Last week I talked about how to be a better boss. We may be someone’s boss, but for most of us, we are also the employee. At the end of the day,  you are both responsible for maintaining a good and productive relationship, so this week is about being in the other shoes.

Your relationship with your boss has a huge impact on your happiness and effectiveness on the job. It doesn’t have to be a buddy movie connection, but having an effective and positive working relationship with your boss is essential. It enables better communication, better growth opportunities, and a better environment.

The reality is that your job is to make your boss’s life easier, and it’s their job to develop your skills so that you can deliver results. When you have a relationship built on trust, you can both be in alignment on what your objectives are and the best to accomplish them, which is a win for both of you.

Want to be happier on the job? Work on this relationship. Try asking them, “what is one thing I could do to improve the way we work together?” If they are a good boss, they will ask you the same question too!

What can you do to improve your workplace relationships and create a better environment?