Five Ways To Make Your Boss Love You

Sometimes the minefield that is the business world can be a tough one to navigate. With impressing your boss being one of they key elements to progressing further, we took the opportunity to quiz the incredibly successful businesswoman, and Alan Sugar’s right-hand woman – Karren Brady CBE – on what she sees as the most important things to nail if you’re going to wow your boss.

Be enthusiastic
“Bosses love working with enthusiastic people. People who are interested in what’s happening, that want to be involved in the company, have an entrepreneurial spirit, feel that they can give their point of view and make their comments in a positive way are always going to do well.

“When I’m interviewing somebody, I always ask them to tell me something I don’t know. I love it when people say ‘oh I looked at your website and that doesn’t link with that, or that shouldn’t happen with that’, and I think that that comes from being really enthusiastic about the business you work in. You want to make a difference.”

Go beyond your job description
“There’s no use saying, ‘oh that’s not my job’ or, ‘oh I can’t do that’. Actually, being the first person in every day – as I was when I first started my career – and the last person to leave, and doing anything and everything that anyone asked me to, I think is a great way to show that you’re a team player. You’re someone that can be relied upon, you’re someone that can be given more responsibility, and you’re part of the team.”


Exceed expectation
“Working in a place where nothing is expected of you must be a very sad place to be. So being able to rise above your level by offering ideas that maybe are not directly part of your job I think is a really great way to show you’re engaged in the business.

“[Having the confidence to do that] comes from experience in what you’re doing. So if you’re unsure of what you’re going to say or how you’re going to say it, that’s when nerves can creep in. If you’ve got ideas; if you’re really sure of what you’re saying; if you believe passionately in what you’re trying to communicate, then you won’t be nervous.”

Invest in your own development
“If you feel you don’t have the skills to get ahead in your job, or you need some vocational skills to become entrepreneurial, then investing your own time and energy in your own career is really important.

“[If you’re unsure of your direction] the best way is maybe not to think about what career you want, but to think about the kind of people you want to surround yourself with. The kind of environment you want to work in, the kind of people you want to work alongside or work for, and -if you ever got to run a business – the type of leader you would like to be. I think those can help you frame where you go.”

Be indispensible
“I think we all know who the people are in the organisation that we rely on the most; who are always available, always willing to help, always enthusiastic about the job you give them. Be one of those people.”