In the workplace, beyond ability and effort, a key factor in career development lies in building a strong relationship with your leader and leveraging their support and resources. Many professionals find that despite having outstanding skills, their career progression lags behind others due to poor handling of their relationship with leadership. So, how can you interact effectively with your leader, turn them into a valuable resource, and achieve a career breakthrough?

1. Align with Your Leader’s Vision and Become a Partner

Many professionals overlook the importance of communication and interaction with their leader. Building a good relationship with leadership isn’t just about getting tasks approved—it’s also about understanding their mindset, goals, and expectations. As subordinates, the first step is to grasp the leader’s vision and align our actions with it. Doing so not only strengthens mutual understanding but also creates opportunities for deeper collaboration.

For example, Xiao Li, a designer at an advertising agency, consistently improved her skills while proactively understanding and meeting her leader’s requirements. Over time, she earned her leader’s trust and was entrusted with more responsibilities. Her efforts both enhanced her own capabilities and reduced her leader’s burden, ultimately paving the way for her promotion.

This “partnership” approach requires us not only to excel at our own work but also to actively understand leadership’s needs and participate in their goals. By doing so, we become reliable allies and gain more support and opportunities.

2. Leverage Leadership Resources to Improve Yourself

Beyond being a “partner,” we can also learn and grow by drawing from our leader’s strengths and resources. Many successful professionals have benefited from leadership’s guidance and support. By observing their thinking patterns and working methods, we can gain valuable experience and become more effective ourselves.

For instance, when facing challenges, seeking advice from your leader not only helps solve the issue but also builds trust. Importantly, avoid concealing problems; instead, communicate early and work with your leader on solutions. This proactive approach allows us to grow with their help while accumulating critical experience.

3. Relieve Your Leader’s Burden and Become Their Right-Hand Person

Another key to elevating your workplace standing is to become a dependable assistant. Many believe doing their own job well is enough, but in reality, career success often hinges on teamwork. Proactively easing your leader’s burden by taking on additional responsibilities shows initiative and reliability.

For example, volunteering to handle tasks that may seem trivial but are necessary demonstrates accountability. Furthermore, strive not just to meet expectations but to exceed them, showcasing professionalism and competence. This proactive attitude fosters goodwill and enhances your value in the workplace.

4. Apply Workplace Psychology to “Borrow” Leadership Strength

Workplace psychology can help us communicate more effectively with leaders and gain greater support. The Franklin Effect and the IKEA Effect are two principles that can be applied strategically.

Invite leaders to help you (Franklin Effect).The idea is that a person who has already assisted you once becomes more inclined to offer their help again in the future.In the workplace, asking your leader for assistance can deepen your relationship. When leaders help resolve issues, they feel a sense of accomplishment, making them more inclined to support you in the future.

Encourage leader participation (IKEA Effect). People tend to value things they helped create. In the workplace, involving your leader in projects—through decision-making or discussions—can increase their sense of ownership and lead to higher recognition of your work.

Be strategic in seeking help. Leaders’ time is limited, so don’t offload every minor issue onto them. Handle small challenges independently and seek help only with significant problems. This selective approach ensures that when you do ask for help, it highlights the importance of the issue and allows your leader to feel their contribution is valuable.

Conclusion

To accelerate career growth and achieve breakthroughs, ability and effort are not enough. Building a strong relationship with your leader and leveraging their resources is essential. By aligning with leadership goals, learning from their experience, sharing their workload, and skillfully applying workplace psychology, you can enhance your value, win leadership’s trust, and achieve career advancement.