Bangalore: Bosses come in all shapes and temperaments. Being in their good books helps your career. Being good at your job helps even more.

"Try to identify what your boss's own job responsibility is, what skills he or she has or lacks, his or her attitude towards you and what motivates your boss and you will fare better in a workplace environment," advises management consultant K. Panduranga.

Some bosses have leadership qualities and others are just supervisors who know your job better. One quality they need is to allocate tasks that are appropriate to the job skills of individual staffers. Some are unable to do this.

It may be a good idea to let the boss know what your own strengths are, if you are new to the organisation. It helps to ask him or her to detail your responsibilities and to whom you report. There may be an office hierarchy at work and it does no good to overlook it. Some bosses like your reporting to them directly and others through a secretary or just forwarding a daily or weekly report.

"Some bosses are creative and proactive and can appreciate the good work and others can only find fault, because deep inside they are insecure," says a psychotherapist. Sometimes they exhibit aggressive behaviour. "Instead of reacting with anger, try to stay calm and find out what the fault is, if it really exists. Those regularly throwing temper tantrums can be ignored. Chances are they will cool down soon enough," she says.

More than a written job contract, a "psychological contract" with the boss may work better.

These are often voluntary and informal and amount to helping each other.

The boss may, for example, have difficulty drafting reports; you help him write the reports. Or he may have communication difficulties and you volunteer to make that presentation, along with him, to the directors. This kind of help and bonding can take you far.

Should you or not run errands beyond the call of duty and what office procedure demands? "It largely depends on what the chore is and if it is entirely ethical and does not involve a conflict with the organisation's values, do carry it out. Most such requests are for mundane things, which a secretary will usually do but the boss may be picking you to do them because he trusts you more. If at all you refuse, do it most courteously and explain why," says Mr. Panduranga.

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