Tips for Supporting Your Boss

During a high stress moment of frustration, a CEO harshly told one of my students: “I need you to be a thought partner, not another task manager!” She swallowed the lump in her throat as she exited the video call, but... she knew he had a point. 😕 She’d been burning herself out checking boxes, clearing tasks, reacting to requests. And, in doing so, she was unintentionally making herself smaller (and less effective). The difference between a support person (tactical/ a task manager) and a Chief of Staff (strategic/ a thought partner) is about 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼. ➡️ So she made a shift, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦, and started operating like  a true thought partner. Here’s how that’s done: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Instead of asking, “What do you need me to do?” she started showing up with recommendations (bringing solutions to the agenda, not just problems) 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬:  when you become aware of or identify a problem or issue that needs a decision, 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝟮-𝟯 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀. When her CEO asked for updates, she didn’t just list what she’d done, she explained how it moved their org-wide goals forward. 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬:  Before every task or project you work on, ask yourself, “How is what I’m doing helping us win long-term?” Then document that so you have proof of your impact. 3️⃣ She built the habit of challenging upward. This one felt scary at first, but she learned to respectfully push back and ask her CEO tough questions like: 🤔 “What tradeoff are we making if we choose this option?” 🤔 “How will this decision impact the team next quarter?” 🤔 “Is this the best use of your time right now?” Her boss…? He loved it!! 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳. It will work for you too. Start thinking like the person in the room who’s helping make the decisions, not just carry them out.

If you want to get promoted this year, start here. Your job is to make your boss’s life easier. Period. And one of the fastest ways people stall their own growth is by unintentionally creating stress in how they communicate. Too much detail. Not enough detail. Surprises. Rambling updates. Or worse… silence when something goes off track. If you own a strategy, a roadmap, a project and something shifts, you need to know exactly how to update your boss in a way that builds confidence, not confusion. Use BLUF: Bottom line up front. What’s happening? Why does it matter? What are you doing about it? What’s the updated outcome? Bullet it. Keep it clean. Then pause. Ask them how much detail they prefer. Do they want the high-level facts, or do they want to screen share the deck and go deeper into the why, the context, the options, the tradeoffs? The key is not guessing. The key is aligning. When your boss feels calm and clear after talking to you, trust increases, and trust is what gets you promoted. When you consistently show that you can think high and low, big picture and detail, strategy and execution, you signal executive readiness. You show that you have it handled and that you anticipate. That you don't create drama, and you create clarity. The more confidence they have in you, the more responsibility they will hand you.

15 pieces of advice for building a great relationship with your manager (and becoming a better engineer) No course will teach you this. Writing as someone who’s managed engineers for years as a Principal Engineering Manager at Microsoft. 1// Understand that your manager’s job is to help the whole team succeed, not just hand out tasks. 2// The foundation is trust. Before you expect career support, focus on keeping promises, finishing tasks on time, and showing up when it matters. 3// Do what you say you’ll do, even for small things. Reliability compounds. 4// Don’t try to “manage up” before you’ve built a basic level of trust. Without it, feedback and honest conversations just don’t land. 5// Learn what your manager’s goals and team priorities are. Ask about them directly if you’re unsure. 6// Ask your manager, “What keeps you up at night?” The answer will show you where you can add the most value. 7// Once you know what your manager cares about, connect your work to those priorities. Show how your project helps solve the team’s biggest problems. 8// Be clear about your own goals. Are you focused on impact, learning, promotion, or work-life balance? It’s your job to communicate this. 9// Revisit your priorities regularly. What matters to you now may change in six months. 10// Don’t sit stuck for days if you hit a roadblock. Escalate early, it shows maturity, not incompetence. 11// When you ask for help, summarize the problem, outline what you’ve tried, and suggest possible solutions. Don’t just drop the problem on your manager’s lap. 12// Ask for feedback often, both what you’re doing well and where you can improve. If you’re not getting actionable feedback, try: “On a scale of 1–5, how am I doing? What would make it a 5?” 13// Welcome peer feedback too. Ask your manager to gather it for you if needed. 14// When your manager helps you out, thank them — and be specific about what actually helped. Recognition creates a positive cycle. 15// And Remember: Managers are people. A little appreciation, context, and transparency goes a long way. – What would you add to this?

