Winning your boss over

Effective people management is an art and that comes with experience. It usually connotes managing your subordinates and you hardly talk about managing your superiors.

Is it important? How can one do this? Whether you've just started a new job or you've been in an organisation for years, earning your boss' respect is vital.

Your boss manages more than one person and that means your boss is dealing with multiple personalities with diverse knowledge, skill and talent. So you are compared everyday and your performance is relatively rated.

Value

It can be difficult to make a lasting positive impression. If you are unable to prove your value to your boss, then the working relationship between the two of you cannot be solid and earning your boss' respect will be difficult.

If your boss has earned the position on merit, then you have reason to respect him and do what it takes to make him happy by delivering his expectations.

In the process you will help develop your business and your career too - so there is a compelling business case to make your boss happy - I mean a good boss.

Doing the job 'the right way' is the foundation to earn respect. It is fundamental to impress your boss. You have been hired to perform a job. Do your job right and do it well.

Well disciplined, intelligent, knowledgeable, skilled and committed employees are precious gems for a leader. Collaborate with colleagues in a positive manner. Show your boss that you believe in team work - after all it is teams that produce results in an organisational environment not individuals.

Offer to take on extra responsibilities and help team mates complete tasks. Work hard to meet deadlines. Seeing a job through to the end will show your boss you are dedicated to completing the task.

Appreciation

Praise others. Laud colleagues for jobs well done. Everyone likes to hear that their hard work is being noticed. Let your boss and colleagues know when you appreciate their work.

This will earn the respect of your colleagues, which your boss is sure to appreciate.

Take a risk and volunteer to take on more projects as you get more confident in your role. Stand up for your beliefs and ideas. Don't be afraid to let your boss and colleagues know, albeit respectfully, what you think. Challenging your boss' ideas, respectfully, will show your boss you are confident in your knowledge and abilities.

Equip yourself with facts, figures, analysis and enough evidence to substantiate your proposition - that's confidence. Confidence is not just body language it's your inner power that reflects in your action.

Jackpot

If you are blessed with a fantastic boss - one who is supportive, encouraging, competent and confident, who wants you to be successful and cares about your professional advancement - then you've hit the jackpot.

Nurture this relationship and work hard to show that your boss's investment in you is worthwhile to him. Unfortunately, not everyone's boss is close to this ideal.

One of the most important factors in determining an employees' satisfaction is the relationship with their immediate supervisor.

If your boss sets clear expectations, knows, trusts and invests in you, then you can forgive the company for its lack of profit-sharing bonuses.

But if your relationship with your manager is fractured, then no outward-bound training at a super luxury hotel in Dambulla will persuade you to stay and perform.