7 Ways to Make Your Boss Happy

Bosses have an unfairly bad reputation. They’re often thought of as the enemy of the little guy, the hands on the marionette strings, forcing employees to dance to their tune.

But in reality, they’re only human, and are just trying to do their jobs, which happen to depend on you.

That’s right—your boss’s job depends on you, at least in part. Many employees don’t consider the fact they are there to help make their boss successful.

And often, they truly do care for their employees and work hard for their people. Good managers and supervisors put in a lot of hours making sure they set up their employees for success.

So why not return the favor by taking the time to make your boss happy? The better the relationship between you, the more pleasant the work environment will be for both, so let’s look at 7 quick tips that will show you how to treat your boss right.

Communicate

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Communication is the basis for any working relationship, including that between yourself and your boss.

You aren’t going to get that form filled out by the end of the day? Let your boss know so that he or she can adjust accordingly, and not come up empty-handed in the next meeting with their boss. Planning on taking a week off? Give plenty of notice rather than announcing your intentions a week prior. Best of all, have a suggestion that might improve something in your workplace? Communicate it!

Fear is the number one reason why people don’t communicate with their bosses, and a lack of communication is a huge reason why those same bosses aren’t happy with their people. Make your supervisor’s life easier by keeping them in the loop and making sure they stay abreast of your activities.

Perhaps most importantly of all, ask for feedback. Lots of it. It’s much easier for a manager to guide employees if they seek that guidance. Find out exactly what your boss expects of you, and strive to achieve it, keeping in touch along the journey.

Your boss will be the happier for it, and it sets the stage for what we’re going to talk about in on the next slide.

Learn Your Boss's Goals

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Communication fosters learning—in this case, you’ll be learning about your boss!

Take the time to learn how your boss operates, what they need, and how they like for that need to be fulfilled

For example, does your boss like for you to be autonomous, only contacting them when a project is completed? Or do they prefer hourly status updates? Do they prefer verbal or written communication?

Every human being is a complex constellation of character traits, strengths, and weaknesses. Learn what your boss does well, and perhaps more importantly, what they might sometimes struggle with. Do your best to fill in those gaps when appropriate and your boss will appreciate you to no end.

Take the time, also, to understand your boss’s job. What do they have to deal with on a daily basis? Do they depend on your morning report to give their evening report to their own boss? It’s easy to become focused on your own goals, losing sight of the big picture—you’re there to support their goals.

Everyone appreciates being known and having their preferences accommodated. Your boss has a tough job—why not make it just a little bit easier?

Be Positive

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Nobody likes a crabby, complaining, gossipy co-worker or employee. This includes your boss.

Even if the person you work for doesn’t seem to be the happiest person in the world, you should still strive for positivity. Show appreciation to your boss—take a moment to send a thank-you email after a favor, or simply wish them a good afternoon when you leave for the day.

Don’t focus on the negative. If you come to every meeting complaining about what’s wrong, you’ll bring down everyone’s mood. Instead, re-frame complaints as ideas for innovation, steeped in excitement for improvement. Offer solutions, not problems.

At all costs, avoid destructive behaviors such as gossiping and back-stabbing. That’s not a culture that anyone wants to work in or supervise.

Remember—you’re all human, and you’re all in this together, and it’s only through unity that your organization will succeed. Be positive, enthusiastic, and willing to see the good in everything. This trait is contagious, and your boss won’t be able to help catching a little of it.

Be Reliable

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This is pretty self-explanatory. If you promise something, deliver. Nothing helps a boss relax and de-stress like knowing their employees are handling things. Micromanaging isn’t just unpleasant for employees—it’s also exhausting for the boss who feels they need to check in every few moments because of untrustworthy employees.

No one likes to babysit an adult, so don’t be that person. Meet, or better yet, strive to beat your deadlines. People who hold themselves accountable for their actions are exceedingly rare—they’re a dream for any boss. Be aware that there may be deadlines and stresses imposed on your boss by their own manager, and that meeting those deadlines is dependent upon you meeting your own.

Your boss is counting on you. Follow through with what you say, and you’ll make them incredibly happy. Take some time to reevaluate your own work ethic to make sure you’re meeting this vital requirement.

Resolve Conflict Properly

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Conflicts will happen. If most marriages hit turbulence at one point or another, you had better bet that the tightrope walk that is the relationship between employer and employee will, as well.

The key here is proper conflict resolution. Don’t let grievances hang—that causes stress on both boss and employee.

If you have a problem with your boss, take a moment to consider the true nature of the issue. Are you simply angry because your boss asked you to perform an unpleasant task? Or have you been truly wronged?

If you have been wronged—or if you’ve wronged your supervisor—it’s time to resolve the issue and move on. Remember those communication skills? Now is the time to use them again!

Talk to your boss and let them know what’s going on. Listen to their response—really listen. Conflict arises when one or both parties feel threatened, whether or not that threat is real. Listen for clues that tell you what really matters to your boss, which you’ll recognize if you’ve gotten to know him or her. Avoid speaking out of turn or other unprofessional behaviors fueled by strong emotion. Remember—use conflict as an opportunity to improve, not to punish.

When conflict arises, do your best to resolve it quickly and completely, and be willing to stay teachable. Your boss will appreciate it.

Respect Your Boss's Time

It is common, throughout many industries, to become busier and busier the higher you go on the ladder of responsibility. It may look like your boss has it easy in their cushy office, but remember—they’re not just managing paperwork, they’re also managing people, as well.

Make sure you value your boss’s time. If he or she doesn’t appreciate idle chit-chat, stick to business. Don’t flood their inbox with questions that you could easily find the answers to on your own, or through co-workers. If you’re wondering about corporate insurance issues, where to find the stapler, or how to do simple admin tasks, there are more appropriate people to go to. Save your boss for the big-picture questions and feedback.

Remember that there’s likely much more to your boss’s working life than meets your eye, so make their day a little happier by routing questions and concerns through proper channels and respecting their time.

Be Proactive

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The propensity toward being proactive is something that will always put a smile on the boss’s face.

Be the person who picks up that piece of paper from the floor, who goes ahead and starts on next week’s work when this week’s is finished, who considers the future and acts in ways to make it a better one.

The key to this is not merely reacting to your work environment, but forming a plan to take control. Cause things to happen rather than sitting around and waiting for things to happen of their own accord.

Being proactive vs. reactive is as simple as this example. Reactive is experiencing chest pain and going to the doctor. Proactive is exercising and eating healthily for your entire life so that the heart attack never occurs.

So take ownership of your performance and stop the procrastination. If you know your boss and work well enough to predict what you’ll need to do and do it, that’s one more load off your boss’s mind.

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