The top 1% don't just work hard. They build champions. Most people think impressing your boss means working longer hours. It doesn't. It’s about working smarter - and understanding how to truly support the person who shapes your growth, visibility, and future opportunities. Here are 8 simple, powerful ways to become your boss’s MVP: 1. Be Clear About What They Expect ↳ Ask, “What would success look like?” ↳ Get real examples of successful outcomes. ↳ Ask, “What’s the most important thing to focus on?” 2. Work the Way They Like to Work ↳ Learn if they like charts, emails, or quick talks. ↳ Adjust to their decision-making pace. ↳ Match their communication style. 3. Make Their Job Easier ↳ Think ahead about what info they’ll need. ↳ Solve small problems on your own. ↳ Take on tasks they find tedious. 4. Understand What's Driving Them ↳ What keeps them up at night? ↳ What makes them look good to their Boss? ↳ Add value to their biggest goals and challenges. 5. Become their Thinking Partner ↳ Listen to their side first. ↳ Ask open-ended questions. ↳ Use “Yes, and…” instead of “Yes, but…” 6. Stay Calm When Things Get Tough ↳ Notice early signs of stress. ↳ Pause for 5 seconds before reacting. ↳ Ask, “Is there another way to see this?” 7. Focus on Impact, not Activities ↳ Your boss cares about results ↳ Instead of: "I ran a survey" ↳ Say, “It shows a 20% improvement over last quarter." 8. Keep Your Boss in the Loop ↳ Set a regular update schedule. ↳ For each update, think 'What-So what-Now what' ↳ Use their favorite format - emails, visuals, or chats. It’s time to stop waiting for recognition — and start shaping it. Start with one change this week and watch how the dynamic shifts. What's a strategy that works for you? Tell me below! ♻️ Repost to help others get ahead. 🔔 Follow Bhavna Toor for more on Conscious Leadership.

Corporate Masala – Tip #1: The Boss Alignment Secret 🌶️ Ever feel like you're running on the corporate treadmill, putting in the hours, but your career's just... stuck in neutral? You're not alone. The Problem? Many talented folks fall into common traps when trying to impress the boss:    - Thinking that sheer hard work will magically get noticed and rewarded.    - Believing that agreeing to every single thing makes you a team player.    - Or worse, resorting to a bit of "strategic flattery" hoping it’ll pave the way. These approaches often lead to burnout, feeling undervalued, or being seen as ingenuine. The Solution is simpler (and more effective) than you think: ALIGNMENT. This isn't about being a doormat. It's about being smart and strategic: 1️⃣Understand Your Boss's Vision & Agenda: What are their top priorities? What’s keeping them up at night? What does success look like in their eyes? Ask questions, observe patterns, and connect the dots. 2️⃣Connect Your Work to Their Goals: Don’t just complete your tasks - frame your work in a way that shows how it moves their agenda forward. Make your impact visible 3️⃣Proactively Support Their Success: Anticipate needs. Offer solutions before problems grow. When your boss feels you’re helping them win, you’ll become essential. 4️⃣No clear agenda? Align with that too: If your boss lacks direction, help bring clarity. Leaders remember those who step in and bring order to chaos. Aligning with your boss makes you a trusted partner - not just another employee. And when they move forward, they’ll take you with them. ___________________________________ Want more practical tips like this to navigate the professional world? Follow Anand Bhaskar for more #CorporateMasala ! Don't forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter Catapult! https://lnkd.in/g6h5K-WU #CorporateMasala #workplacetips #professionaldevelopment

Every day, you're managing your boss—whether you realize it or not. The skills that matter most are often unwritten. Here's 12 Smart Ways to Manage Your Boss with Grace 1/ Understand their priorities 📌 Study what matters in their performance reviews and align your work to those goals 📌 Pay attention to what stresses them out and help minimize those pain points 2/ Learn their communication style 📌 Notice if they prefer written updates or face-to-face conversations 📌 Match their level of detail - some want specifics, others just the big picture 3/ Anticipate needs 📌Prepare answers to questions they're likely to ask before meetings 📌 Keep track of deadlines they care about and deliver ahead of time 4/ Bring solutions, not just problems 📌 When raising an issue, include at least two possible ways to address it 📌Frame challenges in terms of business impact and opportunity 5/ Master the art of updating 📌 Create a simple system for regular updates (weekly email, brief stand-ups) 📌 Lead with the most important information - don't bury key points 6/ Respect their time 📌 Be concise in both meetings and emails 📌 Come prepared with a clear agenda and desired outcomes 7/ Build trust through reliability 📌 Consistently meet deadlines without reminders 📌 Be honest about mistakes early instead of hiding them 8/ Know when to push back respectfully 📌 Use phrases like "Have we considered..." instead of "That won't work" 📌 Support concerns with relevant data rather than opinions 9/ Help them look good 📌 Understand their goals with higher management and support those aims 📌 Give them credit for good ideas and decisions in public settings 10/ Adapt to their work style 📌 Note if they're a morning person or afternoon person for important conversations 📌 Observe how they make decisions (analytical vs. intuitive) and present accordingly 11/ Ask for clear feedback 📌 Request specific examples rather than general comments 📌 Make it easy with questions like "What's one thing I could improve?" 12/ Show appreciation 📌 Acknowledge when their advice helps you succeed 📌 Thank them specifically for opportunities they've created for your growth Managing up effectively isn't about manipulation—it's about creating mutual success. When you master these skills, you transform not just your relationship with your boss but your career trajectory. What's one technique from this list you'll try this week? ♻️ Share your experience in the comments, or tag a colleague who might benefit from these strategies. Follow Adeline Tiah 謝善嫻 for content on leadership and future of work.

