My favorite Guest Author comes up with another gem of a post with this Idiots’ Guide to impressing your boss. These time-tested techniques have held him in good stead over the years, given that he has reached a formidable position in the hierarchy of the company he works for, and this post therefore will hold valuable nuggets of wisdom for all of us who are trying hard to move up in the hierarchy at work.
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Your spouse and your boss are the two most important people in your life. They can make your life miserable or they can make you happy. At least, you have some illusion of choice when it comes to choosing your spouse. But, you have to live with the boss you get. It is said that there are no bad companies, but only bad bosses. The worst case scenario is where your spouse also happens to be your boss (like in the Airtel ad). In that case, please do post on how you handle things at work and at home. That should be interesting.
If you perform good deeds in this life, you will accumulate good karma and this will help you get a good spouse and a good boss in your next life.
What about in this life? That’s where I can help. You can’t fool people all the time. So, trying to impress your spouse never works. They always know when you are putting on an act. But, fooling your boss, I mean, impressing your boss, you can give it a chance and see if it works.
a. Learn the art of sincere flattery. Try practicing in front of the mirror. Everyone, including your boss needs positive reinforcement. Genuinely try and find good things to say about your boss.
b. Don’t gossip about others to your boss. He / She may appreciate the juicy news you are sharing with him/her about others. But he / she knows that you are likely to be untrustworthy and will spread news about him/her to others too. Be a good keeper of secrets. Be worthy of trust.
c. Your boss is a lonely person. The ones above him are trying to make his / her life more & more miserable. The ones below him (including you) desperately want to get promoted and take away his/her role. That may account for his/her temperament.
d. Say something during meetings. Say you agree with your boss or say you disagree and explain why. It shows you are paying attention.
e. If your boss happens to be of the opposite gender, be professional and be courteous to him / her at all times. Don’t act familiar. Don’t be nosey. Respect their personal and private side.
f. Don’t underestimate your boss. He / She didn’t get there by dumb luck. (OK, maybe I did. But, I think I might have done something right unknowingly sometime in the past to get where I am). Some bosses are good in dealing with clients, some are process oriented while others are people oriented. Learn what makes them tick.
g. Discuss but do not argue. When you discuss with your boss, you find out what is right. When you argue with your boss, you are trying to find out who is right.
h. Make your boss look good to other teams. He will appreciate you for it.
i. It is OK if your boss is not your best friend. Don’t make him/her your worst enemy.
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Now, if these tips don’t help you click with your boss, then nothing can help you.
Go on, share your personal techniques of how you impress your boss at work in the comments section. Give the rest of the readers a fighting chance at going up the corporate ladder.
Mahabore's Mumblings 
Nice one that.. esp the part about gossiping about your boss with others, you never know how that gossip will travel up to them. I had a boss who was extremely friendly and nice but he was a no conflict person which had its own share of problems… but overall i think these tips always help….
@Seeta, well, for me, I don’t interact with my immediate boss at all and with my ‘internal clients’ there is absolutely no banter all, only business conversations, nothing more 🙂
Good list. I liked the g.Discuss but do not argue. Concentrating on what rather than the who. Does go a long way. Off late, I have realized that we are in fact, lucky to have ‘reasonable’ bosses, given the way the industry is filled with type A personalities and being ‘unreasonably obstinate’ goes in the garb of passion.
@themoonstone, that is such a valid point you brought forth, the fact that obstinacy is hidden under the guise of being passionate 🙂
good list. Agree with it. esp abt the gossip part.
and yes, hard work pays off. it may take some time.. but its the best policy 🙂
@pixie, true, at least one doesn’t have to resort to other unnecessary means to go up in the hierarchy that way 🙂
Love the tips. So true about gossiping part which gives such a bad impression. It’s better to do your job silently than attempt to be in the good book. I feel that one shouldn’t be too friendly but maintain a professional work relationships.
@Vishal, yes, that is quite the tricky part about being friends with your managers 🙂
I like (g). I think it applies in all spheres of life. 🙂
@ShethP, true that 😛