Don’t Forget to Show Your Boss Gratitude This Holiday Season
It’s the season for giving thanks. The holidays are an excellent time to get together with family, friends, and coworkers. But don’t forget your boss, who you may have a tumultuous love/hate relationship with, or who you may respect. Taking time to do something to honor their work and your working relationship has benefits for your career. Here are some ideas for showing your boss you appreciate him or her this holiday season.
The Simple Act of Saying “Thanks”
This holiday season, consider writing a note to your boss to thank him or her for their hard work this year. If your organization isn’t big on giving back in this way, consider that your manager may be feeling underappreciated, so some acknowledgment, however simple, is a kindness that most bosses would appreciate. Make your thank you as specific as you can. For example, did your employer grant you some extra time off? Did they approve a budget to add someone to help you? Were they good about allowing some flextime so you could stay home to care for a pet or a child? If your boss did a good deed for you, take time this holiday season to recognize it for the gift that it was.
Compliment Your Manager in Front of Peers
Try to spend the 31 days of December thanking everyone around you for their efforts, including your boss. You can create a sense of gratitude in meetings by quietly recognizing the individual contributions of a particular person. This kind of act can spread from your manager to others in your organization.
Write a LinkedIn Recommendation
Writing a recommendation for your manager on LinkedIn is a great way to let others know about their excellent work. It may not be something that you think of immediately as a way to say thank you, but it can be powerful, and respectfully builds the credibility of your employer.
Go Over Their Head
What if you would reach out to your bosses’ boss to share a positive story or two about how they manage you? Typically, you wouldn’t want to go over your manager’s head, but in this instance, it’s a brilliant way to gain additional recognition that your boss will appreciate. Just send a brief email sharing how your boss showed leadership in managing you or on a project or in some other area. Keep it positive yet concise. It may lead to a promotion or raise for your manager, which is something we’re sure they would appreciate! It also will give you some additional visibility as a leader in the organization.
Show your boss how much you appreciate him or her this holiday season.
Politically, it’s a smart move on your part, but honestly, it should come from the heart. If you have a troubling relationship with your boss and can’t think of a way to express your gratitude, that is a red flag that perhaps we should discuss. The Custom Group works with hundreds of skilled employees just like you. When the time is right, call on us for a confidential discussion of your career goals. We can help.
