How To Make Your Boss Fall For You?
I know this topic I’m sharing is unlike the other technical topics in the knowledge base. But let’s be honest, too much technical knowledge only makes us feel a bit bored. For me, knowledge is anything that helps us become more efficient in our work. And becoming your boss’s favorite is like hitting the jackpot—it’s about standing out from a sea of peers.
Speaking frankly, without beating around the bush—let’s face it, we all want that occasional pat on the back for our work from our boss, PRs, and even peers. It’s human nature to seek love, appreciation, and to stand out from a sea of crowds. That’s exactly what I’m here to help you with, or at least hoping to do so. Oh, but please don’t think of me as your Google Maps to the heart of your… I mean our boss. I could be your atlas instead.
And one more thing, at the end of the day, only one of us—or if we’re lucky, a few of us—will be the winners. The rest, just be patient and don’t forget to do what you do best. So here we go:
Just Do It
Nike has always been giving us the signal. Whatever your boss asks you to do, or whatever you think you have to do, just do it. This is pretty simple, as it sounds. No questions, no arguments—done. If a particular task is assigned to you, rather than thinking, “Why are my peers not assigned the work but I am?”, just get to work. Don’t try to crack the code; as there might be none.
Moreover, if the work is assigned and you have questions, don’t shy away or bite your nails—raise your voice and get your questions clarified. And that’s it, you are the new Tony Stark!
Wear Your Boss’s Shoes
Not literally, of course. Having knowledge of why they might be thinking a certain way is the gateway to understanding what they are expecting from you, what the problem is and what the process of solving it should be.
Truth be told, there might be a generational gap between you and your boss most of the time, or the culture they grew up in—many factors come into play. So, in order to mitigate this, you have to share their ideology.
Anticipate your boss’s needs, give them updates even before they ask, and put in extra effort for the firm’s success as if the company were your own—just like your boss. At the end of the day, every boss aims to earn more money, and you have to do everything like your boss does to earn your firm more money.
Be the Deadline Chaser
One thing that is always constant is the deadlines. Even if you have successfully become your boss’s favorite, there will still be a deadline waiting for you to meet. Always be right on schedule, or ahead of it, and meet your deadlines without fail. If the deadlines are very tight, then let your superiors know.
Failing to meet your deadlines will definitely add a red mark to your record. Besides, one quick metric that highlights your performance is your ability to meet deadlines—so this should be your goal. I highly recommend chasing your deadlines, not the other way around.
Show Off, But Not Too Much
The only way of letting your boss know that you’re working is by showing it to them. When I say showing off, it’s not about doing little and displaying more, but showing what you did precisely—nothing more and nothing less. This way, your boss will know your ability, capability, and your importance to the office.
Becoming just another person in the crowd doesn’t do much when it comes to evaluating your metrics. Oh, too much show off could become a knife in your bed. It might earn you resenters or simply a name like attention seeker. Carefully balance this thin, delicate aspect.
Proofread Your Work
I’m not saying this because proofreading is part of my content writing job, but I believe that being safer than sorry is a great preventive measure. In everything you do, before publishing it or proceeding to the next step, just go through your work. A quick skimming will do a great job in giving you a heads-up about any mistakes you’ve made.
Being human, we can’t help but make little mistakes now and then. But what sets us apart from each other is striving for perfection, with fewer silly mistakes that could be avoided with a simple cross-check. Compared to others, if your work rolls up with fewer mistakes, then you are on the red carpet to your boss’s favorite people’s list.
Stay Late If Necessary
Do not ever merge your personal life with professional life. Before making your boss love you, you have to make yourself love you. So for that, you have to draw a red line between your 9:30 to 6:30 and the rest of the time.
However, if you are lagging behind due to any other reason, or if a particular task needs to be done a bit quicker, then stay a bit late occasionally. This also comes under wearing your boss’s shoes.
Sometimes, you are faced with time-sensitive tasks, and at that time, you are supposed to do it—without any wait. So, for this, you have to allocate your weekends or extra hours. Doing so, your boss will come to know you value your job and the firm’s needs equally and responsibly like him.
Take Extreme Ownership & Proactive Measures
If you are a PR, or a team lead, then you will already do this. But if you are a team player like me, then do not hesitate to take ownership of things. Aiming to reduce time and effort for your PRs and boss will help you become their star player. Make sure you own a particular task, give your one-on-ones, provide your thoughts, and everything that you can.
Aim to be a solution, not a problem. Think uniquely, differently, and out of the box. Provide solutions for tasks that seem complex. Instead of saying impossible and can’t be done, try to find ways and approaches to making the task simplified and a bit easier to achieve.
Conclusion
Remember, the day you joined, you definitely were screened from many candidates, and you made the list and the designation—not them. This tells you that you are unique and have a special spark. Just polish that spark every now and then, soon you are going to be the new boss’s favorite.
Also, don’t be hesitant that your peers might mock or resent you as a boss’s pet. They are just jealous, and that means you are doing your best.
Oh, one more thing—whatever you do, please don’t shadow my spark. Kidding! You can’t master a pro. But if you still think so, then the game’s on. Consider me Iron Man to your Captain America. A healthy competition is always good and appreciated, bringing out our sportsmanship. Godspeed! Adios!
