Once upon a time, the boss told you what to do and you did it. Today’s employees don’t often wait for the boss to make the decision of what to assign or delegate. With the pressures and constraints the boss is working with today, employees need to work together with their boss, not simply for their boss.

That requires a skill set that allows employees at every level to manage the relationship with the boss effectively. Communication is an essential part of managing a relationship with another person, regardless of their organizational level or expertise. It also entails understanding the world in which they operate, their needs as an individual, their strengths and weaknesses, and the pressures and constraints they deal with on the job.

How can you develop this essential skill set and manage the relationship with your boss more effectively?

• Spend some time observing the boss. What do they well? What areas are they weak in?
  Then: Anticipate the weak areas so that they do not cause you a problem. If they are terrible at meeting deadlines, start asking for what you need earlier than when you actually need it.
  
  
• Talk with your boss about goals. Learn about their priorities. Ask them to identify the critical issues in the department.
  Then: Ask how you can help the team with those things.
  
  
• With a virtual workplace, you have less time for your relationship and more time for work. Your boss may have a lot of priorities and you are only a small piece of them. Make sure you have a regular time to connect.
  Then: Always have an agenda for your regular time together so you are getting information you need to have, not just receiving information.
• Figure out your boss’s style, pace, energy and likes. Are they a morning person? Do they like reports, emails, voice mails or meetings? Are they fast paced or slow and methodical?
  Then: Match their energy. Every time you do, you are creating rapport.

You may be thinking – what about ME? Shouldn’t my boss be focusing on me and my style, my needs, my preferences? The answer is ‘yes’ – but that’s a different article!

Joni Daniels is Principal of Daniels & Associates, a management consulting practice that specializes in developing people in the areas of leadership and management, interpersonal effectiveness and efficiency, skill- building, and organizational development interventions. With over 30 years of experience, she is a sought after resource for Fortune 500 clients, professional organizations, higher education, media outlets and business publications. Joni can be reached at http://jonidaniels.com