Ask a Coach: How do I manage my boss?

This is a question that I get asked a lot.  With all the hours we spend at work, the relationship we have with our boss can be one of the most significant in our everyday lives.  It certainly has a big bearing on our happiness at the end of the working day.  And on our careers.  It would be foolish to generalise about bosses.  However, I can offer a general tip: ask them.  For example, ask them how they know you’re doing a great job.  Their definition of this may be completely different to yours.  Ask them what makes their day – and what really winds them up.  You might have unintentionally been irritating them – or delighting them.  Ask them how best to communicate with them.  Some love e-mail; others hate it. Get the dialogue going – and let me know how you get on.