Working with Your Boss, #LikeABoss

No matter what type of boss you have (the overbearing one, the hands-off one, the one who works in another country, the one who works in the cube right next to you, the one who can’t seem to trust you, the one who trusts you a ton, the list goes on and on) building and maintaining a strong relationship with them is not only vital to your success within your company, but it’s also vital to your development as a first-timer in the real world!

I’m still figuring this out as much as the next person but over the past few years I’ve learned a few ways to work with my boss,#LikeABoss. So read on and hopefully by taking these tips into the office with you, you’ll kick ass while building an awesome relationship with your boss, no matter what type you have.

What tips do you have? Add them in the comments below!

Tip #1: Be Professional

It’s really important for you to stay authentic and true to yourself, but make sure you turn the dial up on your professionalism. This means two things: maintain good office conduct and dress appropriately. First impressions are everything, especially for beginning to build a relationship with your boss.

For office conduct, don’t take personal calls at your desk, listen to music with a headphone in (notice I said a headphone so you can hear what is going on around you), don’t talk about what you did Friday night at the club, and don’t sit in a meeting or at your desk texting. Oh and if you’re going to surf the web, I suggest staying on sites that educate you and staying away from sites that help you procrastinate like Facebook.

When it comes to dressing appropriately make sure your outfit choices are appropriate. If you have to question if you should wear something, chances are you shouldn’t wear it.

 Tip #2: Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen. And Listen. It’s More Than Just Hearing.

Are you listening?! Your boss wants and needs you to. Become an active listener by paying attention, taking notes, and asking follow-up questions. You have to have BIG ears for everything happening around you, and although it’s going to feel like a firehose of information forcing itself on you from time to time, listening is your best ticket to getting a good grip on your team’s purpose and day-to-day role in your company.

Each day you walk into work with your BIG ears means you’re getting the hang of everything that much faster. Your boss needs you to onboard quickly, but don’t hesitate to pause, take a step back, and listen again if you need to!

 Tip #3: Find Your Unmatched Value & Raise Your Hand for Projects That’ll Flaunt That

Your boss hired you because they know you have the skillset to succeed in your role – but the true value you’ll bring to your new gig is the stuff you didn’t learn in the classroom.  Are you super creative? Are you detail-oriented? Do you always think of solutions before any problem actually arises? The best way to get your boss advocating for you is to find that unmatched value that she or he can’t replace in anyone else.

Once you find that, take initiative and immerse yourself in projects that’ll flaunt your unmatched value. You’ll want the right amount of flaunt for it to be noticeable, but not enough that it will feel like you’re showing off. This matters in building your relationship with your boss because you want them to advocate for you even when you’re not around – and if your unmatched value is forefront in their mind, this won’t be an issue at all.

 Tip #4: Think A Few Steps Ahead

This one takes the most time to conquer so I’ve saved it for last. You’ll want to get to a place where you are marching to the same beat with your boss. But before you get there, you need to go back to Tip #2 and listen. In meetings with him or her, or just in watercooler conversations around the office, start paying attention to what makes them happy versus what seems to make them tick. Take note of the types of questions they ask, how much detail they care about, and when they are looking for complete creativity versus when they’re looking for a project to just stay within the given direction. Is it the small wins that they love or do they really thrive over the big wins?

Once you get a strong grip on your boss’s working style, you’ll start thinking a few steps ahead of them without even realizing it. After listening to my boss for the past few years I can now confidently walk into any type of meeting knowing exactly the types of questions she’ll ask – so I prepare for those meetings by armoring myself with the answers.