Taking care of our boss is a great way to also take care of ourselves.  If you work in an environment in which you are part of a team with a great leader, taking care of your boss comes naturally.   After all, by taking care of your boss, you are also taking care of the team and working to ensure the team meets its goals.

On the other hand, if you are working in an environment that is disjointed and does not promote teamwork, chances are, you are not working for a good leader.  So what do you do in this case?  Does it matter if you take care of your boss in this situation?  It absolutely does – not only can you potentially change the environment by taking care of your boss, but you can also prove your value to the organization.

So how do we take care of our boss?  Interestingly, not by focusing so much on him or her, but instead by focusing on our boss’s boss.  Taking the next step in providing value to our team and our leadership means we must understand what the leadership higher up in the organization wants to see and know.

When we write reports or complete assignments given to us by our boss or team lead, take your report to the next level and provide information that your boss’s boss is interested in.  Place yourself into the shoes of your boss and think about the questions he or she will have to answer.

Further, what constraints and restraints will your boss will be forced to work with?  Instead of agreeing that the current state of affairs are challenging, do your boss’s homework and provide him or her with proposed solutions that can be presented higher up in the organization.

Finally, think with the organization’s vision and mission in mind.  If you can align your efforts, projects, reports, goals and presentations with what the organization believes to be important, you will find yourself becoming an invaluable asset to your boss.

Could your boss use the information to build him or herself up and not give you the credit?  Absolutely!  It happens all the time.  However, talent and proactivity have a way of filtering themselves to the top, regardless of the perceived glass ceiling above them.  In the short-term, your boss will recognize your value and keep you close, and in the long-term, your boss’s boss will eventually take notice of your ability – it is only a matter of time.

So, the next time you are seeking to find the best way to please your boss, remember, it is not your immediate boss that you should be focused on – focus on what your boss’s boss is focused on.  By thinking one level up we can best serve our team and ensure we are also providing the most value to our whole organization.

What ways have you found to take care of your boss?