MADEXXX
cry, for that matter. Ever. The
QB wants you to be
dependable, reliable, and
deliver excellence always,
which is a lot to live up to.
But when you think about
it, isn’t it what you want for
yourself?
Getting the QB to trust
you is no easy feat, but you’ll
know it’s working when she
begins to increasingly
rely on your opinion and
work. If you do it right, be
ready for the “consequences”
because it’s a high bar
and there will be a ton of
pressure to maintain the
status quo.
How to Maintain Your
Sanity While Enjoying
a Perfectly Amicable
Relationship
SET BOUNDARIES. In
what is likely an all-consum-
ing relationship, with emails
at the crack of dawn or
late-night texts, it is not only
possible but necessary to set
boundaries. And you can
do it in a subtle, yet effective
way. For example, if you’re
unsure whether that 4am
email needs to be answered
before you arrive to the
office, just ask and perhaps
give insight into your own
schedule so she has a better
understanding of your work
style. “I saw your email this
morning.
I’m usually awake by 6am
to [hit the gym/get my
kids ready for school/
some other brilliant
reason] before work, but
if any email is marked “ur-
gent” in the subject line, I
could address them
during my commute to
the office, if you’d prefer
it.” Similarly, if a late text
comes in, even one that
may be unrelated to
work, it’s probably best
to leave it unanswered
until the following day.
If the sideways glances
or outright displeasure
from your spouse that
you’re entertaining your
boss during his/her time
isn’t enough, then the dis-
appointment from your
kids as you look at your
phone during story time
could be what puts you
over the top. Or maybe
it’s just the feeling
of never being able to
turn work off and your
attention on to anything
else of significance in
life for fear of being per-
ceived as someone who
isn’t “dedicated’ to her job.
Turning your phone off
or on silent every once in
a while makes it less likely
that you will be tempted
to check that email
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or text and allows more
time to focus on your
home-life.
TRIPLE CHECK
YOURSELF AND
YOUR WORK.
Sometimes getting
another set of eyes on that
email, memo, or press
release goes a long way.
Minimizing errors before
it gets in the hands of your
boss is essential to build-
ing trust and reinforcing
your competency and
value on your QB’s team.
It’s a plus if you get
feedback from someone
the QB trusts because if
something is questioned
you can note that you ran
it by “Megan” first. This
may soften the QB or
catch her off guard
(which can be fun),
which may cause
her to take a second,
and hopefully more
satisfactory, glance at
your work over time.
Similarly, even though
you may feel the eyes of
scrutiny are watching
over you at this time, try
not to let it rattle you so
much that you’re afraid
to take on new tasks. On
the contrary, after you’ve
completed an assignment
with little to no negative
feedback, use that oppor-
tunity to confidently ask