How to Build a Good Relationship with Boss

If you want to improve and build a good relationship with your boss, then you are in the right place. Getting along with your coworkers isn’t always easy. When it is your boss, a slight mistake can leave you sweating for days or weeks afterward. Cultivating a good relationship with your boss is beneficial for both you and them.

So if you’re a little concerned about getting off to a good start, here are ten phrases that you need to avoid to improve and build a good relationship with your boss.

How to Build a Good Relationship with Boss

1. “Oh come on, I was only 15 minutes late!”

Sometimes being late is inevitable. Traffic, emergencies, losing your keys, and other mishaps can all lead to being late. If you cruise in several minutes after you’re supposed to be there regularly. It just shows you don’t care that much about your work.

If your boss isn’t too happy about your frequent tardiness, defending yourself with this phrase is a death sentence for a good relationship with your boss. Instead, take responsibility for your lateness, and take steps to make sure it doesn’t continue to happen.

2. “We’ve always done it this way.”

Moving forward and improving a business requires change. When your boss wants to try something new, it is an attempt at improving a perceived flaw in the company. This phrase is a rejection of trying new things, and it isn’t a great way to improve your relationship with your boss. You always need to have an optimistic mindset. Being an optimism also consider a trait of a strong personality.

If your boss wants to try things in a new way, embracing it. Also, make suggestions on how to carry the new idea forward is a better choice.

3. “I’ll quit if you do that!”

This is similar to a toddler throwing a tantrum. If you are going to quit, just quit. Threatening to leave, especially if you do it often, is just going to make your boss think of you as a flight risk and find someone else.

If you don’t like how you are being handled, it is better to discuss your difficulties in a calm manner, listing solid reasons, and with possible solutions. Simply trying to throw your weight around is not going to help you to improve and build a good relationship with the boss.

4. “That isn’t my job”- enough to kill a good relationship with the boss

No one wants to be the coffee guy at work, or help out with things that aren’t typically part of their job description. Refusing to do so when your boss asks you isn’t going to win any brownie points. A winning attitude is often far more valued than even the best credentials.

If your boss asks you to take out the trash, perform the task to the best of your ability, and do it with a smile on your face. A good attitude can’t be taught in college, but it can get you that raise you’ve been coveting. So, never use this phrase if you don’t want to spoil a good relationship with your boss.

5. “I’m not paid enough for that.”

Sometimes we get assigned tasks we’d definitely rather not do. If you think a chore is demeaning, it’s fine to object. But insulting your pay at the same time isn’t going to get you a pay raise. If what your boss is asking you to do is truly inappropriate, such as an illegal activity, reporting it to authorities is the correct action, not merely blowing it off because you don’t make enough.

6. “I can’t work with that person.”

We all have a coworker we can’t get along with. Whether they are lazy, rude, or overly dramatic, getting a project done with them can feel like pulling teeth out. Yet not wanting to work with a coworker can backfire, especially if your boss is depending on you. If your reason for not wanting to work with them involves being able to meet the deadline on time, a better choice would be to suggest someone you think can help you get there, and list the reasons why they would be better.

7. “My rent is going up, so I need a raise.”

Asking for a raise is a normal part of your career path, but listing a personal reason is not going to help you. Your boss may care about your personal problems, but in the end, her main job is focusing on the company and its needs. Instead, when asking for a raise, point out how your value to the company has been going up, and the ways you have improved the company. So, if you don’t want to spoil a good relationship with your boss than you need to avoid this phrase.

8. “It’s impossible.”- not going to help to build a good relationship with a boss

Rejecting an idea instantly because it seems too far-fetched shows a certain lack of ambition. If you don’t think a new idea is a good one, or potentially dangerous, it’s better to explain why in a detailed manner rather than simply dismiss it. If you don’t think something is possible, a better way of mentioning that is to say, “Let me research it to see what our options are.” That will give you time to look and see if it really is impossible, and if it is, explain why.

9. “I can’t meet that deadline.”

Your boss is counting on you to get things done. If you’re not going to make a deadline, it is better to let your boss know early, but saying you can’t flat out is a bad idea. This ultimately will kill the process of improving and building a good relationship with your boss.

Instead, ask for more people on your team if that’s what you need to complete a project on time. If they can’t give you what you need in order to meet the deadline, you can ask for an extension knowing you’ve tried everything else first. Always remember, you need to continually work on yourself to increase work productivity at the workplace.

10. “Can you let me know if there’s going to be a drug test coming up?”

If your boss requires regular drug testing, it’s for a good reason. In some cases, the safety of your coworkers or you could be at risk if you decide to use drugs and come into work later. Your boss is not going to be pleased to learn you lied on your resume, and this particular phrase certainly implies that.

A good relationship with your boss is important. If you’re concerned about what he or she might think of you, avoid these phrases to help you look better during your next review.