Bosses can always be a mixed bag. When you’re starting out at a new role, your supervisor could be anywhere from the perfect mentor to a total nightmare. But (hopefully) more often than not, you do get to work a person you both like and admire. And when that happens, you’re suddenly much more invested in strengthening the relationship.
But I get it: That tight line between employee and friend can be hard to walk. To help you avoid crossing that line, I rounded up eight realistic strategies for getting to know your manager a little bit better.
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First things first, establish your work relationship. If you’re not doing well as an employee, then unrelated conversations might make you seem like you don’t care about your responsibilities.
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Not sure how to make an impression on a big team? Self-advocate so your supervisor knows just how awesome you actually are at your job.
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You should also be sure to get on your boss’ good side if you’re not already on it. Otherwise, you could make a bad situation worse.
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Serious about developing a better relationship? Take initiative—sometimes you can only have the kinds of conversations you want to have by starting them yourself.
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Cheesy, but true: All good partnerships are built off of trust. Your professional ones aren’t any different.
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You can also take office milestones, such as performance reviews, as opportunities to be honest and transparent about your interests and goals.
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Even better, ask questions on the job. Not only will you learn more about your work, but you’ll also get unique insights.
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And finally, keep in mind that it’s not all about small talk. Having a stronger relationship with your boss means it’s that much more important to have the hard conversations.