In general, your superiors will be satisfied if you do a great job, but sometimes, employing some smart techniques will make your work accomplishments even more impressive.
The Business Insider recently published an article that suggests 9 simple ways to please your boss based on various scientific studies and expert opinions. If you’re looking to make a good impression on your boss, here are a few easy tips you can apply.
1. Try to solve problems on your own
In the book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” published in 1948, Dale Carnegie tells a story about Leon Shimkin, who was then the general manager at Simon and Schuster publishing house. Shimkin shared with Carnegie a way to significantly reduce meeting time: he announced to his team that they were not allowed to report any issues unless they could come up with a solution on their own.
Therefore, impress your boss with your problem-solving skills and only bring a complex issue to the table if you can’t solve it yourself, as it’s an effective way to win your superiors’ favor.
2. Always demonstrate your value to the company
If you’re asking for anything, from a promotion to a position change or a salary increase, at least show your superiors how it benefits the business and your boss.
Expert Robin Dreeke once shared with Business Insider that being good at your job is not enough to make others want to keep you. If you want your boss to value you, you need to demonstrate how important you are to their personal success and the overall success of the company.
3. Adjust your communication style to suit your boss
Once again, your task is to make your boss’s work flow smoother. Professor Michael Watkins once wrote in Harvard Business Review that understanding your boss’s preferred communication method depends on you. Your boss may prefer using Slack, email, or in-person conversation, and you should adapt to please your superior.
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4. Seek advice
You may hesitate to ask your boss, but a study from Harvard Business School suggests that seeking advice doesn’t make you look foolish; instead, it can make you appear more competent.
One small note to keep in mind is that you should ask for advice, not opinions. Psychologist Robert Cialdini said that asking for advice creates a partnership between you and your boss, encouraging them to support your ideas. On the other hand, when you ask for opinions, your boss may step back and become more objective.
5. Be an early bird
A study from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington shows that employees who arrive at the office early are often recognized and rated as higher-performing than those who arrive late. Additionally, once you arrive late, staying late at work is less effective at impressing your boss.
6. Do what your boss wants
You should find out what your superiors truly care about and make sure you achieve or bring those things to them. CEO and founder Dave Kerpen of Likable Local software company shared: “It’s about making your boss look great in the eyes of their boss. By doing this, you’ll also be more likely to succeed.” Kerpen advises that employees should directly ask their boss or figure out what issues their superiors are concerned about.
7. Pay attention to details
If you want to shape a larger image of yourself, start paying attention to the small things. CEO Ryan Holmes of Hootsuite believes that even minor technical hiccups can quickly impact many customers. An employee who can be trusted to catch small errors stands out among the crowd.
8. Say “thank you”
Expressing gratitude for your boss’s feedback, even if it’s negative, can make them have a more positive opinion of you. This is a result of a 2011 study conducted by the University of Southern California.
9. Speak up
Don’t keep your opinions hidden from your colleagues. J. Crew Group President and Creative Director Jenna Lyons advises employees to share their viewpoints, regardless of whether they are right or wrong. “I can’t know where someone stands unless they engage in conversation. Don’t be afraid to put ideas out there. We all have bad ones, we all have good ones.”
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