Call us

How to win over your boss

Office survival may also mean having to win over the boss.

Ask any man about the number one obstacle to career success and he is more than likely to mention a difficult boss.

And if popular culture has taught us anything, it's that the individuals wielding all the power come in many shapes and forms.

Depending on your chosen industry the boss you work for may change, but variations include the autocratic manager, paternalistic dictator and maybe even a few who just seem to be a little bit crazy.

Some people can be lucky and get to work in a modern company such as Google that does its best to promote active participation in decision making, which may represent a more democratic approach toward employee and employer relationships.

Yet irrespective of the type of boss you may have or the management style that is in place, it can be hard to get ahead without a good working relationship in place.

With this in mind the writers at AskMen came up with a list of things you can do to befriend the boss without losing face in front of peers.

Coming in at number one is learning how to manage your own office PR - this means making sure the boss knows you are a likable kind of guy.

Having things in common is a good base to any friendship which may be why hitting a few golf balls together or joining the work cycling team could work in your favour, but so long as he or she gets to know you on a more personal level it is possible to make a real connection.

Starting a conversation about the boss' favourite sporting team, learning their partner's name and remembering how many kids they have will always make a good impression.

But above all else make sure that the person responsible for making decisions about your career knows your name and role in the company - an easy way to do this is by handing out eco business cards.