4 Ways to Improve the Relationship with Your Boss

As an employee, we’ve all experienced it. The boss who just doesn’t seem to be on the same page as you. Who doesn’t assign you to the high-level projects. Or doesn’t hand out a “great job” when you’ve completed a successful project.   

Whether you’re an experienced professional, or just starting out in your career, having a manager who doesn’t seem to like you can make life difficult. But the good news is, you can take steps to change the situation and improve your rapport with your boss. Here are 4 ideas to consider: 

1. See if Co-workers are having the Same Issues 

An important thing to consider is whether it’s just you whos having a problem with the boss. Are there other employees who report to your supervisor and have more positive relationships? Is there a different approach or anything you can learn from them? Try to understand how others may be interacting positively with your boss and look for ways to change your approach.  

2. If You’re Part of the Problem, Fix It! 

Here’s where an honest self-assessment is important. Is it possible you’re avoiding interaction with your boss or unconsciously conveying bad feelings due to assumptions about how he or she views you? Is your attitude as good as it could be? Its natural for employees to act more distant to managers when they think they may not like them. Often, this triggers the same behavior from the manager to the employee. Try breaking the cycle by finding opportunities to engage your boss to show respect and illustrate that you’re a team player. 

3. Improve your Performance

If you think your supervisor doesn’t like you due to performance issues, then it’s important to take steps to alter that perception. If your manager called a meeting to talk about your performance, don’t get defensive. Listen closely and have an open mind. It’s possible that some of what you hear could be misconceptions, but other issues could be real. Keep a positive attitude and discuss areas of improvement and enact a plan to address them. 

You might even ask for more frequent performance evaluations until you and your boss feel that your performance has improved. Most employers will appreciate your taking the initiative to become a stronger employee. 

4. Don’t Badmouth your Boss

You may think it’s simple office chatter, but when you start badmouthing your bossyou’re in trouble. Even when you think you’ve found a sympathetic ear, you don’t know who that person will tell, so outside of asking for feedback, don’t get into a badmouthing sessionOnce you’re in the negative gossip chain the chances are it will get back to your boss. 

Wrapping it Up 

It’s important to understand that in a working environment, not everyone likes everyone else – which means your boss may not like you. It’s possible there’ been a misunderstanding that you can work through with a positive attitude and effort. Take the initiative and follow the above steps to potentially help change things for the better 

Lanmark Staffing provides over 40 years of combined human resources, recruiting, temporary placement, sales and management, and temp-to-hire services. Our team of experienced professionals will work with you to help land that next great career position.  

 

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