’s calendar, especially if you are an executive or middle manager, gives you more time to get into the details and stay on the same page.

In an ideal world, managers would need to interact with their juniors on a frequent basis. In reality though, juniors need to act to get the time they want with their bosses. The more time spent together, the easier it is for your boss to know if you are on the same page. This results in a less stressful working environment.

How do you get more face time with your boss? Just ask.

2. Think ahead and offer solutions to problems.

Communicating with your boss is similar to a game of chess … it demands staying three steps ahead of your opponent to take the lead. If you can anticipate the needs of your boss before they arise, you will be seen as a leader and a problem solver. Paying attention to your boss’s work habits and style of working will help you determine where and how to assist. Check out their upcoming schedules and deadlines and offer to help.

Remember, corporate communication is no longer just from the top-down. The more problems you can try and solve independently without going to your boss, the more likely you are going to impress. This also makes you seem more responsible and valuable … qualities that your boss will love about you.

3. Offer suggestions that produce results.

There are many things you can do to get ahead in your career, like getting educated. Not surprisingly, improving your skills also improves your job performance. When you have a 360-degree viewpoint of your work, it’s easy to identify pain points and offer suggestions that work. Communicate these suggestions to your boss.

When you can offer practical suggestions that produce results, like implementing intranet software into your organization, your boss will see you as a valuable member of the team.

4. Make your boss look good.

According to the book, Work 101: Learning the Ropes of the Workplace Without Hanging Yourself, by Elizabeth Freedman, “if you don’t look good, your boss doesn’t look good.”

Find out what the boss wants from you by asking what you can do to improve … or if there is anything you can do to make their day easier. Be careful not to lose perspective; you and your boss are not the same person. You need to focus on your own path and boost your own reputation as well.

Since your boss is being judged, not only by their individual performance, but also by the performance of employees, the best way to make your boss look good is to make yourself look good first.

5. Communicate effectively at work.

Very likely, your boss has a certain approach or style to effective corporate communications. Some bosses prefer to communicate over the phone rather than by email … or vice versa. Knowing what your boss likes, or prefers, will help you better communicate with him or her.

Rather than insist on using email, sometimes picking up the phone would work best for them. Show your willingness to work with them in this area. They will appreciate it.

6. Communicate on a personal level.

You don’t have to be friends with your boss to have a more personal conversation. Asking how their weekend went or how they’re handling a certain situation doesn’t require a close bond; it requires a genuine interest. When you can talk on a personal level with your boss, they are likely going to respond and give you time. Everyone appreciates a person who shows concern … and your boss will too when you take the initiative.

7. Ask for feedback or help.

When you are doing a fine job, it is likely you won’t hear from your boss often … unless he is the demanding, micromanager type. However, don’t be over-comfortable when your boss is not on your back… he/she may also be a disengaged boss. Either way, ask for feedback. This will help you find out if you are doing a good job or where you can improve. And it doesn’t always have to be negative feedback.

Ask what you did well and why it was appreciated. Ask what you can improve on. Be specific.

This kind of feedback not only gives you a more focused approach at work, but also gives you an idea of what your boss expects.

8. Offer your help on projects.

Between corporate meetings, responding to emails, and taking phone calls, your boss is likely to be one of the busiest people in the organization. As you can imagine, they will appreciate if you can offload some of their burden and help them meet their deadlines as well.

Offering to help also shows you can take on responsibility and take initiative.

9. Be accountable.

We all want praise and recognition at work when it is due, but rarely do we want to be blamed for something we did wrong. Being accountable will enable you take on responsibility for decisions and actions in the organization, and it helps you grow as a leader. Likely, your boss is also looking for people to delegate work to … and if you take on the role, which also comes with accountability, it says a lot about you and your leadership qualities.

10. Don’t complain behind their back.

One of the easiest ways to lose your boss’s trust is to complain behind their back. Gossip. We’ve all done it, but it’s toxic. And no one likes a toxic influence in the workplace. You will quickly lose favor if you go down this road.

Resist the urge to talk bad about your boss with others in the workplace. Boss bashing says a lot about your character. Discrediting the boss is ultimately discrediting yourself too, since you report to him. It also demeans you, hurts the company, and you come across as both a hypocrite and a coward.

As an executive in a management position, never complain to subordinates. This brings you out as both frustrated and un-empowered which makes your boss less confident about you.

In conclusion.

Effective corporate communication is a skill that everyone should master, especially for top-level managers and executives. By learning how to communicate with your boss, and working to improve communication at work, your overall communication efforts will reflect well on everyone in the company.

