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7 Ways to Make Your Boss Love You
Featured Author:
Alexandra Levit
Alexandra Levit is the founder and president of Inspiration at Work, a consulting firm. A former nationally syndicated columnist with Tribune Media Services and a current blogger for the Huffington Post, Alexandra has authored several books, including the popular They Don't Teach Corporate in College, How'd You Score That Gig?, and Success for Hire.
Alexandra makes frequent national media appearances and has been featured in thousands of media outlets including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Known as one of the premiere spokespeople of her generation, Alexandra regularly speaks at conferences, universities, and corporations on issues facing modern employees. Please learn more at AlexandraLevit.com.
More articles from this author:
Alexandra Levit
In this economic climate, everyone wants to avoid getting laid off. The
number one way to do this is to have a strong relationship with your
immediate manager. Here are some strategies that have worked well for me
over the years:
Be humble.
Don’t approach your boss with a sense of entitlement, as though he is personally responsible for furthering your career. Instead, focus on learning what you can do to make his life easier, contribute to your company’s goals, and make him look good to his boss.
Be realistic.
Keep in mind that your boss is a human being and that he is going to make mistakes. He is not trying to make your life difficult. The two of you are on the same team, so don’t be overly sensitive or critical. Listen without judgment, make a sincere effort to understand your boss’s position, and patiently explain your ideas. If you’re unclear about something, ask for clarification rather than expecting him to read your mind.
Be honest.
Admit if you do something wrong, and then ask your boss how you can rectify the situation. Don’t allow yourself to get caught in a maze of lies or excuses that will result in a loss of credibility.
Be respectful of your boss’s time.
Appear in his office with a checklist of things you need to cover, and don’t dwell too long on any particular subject. Your boss will be more receptive to meeting with you if he knows you’ll be in and out of his office quickly.
melissa_mac888
23 days ago
2 comments
Great article
nyloe
2 months ago
112 comments
Great article. Another way to make your boss love you is: Be an adult. Don’t whine and complain to your boss (or anyone else) about how you hate your job, or when you don’t get your own way. Your boss is not your parent. He/she is not responsible for raising you. Being immature and childish will not make your boss love you.
shibumi0202
3 months ago
6 comments
I have always followed these rules and still have been fired and laid off from jobs. I will continue to follow these rules because this is the way an employee should relate to his/her boss.
sihaam
3 months ago
14 comments
Really I like it and I found it useful and helpful.
Thank you.
klopez36
4 months ago
6 comments
I really like the helpful insights listed here. Thanks!
jessicah1
4 months ago
2 comments
This is an excellent article that I found informative, helpful, and challenging
maplesjess
4 months ago
2 comments
Decent article, but I found it interesting (and disappointing, especially given the website's purpose) that throughout the article the manager was always referred to as a male. Managers may also be women. We have to change our speech and our examples used in business training!