After school and college, office turns out to be your second home. You would be spending a majority of your day at the office with your colleagues. Naturally, it is important for you to build a friendship with your colleagues.
But, how do you develop a close bond with your boss?
You feel a relationship with your superior can lead to increased communication and a boost to your morale. Ethically, befriending someone just because he/she is your manager and you may get some benefit is an invitation to deception. However, you’re not alone and there are several others who are already among his/her “close friends” as they all go together for smoke breaks. You see them enjoy while smoking and wish you were also laughing along with them.
But you don’t smoke so what can you do?
Friendships can only be built naturally, not by following certain norms. So you need not do anything which makes you uncomfortable just to fit in the group. But, what’s necessary is that you spend time with your manager even if you don’t join him/her during the smoke breaks.
Three Simple Things You Can Do:
1. Find common interests to conversate:
Everyone has a button which when pressed can make people come alive. All you have to do is know what you and your manager have in common just to make him/her involved. Bring back those topics so that you can have fruitful and memorable conversations. This will be a boost to your friendship with your manager.
2. Be smart and considerate to manage time:
While you want to spend enough time you cannot expect your manager to make some especially for you. Manage your break times matching with the group. Be considerate and make the most out of the lunch breaks while you dine together.
3. Find common groups/clubs:
If you can join a club or group which your manager is a member of you will get many opportunities to work together on things outside work and also spend time together. So find if there could be any common interests and spend enough time you can without giving up on your comfort.
As it’s rightly said, always remember that –
It’s not the quantity of time you spend but the quality of time which matters!
Do you have any more questions? Or need some tips and tricks regarding work related issues? You can speak to our experts at YourDOST and get professional advice.