7 ways to make your boss win big And boost your value while you're at it When I was at JPMorgan, I watched a junior analyst transform her relationship with her VP through one simple shift: instead of just doing her job, she started making her boss shine. The result? Within 3 months, she was invited to executive meetings and given high-visibility projects. Here are 7 genius ways to make your boss look good: 1. Be The Early Warning System Spot potential issues before they become problems Keep your boss ahead of critical deadlines → Create a "Risk Register" each Monday with 3 potential issues and their solutions - share it in your 1:1s 2. Master The Executive Update Filter out noise, focus on what matters Structure updates to be "forward-ready" → Use the 3-part format: "Project status, Key wins, Needs attention (if any)" in all communications 3. Amplify Their Vision Reinforce their strategic priorities in meetings Connect team activities to their bigger goals → Write down your boss's top 3 priorities and link every major project update to one of these goals 4. Own The Prep Work Make their meetings more effective Ensure they never get blindsided → Create a 5-minute pre-brief document for every important meeting with: "Key players, Core issues, Potential questions" 5. Be The Solution Hub Turn complaints into action items Present options, not just problems → Present 3 solutions for every problem, plus 1 recommended course of action 6. Track & Showcase Wins Document team achievements Package success stories → Maintain a "Wins Database" with metrics, testimonials, and outcomes they can reference in their presentations 7. Build Their Network Connect them to useful information sources Help them stay relevant → Set up a 15-minute weekly "Industry Pulse" briefing with: "1 trend, 1 competitor move, 1 opportunity" ♻️ Repost to help professionals accelerate their careers ➕ Follow Kabir Sehgal to get a little better together

I hate it when ambitious people b*tch about their boss. Why burn their most important relationship? Managing up is how you progress. It's not being nice, or friendly or visible. It's enabling them to do their jobs more effectively. If you are that person you will be invaluable. By helping them succeed - you too will succeed. And it's a skill that you will need throughout your career. You can’t rise fast - if you can’t manage up. So instead of moaning. Here’s how: 1. Anticipate, don’t wait If they have to ask, you're already behind. Pre-empt their questions. Try and solve problems before they land. ↳ Hack: Make it your business to know what their priorities are for that week so you can plan for what might come up. 2. Communicate clearly and concisely. Don't send them walls of texts and endless emails. Ruthlessly edit. Make it easy for them to say yes (or no) - fast. ↳ Hack: Turn your communication upside down. Don't put the key info or action point at the end. Put them at the start. 3. Protect their time like it’s your own Don’t clog up their calendar. When you meet prepare. Be the person who brings organisation, not chaos. ↳ Hack: Don't angle for endless 'face time'. Focus on quality meetings not quantity of meetings. 4. Take tasks from them. The most valuable thing any direct report can do. Take tasks from them and get them done. They will love you for it. ↳ Hack: Say, 'Let me take care of that.' 5. Make them look good Your job isn’t to outshine them. It’s to create value they can’t ignore. Their success pulls you up with it. ↳ Hack: Be the person who is prepared to do the ugly, unsexy, difficult stuff. Most people hide. But that is what will help you shine. (Almost) everybody has a boss. I did even as a global CEO. And it's the most important relationship in your career right now. Your most single-minded task should be to help them succeed. Because that's the quickest way for you to succeed. What would you add to this list? Drop it below - I’ll turn the best ones into a follow-up post 👇 💚 Follow me for more No Bullsh*t career advice. ♻️ Repost to inspire your team.

🌟 Make Your Boss's Life Easier: A Win-Win Strategy for Success 🚀 In today's fast-paced work environment, supporting your manager can lead to mutual success. Here are key strategies to make your boss's life easier and boost your own career: Understand Their Goals Align your work with your manager's objectives. Ask about their priorities to better support their success. Anticipate Needs Be proactive in identifying challenges and offering solutions before they become problems. Communicate Effectively Learn your boss's preferred communication style and use it. Be clear, concise, and timely in your updates. Take Ownership Don't just bring problems; come with potential solutions. Show initiative in solving issues independently when possible. Manage Up Keep your boss informed about your progress and any roadblocks. Help them prioritize tasks when needed. Be Reliable Meet deadlines, show up on time, and deliver quality work consistently. Reliability builds trust. Support Team Harmony Foster positive relationships with colleagues. A cohesive team makes your boss's job easier. Offer Constructive Feedback Provide thoughtful insights on processes or projects that could be improved. Celebrate Successes Recognize your boss's achievements and express gratitude for their support. Continuously Improve Seek feedback and actively work on enhancing your skills to become an even more valuable team member. Remember, making your boss's life easier isn't about flattery—it's about creating a productive partnership that benefits everyone. What strategies have you found effective? Share your experiences below! 👇