Just how good is your relationship with your Boss?

Written by Lizzie Moyle

Actively pursuing a healthy and productive working relationship with your boss based on mutual respect and understanding benefits both you, your boss and your organisation.

Assess the state of your relationship with your boss and identify potential areas of improvement by considering these 12 questions:

1. Have I taken the primary responsibility for managing my relationship with my boss?

2. Am I clear on my manager’s expectations for me? Are they realistic?

3. Is my manager aware of what resources I need to meet those expectations?

4. Does my boss know what I need from her or him to perform my work satisfactorily and comfortably?

5. How much does my boss know about what I’ve been doing for the past few months? If he/she doesn’t know enough, how can I correct that?

6. Am I reliably meeting my commitments? If not, how can I rectify shortcomings?

7. How well do my manager and I get along on a daily basis? Do we need to address any conflicts?

8. Do our oral and written interactions occur with ease? If not, how can I make our communications more seamless?

9. Do we trust each other? What can I do to increase the level of trust?

10. Do I backup my boss when I talk to others about her and execute her goals?

11. What could I do to support my manager more effectively?

Which of these will you focus on to enhance your working understanding and relationship with your Boss?

Further Reading

For further reading see Harvard Business Review's:

• Working Smoothly with a Virtual Boss by Keith Ferrazzi.

• How to Win Over a Boss Who Just Doesn’t Seem to Like You by Jay A. Conger and Allan H. Church.

• What to Do When You Have a Bad Boss by Mary Abbajay.