My Supervisor, the Superstar

May 2012

Getting on your boss's good side is an important part of advancing, which is why you need to understand what motivates him or her. One type of boss, the Star, likes to shine—your job, in part, is to help your Star shine even brighter. This doesn’t mean that you do his job for him - he’d hate that - or even that you provide him with great ideas that he can claim as his own. Instead, working for a Star is much more of a supporting role. You’re a sidekick, a trusted assistant. Keep in mind the following tactics to help you work well together.

Listen with patience. Every Star needs an audience. Listen attentively and ask good questions to learn  where your boss needs assistance. Allowing him to to vent negative feelings and release pent-up energy  will help you gain a better understanding of what ticks him off and what makes him tick. 

Ask for help. A Star loves to be asked for guidance on an assignment. He enjoys being put in a position of authority and knowledge. There may be instances when he will be wrapped up in his own issues and therefore unavailable, but for the most part, he’ll be thrilled to offer advice—and his feedback can be invaluable.

Provide post-game analysis. If an initiative fails, a Star wants to hear where the project went wrong. What prevented the launch of a new policy from being successful? Did a lack of funding that result in a less-than-optimal software purchase? Did a customer want a larger vendor for a sale? As long as you focus on what others did wrong rather than what he may have mismanaged, your boss will find the input useful.

Respond quickly. Stars place a premium on speed. If he requests a report by Friday, have it on his desk by Thursday. If he asks a question, don’t hem and haw or say, “I'll have to get back to you on that.” Learning to think on your feet is a valuable skill when working with a Star boss. The people who respond quickly will be the ones who receive the best assignments and most likely to be promoted in the event of an opportunity.

When working with a Star boss, however, some behaviors should be avoided at all costs. Don't fall into the following traps.

Don’t be disloyal. Never betray his trust. Stars are very sensitive, and they define disloyalty in broad terms. Turning down a trip or an assignment, attending a family function rather than the company holiday party, or making a slightly negative remark that seems to contradict an earlier statement of his can all be construed as disloyalty, even if it was not intended as such.

Don’t be a naysayer. Worst case scenarios and statements like, “Have you considered what might happen if…” or “If I were you, I’d think twice about…” will not work in your favor. You may not be a negative thinker, but you’ll come off as a doom-and-gloom person on the eyes of the Star. To him, you’re not just questioning his idea—you’re questioning who he is, and his hubris will not tolerate it.

Don’t talk back. Some bosses respond well to argument, enjoy debates, and respect your right to voice your opinion. Stars may allow one mild objection or smart-aleck retort, but they won’t let you get away with much more than that. A Star might say he wants honest feedback, but what they really want is obedience.

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