Written by Tim Eisenhauer

Tim Eisenhauer is a co-founder of Axero Solutions, a leading intranet software vendor. He’s also a bestselling author of Who the Hell Wants to Work for You? Mastering Employee Engagement. Tim’s been featured in Fortune, Forbes, TIME, Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur, CNBC, Today, and other leading publications.

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Tips to Help You Get Along With Your Boss

Tips to Manage Up for an Effective Relationship With Your Boss

Susan Heathfield is an HR and management consultant with an MS degree. She has decades of experience writing about human resources.

Boss, manager, supervisor, regardless of the term attached to them, at one point or another in your career, you will need to interact with them. You may see this person as a mentor, kindly pushing you to do your best. Or, you may see them as evil incarnate, bent on making your every breath in the office an ordeal.

The relationships that you create, foster, and manage, with both your immediate boss and other company managers and employees, are critical to your work success and career progress.

It Is Within Your Control

Whether you like it or not, you’re in charge of your relationship with your boss. No one will ever share as much concern as you do that the quality of the relationship helps you achieve your goals. Your boss has information that you need to succeed. At the same time, he can’t do his job or accomplish his or the company’s goals without your help.

You and your manager share a critical interdependence. If you don’t accomplish your work goals as a contribution to your department, then your manager will never shine for their responsibilities. While it may seem that you are responsible for doing all the heavy lifting, your boss also has company responsibilities and stress placed onto them. Your jobs are a fundamentally, intertwined team.

An Assortment of Boss Types

Supervisors do come in a variety of skill and effectiveness levels. Some are micromanagers and want to constantly look over your shoulder and others don’t mind a delay if your way of completing a project is longer or not as effective. You will find bosses who are easy to talk to and who you can relate to and others who seem to be speaking a different language.

Some managers are just plain bad bosses while others are unaware of what you need from them. You will find supervisors who handle stress and deadlines in stride and those who let the smallest hiccup throw off their whole day.

Much of how you approach and interact with the various category of bosses is up to you. It has been called «managing up». It is challenging, but ultimately, worth your time.

Develop a Positive Relationship

Do what you say you’ll do. Keep timeline commitments. Never blindside your manager with surprises that you could have predicted or prevented. Keep her informed about your projects and interactions with the rest of the organization.

Tell the boss when you’ve made an error, or one of your reporting staff has made a mistake. Cover-ups don’t contribute to an effective relationship. Lies or efforts to mislead always result in further stress for you as you worry about getting «caught» or somehow slipping up in the consistency of your story. Communicate daily or weekly to build the relationship.

Get to know your manager as a person—she is one, after all. She shares the human experience, just as you do, with all of its joys and sorrows.

Consider Your Boss

Recognize that success at work is not all only about you; consider your bosses needs as well. Identify your boss’s areas of weakness or greatest challenges and ask what you can do to help. What are your boss’s biggest worries; how can your contribution mitigate these concerns?

Understand your boss’s goals and priorities. Place emphasis on your work to match her priorities. Think in terms of the overall success of your department and company, not just about your more narrow world at work.

Focus on the Best

Look for and focus on the «best» parts of your boss; just about every boss has both good points and bad. When you’re negative about your boss, the tendency is to focus on his worst traits and failings. It is neither positive for your work happiness nor your prospects for success in your organization.

Instead, compliment your boss on something he does well. Provide positive recognition for contributions to your success. Make your boss feel valued. Isn’t this what you want from him for you?

Understand Your Bosses Working Style

Instead of trying to change your boss, focus instead, on trying to understand your boss’s work style. Identify what she values in an employee. Does she like frequent communication, autonomous employees, requests in writing in advance of meetings, or informal conversation as you pass in the hallway? Your boss’s preferences are important, and the better you understand them, the better you will work with her.

Learn to Read Moods and Reactions

Learning how to read your boss’s moods and reactions is also a helpful approach to communicate more effectively with him. There are times when you don’t want to introduce new ideas. If they are preoccupied with making this month’s numbers, your idea for a six-month improvement may not be timely.

Problems at home or a relative in failing health affect each of your workplace behaviors and openness to an improvement discussion. Additionally, if your boss regularly reacts in the same way to similar ideas, explore what he fundamentally likes or dislikes about your proposals.

Learn From Your Boss

Although some days it may not feel like it, your boss has much to teach you. Appreciate that she was promoted because your organization found aspects of her work, actions, and/or management style worthwhile.

