60-Second Leadership Tip #4: Saying ‘Thank You’ To Your Boss

Leadership Tip

In a previous leadership tip, we discussed thanking your staff and colleagues. But what about your boss?


Do you ever thank or compliment upward?

The first time I did this, it felt extremely awkward. I told Stephen, a very senior manager, that his presentation to employees was excellent thanks to his authenticity.

That first time, I made a few faux passes, which you can read about in my book1. Despite the awkwardness, I continued to praise the people who were more senior than me. Very probably, some of my bosses initially thought I was after something. I wasn’t. I just believed that our senior leaders are people just like us, who like to hear when they’ve done things well.

I like to think that slowly, I managed to deliver my praise in a more convincing way, gaining the freedom to give all sorts of people feedback on their strengths, as well as areas they could improve on.

If you want to do the same thing, it’s important not to give praise for the purpose of ingratiating yourself. There’s a fine balance between cozying up to someone, and simply managing a good relationship. Think of providing positive feedback as investing in a trusted relationship, which is what you want to achieve.

Since writing about this in my book, this topic has become a point of discussion during my conversations with many leaders. I consistently get the same response: Yes, we all love to receive appreciation – also as leaders. And that it is lonely at the top – and your boss is also human (I assume). Not many people will sincerely thank their bosses, so if you do, you can be sure to get noticed, and it might be a very good investment in what’s probably the most important relationship in your professional life: your relationship with your boss.

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Mette Johansson

For two decades, Mette held various leadership positions within the field of Corporate Communications in multinational companies. In 2013, she decided to make a pivotal change to her life, quit her safe job in the corporate world and founded two separate businesses – in the area of investment consultancy as well as in corporate training. The values that link the two businesses are supporting growth – growth in personal development and growth in wealth.

Mette has lived, studied and worked in 11 different countries and feels very much at home in Singapore’s multicultural society.

As a business coach, she is passionate about helping others succeed in their chosen careers. She believes that the key to success is focusing on small changes that lead to big results. She is a strong believer in and walks the talk about continuous learning and the self-improvement process.

As the author of the book “How to Make Yourself Promotable”, she talks about working on the basics to make that promotion you’re yearning for happen faster. It’s targeted especially for people who have already settled into their jobs and know they want more in corporate life.

In addition to training professionals, Mette dedicates part of her time and profits to charity. She is deeply involved in providing young generations in lesser-developed countries the soft skills needed to succeed in life as well as education.

Today, Mette Johansson invites corporations and individuals alike to proliferate Authentic Leadership with the 7-step process to “Unmask The Leader Within™”. This 7-step journey has the power to transform entire organisations, unleashing true leadership potential through value-based management, embracing visions, values and purposes, and promoting human leadership principles.

This post was first published on the MetaMind Training blog and has been reposted on Connected Women with the permission of the author.
Edited by: Michelle Sarthou, Image credit: Dreamstime Stock Photos © Creative Commons Zero (CC0)
References: 1. How to Make Yourself Promotable: 7 skills to help you climb the career ladder

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