There’s an old saying that states: “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
That may not be 100% accurate, but the saying still makes a powerful point. So I suggest that you personalize the statement, reminding yourself that “Your boss may forget what you said, and your boss may forget what you did. But your boss will never forget how you made him or her feel.”
You see … even though you’re a leader … you may have a boss above you. How do you make your boss feel? When times are tough, can your boss count on you … or count on you to complain? When you can’t meet your deadline or your budget, does your boss know that well in advance, or is she faced with a last minute crisis? If your boss came up with a list of the top ten things that keep him awake at night, would you be on it?
If you lower your boss’ hassle factor, YOUR success will matter to him or her. In fact, the more you lower your boss’ hassle factor, the more successful you’re going to be.