Promotions are usually the result of effective work and successful contributions. So, ask questions to learn and listen more than you speak to develop an effective relationship with your boss.

Ask for Feedback

Ask your boss for feedback. Let the boss play the role of coach and mentor.

Remember that your boss can’t read your mind. Enable him to offer you recognition for your excellent performance. Make sure he knows what you have accomplished. Create a space in your conversation for him to praise and thank you.

Value Your Boss’s Time

Try to schedule a weekly meeting during which you are prepared with a list of what you need and your questions. It allows him to accomplish work without regular interruption.

Know Your Companies Goals

Tie your work, your requests, and your project direction to your boss’s and the company’s overarching goals. When making proposals to your boss, try to see the larger picture. There are many reasons why your suggestion may not be adopted: resources, time, goals, and vision. Maintain strict confidentiality.

Don’t Hold Grudges

In your relationship with your boss, you will sometimes disagree and occasionally experience an emotional reaction. Don’t hold grudges. Don’t make threats about leaving.

Disagreement is fine; discord is not. Get over it. You need to come to terms with the fact that your boss has more authority and power than you do. You are unlikely always to get your way.

How to Effectively Talk to Your Boss: 25 Dos and Don’ts

Content Manager and Career Expert

Talking to your boss can be difficult; especially when it comes to sensitive topics like bonuses or quitting your job. Your career is ultimately in your manager’s hands, and you need to make sure you can build a stable relationship with them, while still staying true to your values and opinions.

Telling your boss what you really think can be a slippery slope, depending on their disposition (and ego). Disagree with them, and you could wind up on the unemployment line. But being a yes man or woman and blindly supporting all their ideas probably won’t do much for your career either.

To turn this nerve-wracking topic into a stress-free one, read our list of dos and don’ts when communicating with your boss effectively.

Alternatively, you can watch the best techniques and tips in our video:

The dos

1. Clearly stating what you need

Your manager is probably busy and doesn’t have the time to sit there and listen to you, giving them tons of background information that is irrelevant to what you are asking. Whether you’re just giving them a heads up or asking approval for something; clearly state what it is that you are hoping for so he can decide the outcome in a timely manner.

2. Paying attention to your boss’s communication preferences

Everyone’s communication preferences differ; some bosses keep their door open and don’t mind being interrupted for a quick chat. Others prefer a heads up by an IM chat or a calendar invite. Timing is also key; pay attention to find a window when your boss is less stressed so you can contact them then. Taking all of this into consideration will give you a good indication of the best time to talk to your boss.

3. Showing value

4. Establishing a line of open communication

Most employees work themselves up about speaking to their boss because they don’t have an open line of communication with them. If you can’t anticipate how they are going to react, you can’t deliver your question or opinion with confidence. To combat this feeling, you will need to build transparency and trust in the relationship; you can schedule bi-weekly meetings to discuss any issues, build a rapport and seek advice. If this is unnecessary in your role, try to socialise with your boss as much as possible, in the kitchen or during team lunches (without coming off as a suck-up).

5. Being aware of your body language

When you are talking to your boss, make sure you give off confident body language. Hold a tall posture and avoid fidgeting or slouching in your seat. Always keep eye-contact and lean into the conversation. There’s nothing worse than having an employee that is looking everywhere else in the room apart from the person they are having a conversation with. If you struggle with any of these points, practice before you have to approach your manager.

6. Planning your time off

Of course, you’re allowed an allotted time off per year and are encouraged to take it. But when planning your annual leave be considerate to your employers. Give them enough time to approve your request and plan for your leave of absence. If you’re covering for a colleague during their time off, you’d like to know in advance to plan your schedule too.

7. Empowering your boss

If your boss looks good, you do too, and if you make them look bad, you’re essentially making yourself look bad too! Get my drift? Think about ways to make your boss look great and you can bet that your name will be on the next promotion.

8. Being loyal

9. Offering to take on more tasks

If you have spare time on your hands, try to make your employer’s job easier by offering to take responsibility for those tasks that they may dislike doing. It will not only help your boss, but you will learn other aspects of the company and will be in a better position to move up the career ladder.

10. Getting your facts straight

If you go into a discussion about your job with all guns blazing and no factual evidence, you can kiss your promotion and credibility goodbye. Management has enough opinions of their own and won’t want yours unless asked. If you disagree with an opinion or angle of a new project, back up your counter-argument with objective evidence.

11. Being solution-oriented

If you go to your manager with a problem, be sure to also have a solution. This shows that you’re proactive and can be trusted to get on with your work. You’re bringing the issue to their attention and saying that you’ve got it under control – proving that you have the skills needed to progress within the company, too.

