Managing Your Boss and Creating a Positive Relationship
As a Caregiver, standing out from the crowd can be outside your comfort zone, so it can be hard for you when things go badly — or well! You can learn more about that in Getting Along with Colleagues and Getting Ahead at Work, Part 1. But when it comes to dealing with your boss, keeping the following three ideas in mind will help you maintain your equilibrium no matter the situation. Want more career inspiration? Click here to see more ArcheGuides.
One of the loveliest qualities of a Caregiver is the ability to think two steps ahead, ensuring that snacks, umbrellas, and extra white shirts are all handy. While your second sight can be something your boss relies on, if she feels you’re about to spit on a Kleenex and clean her face, you’ve gone too far.
No one enjoys being criticized, but it’s particularly demoralizing to a Caregiver. Although it’s difficult, you will only add to your boss’s (and consequently your own) stress if you act wounded and withdraw. Instead, take a deep breath and then get inquisitive. This is an opening to do more of your best work.
More often than not it’s your instinct to agree, but the boss wants more than a yes-man. It’s essential that you also add value. With this in mind, do more than type the agenda — be prepared to add to it. When your boss says, “What do you think?” your reply should be, “That sounds great, and I was thinking we could do X as well.”
