If you can’t seem to get along with your boss — here are some things you can do.

Idea 1:

The single most important thing you can do to get along with your boss is to make him or her look good by doing everything you can to help achieve the goals your boss considers to be most important. If you aren’t in alignment with your boss’s goals, you aren’t going to make your boss happy or be happy yourself.

Idea 2:

Seek feedback directly from your boss. You need to ask for more and better feedback directly because you deserve to know how you are doing and to feel appreciated.

Say something like this:

“Courtney, I need to hear from you as often as possible about what I am doing well – or may not be doing well. I know you are very busy, but without regular feedback, I just can’t do my best work, and I know you think that’s important. Is there any way I can help you to provide me with the right amount of feedback?”

Idea 3:

Pay attention to your boss’ social style. Is your boss someone who is chatty and friendly or cool and aloof? What about her need for details and process? Does your boss want all the details or just the top line? Is he or she someone who wants lots of praise for himself or not? Once you figure out how you think your boss wants to be spoken to and interacted with, you can be flexible in how you interact and make him or her comfortable with you.

Ask yourself these questions

• Would I want to work with me?
• Do I know what’s important to my boss and do these things guide my actions?
• Am I easy to be with?
• Am I responsive to requests made by others?
• Am I involved, sympathetic, and helpful?

If your answers are “yes,” you should have no problem getting along with your boss—or anyone else.