12. Asking for advice

Your manager will value you more when you ask for their advice. If you are faced with a problem or just need some feedback, be open about it and ask for your boss’s thoughts. They will respect that you’ve gone to them directly.

13. Practising good body language

During your meeting, avoid fidgeting and knee-jerking, which are signs of nervousness. Instead, exude good body language by mimicking your boss’s and leaning into the conversation.

The don’ts

14. Beating around the bush

If you have something important to say, don’t spend 10 minutes creating a build-up to the cliff-hanger. Start with the upshot and then fill in the details once you’ve laid the idea on the table. This way, your manager will be able to process the details, which means you’ll receive a more useful answer.

15. Correcting your boss in front of others

Everyone hates being corrected in front of an audience. Imagine that you’re the boss and you are trying to deliver important information in the weekly meeting when an employee comes along and corrects you in front of everyone – cringe alert! If it’s a serious mistake that really needs to be addressed, mention it after the rest of the team have left the room.

16. Hiding your mistakes and challenges

It’s disloyal and unethical to hide your mistakes in the workplace. If you’re experiencing challenges, communicate those with your boss. Their duty is to guide you and teach you how to progress, if you keep your manager informed, you can tackle the small issues before a big one arises.

17. Going to your boss when you’re emotional

You might be super angry that your colleague is handling the new account that you worked so hard to get and want to go and give your boss a good piece of your mind. Whatever you do, give yourself a cool-off period to get your emotions in check. Speaking to your boss erratically will not solve anything, other than drive a wedge between you.

18. Letting your boss’s mood affect you

Does your boss have a Jekyll and Hyde personality? If so, don’t let it bother you. You can’t change who someone is, but you can control the way you act. Be aware of your boss’s mood and only talk to them when they are in a good one.

19. Going over someone’s head

Even if your supervisor doesn’t have the power to affect the change you’re proposing, you must still discuss it with them first. It’s important to follow the organisational hierarchy. This could also foster a more fruitful discussion when pitching your idea to your boss.

20. Waiting for praise

You don’t need a pat on the back for doing your job. You need to be confident in the work you’re putting into the world as you wouldn’t have got that position if you weren’t capable of doing it. Your boss isn’t a mind-reader so if you are really unsure of your work, simply ask how you did on your last project.

21. Taking criticism as a personal attack

Many employees take criticism personally and believe that their boss has a vendetta against them. This just seems completely unreasonable to me. Your boss has more on their plate than to sit there and plot against you. Criticism is given so you can learn and improve, embrace it, move on and do better next time.

22. Getting involved in office gossip

Even if you think your work wife will never rat you out, it’s best to never engage in gossip about your boss or fellow co-workers. Word always tends to get out, which can weaken your reputation and your relationship with your manager.

23. Interrupting

Even if you think you know better than your boss on a specific topic, never interrupt him while he’s speaking. Always be patient and wait until he has finished so you can offer your opinion in a constructive way.

24. Throwing others under the buss

Telling on your colleagues to make yourself seem more capable isn’t a good look! In fact, it proves that you’re not a team player and can’t be trusted. It’s always best to sort out any issues at work with the person directly, rather than running to your boss.

25. Being too humble

While you shouldn’t throw your co-workers under the bus, you should also accept credit when it’s due. It’s fine to sing your own praises from time to time and stand up to prove your worth!

With all this in mind, you should be fully equipped on how to talk to your boss and build a lasting relationship.

Have you got any other useful tips on how to talk to your boss? Share them with us in the comments section below!

This article is an updated version of an earlier article originally published on 28 November 2017.

How to Negotiate with Your Boss

This article was co-authored by Jessica Notini, JD. Jessica Notini is a Negotiation and Mediation Coach practicing in California and internationally in many Latin countries. She is also a Lecturer at Stanford Law School and an Adjunct Professor at Boalt School of Law, Hastings College of the Law, and Mills College’s MBA Program. She is the past Chair of the California State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, served as the President of the Association for Dispute Resolution of Northern California (formerly NCMA), and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Mediation Society of San Francisco. She was recognized for her leadership and years of dedication with the California Dispute Resolution Council’s 2012 Don Weckstein Award. She has a BA in Psychology from Wesleyan University and a JD from the University of Michigan.

There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 33,903 times.

Negotiating with your boss can be intimidating, especially if you’re asking for something important to you (like a raise or time off). But the conversation doesn’t have to frighten you if you keep your boss’ and your own best interests in mind. Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss the negotiation, and prepare a few key points to bring up as you talk. You can reach an ideal agreement if you know how to negotiate in an agreeable yet assertive way.

How to Bond With Your Boss

There are a few golden rules of being an all-star employee: Always be polite to your manager, stay on top of your assignments and make yourself an indispensable member of the team.

Bonding with your boss isn’t something most of us consider imperative to excelling at the office. But having a good relationship with your supervisor has the ability to positively impact the trajectory of your career. A study published in Ergonomics found that a negative work environment leads to high employee turnover rates and researchers at NYU found that employee productivity is directly linked to his or her relationships with superiors.

Clearly, the relationship you have with your employer plays a large role in career success. And beyond being good for your career, a little office bonding is also important for your physical and mental health.

If you haven’t quite buddied up to your boss — now’s your chance. We have some strategic ways to do just that, straight from the horse’s mouth. Here are ten real-life strategies for forging a bond with your superiors at the office.

Be Authentic and Communicate

“My favorite employees are the ones I can be real with. That is what makes an employee stand out: no bullshit, no excuses and no tiptoeing around each other,” says Nicole Caldwell, an editor and small business owner. “If I can’t have lunch with an employee, laugh with, be there for them and also push [them] to constantly improve, it makes working together significantly less fun.”

Being real with your boss also means being comfortable giving and receiving constructive criticism. “The most valued talent of an employee is their ability to receive coaching and feedback and implement the suggestions,” says Dr. Jennifer Freed, a family behavioral specialist.

It’s important to remember that your boss is a mentor and should push you to grow. And feedback should be a two-way street: “If you’ve gotten too many assignments from various managers or had a major hold-up because of another department and you don’t tell us about them, we don’t know,” says former Executive Food Editor at Thrillist Media and HBIC, Mari Uyehara. Many employees think pushing back will hurt their reputation, but the opposite seems to be true. Managers value the fact that you can voice concerns and work towards creating an environment that is more conducive too to creating quality work.

Take Advantage of Opportunities to Socialize

If your company has fun social events for the purpose of allowing coworkers to mix and mingle, be sure to attend. These are prime opportunities for you to socialize with your boss and develop a friendly repertoire. “You spend so much of your life at work, it just seems ridiculous to me to not work around people whom you actually enjoy,” Caldwell says.

Office happy hours, holiday parties and sports leagues help alleviate any social awkwardness and make it easier to navigate the crossing of certain social boundaries with your employer. The activities will allow you to get to know your boss outside of an office setting, which will foster a deeper relationship beyond that of just an employee and employer.

“My best employees are proactive, genuine and self-aware — meaning that they’re always looking forward to the inevitable next step, don’t need to be micromanaged and are very open to growth and change.”

A rule of thumb: keep conversational topics light. Don’t go fishing for insider company information or use a happy hour as an excuse to bash another coworker (no matter how annoying he or she may be). And of course, go easy on the booze.

Don’t Overshare

Along with not prying too much into your boss’s personal life comes not oversharing tidbits about your own. It’s great to feel like you’re getting closer to your boss, but be careful about getting too friendly. When it comes to the employee/employer relationship, some topics should remain off limits.

“I once had an employee who wanted relationship advice about her boyfriend. Like really personal stuff. That was kind of weird. I don’t want to know graphic details,” Fishbein says.

This is especially true when your relationship with your boss is a new one. “Read the room,” suggests Caldwell. “Don’t divulge too much information about ridiculously personal stuff to someone who really doesn’t need to know. You want a healthy line in the sand of how much you want to share up-front with someone you just started working for.”

When in doubt, stick to topics that you know toe the line. “Understanding what’s happening in my employee’s life outside of work helps me be both more practical and accommodating,” says Fishbein. “I don’t need to know all the personal details, but knowing about important events like a wedding or vacation helps me manage my expectations by getting to know them better.”

Focus on Work First

You can be the most charismatic person in the office, but no employer is going to like you if you’re not delivering quality work. If you want to buddy up to your boss, the first step is to earn their respect, and the easiest way to do this is to go above and beyond the work expected of you.

“Keep the end goal in mind and do what’s required to accomplish that end goal, rather than just what was initially assigned,” Fishbein says. “One time I gave a writing assignment, and my employee questioned whether the topic was right for the client’s brand. She was right! By being proactive about asking to better understand what the end goal of the assignment was, I gained confidence that she had the ability to think critically and get the best outcomes. I knew her career would take off and it did.”

While being friends is great, have your priorities in line. You have to know when to turn off the “good time” attitude, and get to work. At the end of the day, this is your job.

Think: How Can I Support My Boss?

Instead of constantly looking for what your boss can do for you, think instead about how you can make your boss’s job easier.

“Most employees are thinking about what they can get from the job and their boss instead of what they can give to the job and how they can support the efforts of their boss,” says Dr. Freed. “Employees that consistently make an effort [towards] what would be good for the company, and how they can back up the vision of the boss, are the employees that are favored.”

Being proactive and self-sufficient allows your boss to see you as a peer, rather than an employee that needs to be managed.

Being someone your boss can rely on goes a long way, and having a shared vision will bring you closer. It’ll allow you to develop a stronger bond over a shared interest in the work.

Earn Their Trust

Just like in any other relationship in your life, trust is an important factor. Being able to take full ownership of your work and relieve your boss of some of his or her duties will allow them to develop that confidence in and reliance on you as an employee.

“Employees that stand out as exceptional consistently make their own calls, and usually they are good calls. They don’t wait for me to tell them what to do all the time,” says Laurence Edelman, chef and owner at Left Bank.

Likewise, Polly Rodriguez, CEO of the women’s health brand Unbound, agrees that a standout employee makes a habit of taking ownership and pride in their work and putting the team’s needs above their own. «I try to make sure that anyone I hire is someone who will show leadership and dedication to the team’s needs so that I can trust them and [we can] bond both professionally and personally from the get-go,» she says. «These qualities prove that you genuinely care about the company’s needs and allow for more seamless collaboration. That enthusiasm and dedication are exemplary and rare. Any individual who embodies service leadership is someone I want to know and learn from, as I think all employees at all levels can learn from one another.”

Don’t Make Your Boss Treat You Like an Employee

The best way to get some love from your boss? Act like an equal.

“If you want to bond with your boss, in my case at least, don’t let me treat you like I’m your boss,” says Edelman. “I’d rather not have to treat you like an employee.”

“My best employees are proactive, genuine and self-aware — meaning that they’re always looking forward to the inevitable next step, don’t need to be micromanaged and are very open to growth and change,” agrees Rachel Van Dolsen, CEO and founder of RVD Communications.

Always take time to self-evaluate, taking note of successes and failures and putting in the effort to make adjustments accordingly. Being proactive and self-sufficient allows your boss to see you as a peer, rather than an employee that needs to be managed.

Stop Kissing Butt

Instead of being an epic brown-noser, focus on bringing a positive energy to the workplace.

“It sounds a bit hippy dippy, but think about superstars you’ve worked with, they often have the ability to get people around them excited to do things,” Uyehara says. “An employee who really shines is one who helps foster a positive work environment.”

Brown-nosing is the polar opposite of authenticity. Doling out over-the-top compliments and buttering up your boss with afternoon coffee runs won’t win you brownie points in the long run.

Zero in on the Skills Matter Most

Freed tells us that the best way to solidify a strong relationship with your boss is to pay attention: “Analyze carefully what your boss values and asks for on a regular basis to up your game in all those areas.”

If your boss appreciates timeliness, make a point to stick to the schedule, whether it’s turning in work on deadline or being on time for that Monday morning meeting. If he or she values feedback, make an effort to speak up and add something constructive to every conversation. By figuring out what they see as most valuable in an employee, and honing those skills, you can be the best of the best, which will inevitably increase your bosses opinion of you and open the door to fostering a closer relationship.

Don’t Forget That Your Boss is Human

We tend to put our bosses up on a pedestal — seeing them as inaccessible, intimidating or someone we need to impress. But as you try to forge a closer bond, it’s crucial to remember that they have more in common with you than you may think.

Van Dolsen advises us to, “let it happen naturally! If you’re interested in your work and willing to learn and ask thoughtful questions, your boss will appreciate and come to rely on you.”

At the end of the day, your boss is human: “I make mistakes every single day — being willing to learn from them is what’s allowed me to evolve and grow,” says Van Dolsen.

Keeping this in mind can be especially helpful if you have a difficult boss. For example, someone who is a stickler when it comes to policies and procedures, or doesn’t have a warm, friendly personality that’s easy to connect with. “I think the only way organizations are able to thrive is if their employees know that their bosses care about their well-being — both at work and outside of it,” says Rodriguez.

Bottom line: If you work hard and make an effort to connect with your boss, your relationship will begin to strengthen without the need for over-the-top gestures.

Although, grabbing an extra latte at the coffee shop once in a while never hurts.