A difficult job can be hard enough, but what happens when your boss doesn’t like you? Are you even sure that’s truly the case? Could it be your imagination? True or not, considering how many daily hours we spend at work, it’s important that you and your boss be able to work together as a team.

Is your imagination working overtime?

First, make sure that you’re not merely overdramatizing the situation. Take a step back and objectively look at your interaction with your manager. Do they speak to you abruptly? Do they constantly belittle you in front of others? Do they take away choice assignments from you and give them to your co-workers? If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, take another step back.

Observe the interaction between your boss, other co-workers and supervisors. Is the behavior repeated? If you notice that your boss has a different reaction to others, it actually could be you.

Identify your habits

Once you have determined that your imagination is not going into overdrive, you need to isolate the issues that seem to cause the most problems. Here are some habits which can annoy even the most patient manager:

- You’re a morning talker and your boss is not.

- You like to stop in your boss’s office every 20-30 minutes to ask questions. Not because you necessarily need an answer you just want to make sure they notice you.

- Do you ask your boss to repeatedly explain the same procedures to you?

- Do you constantly ask your supervisor to “bend the rules” for you?

Making it work

Once you have determined which traits appear to annoy your boss the most, take steps to change them. What you may see as building rapport, your boss may see as annoying.

- Few managers enjoy working with needy employees. Your need for attention takes up the majority of their day and they probably have other things to do.

- If your boss is not a morning talker, unless it’s an emergency, try giving them space until later in the morning, or at least after they have gotten settled at their desk.

- Take notes when a new procedure is explained to you so that you can try it on your own the next time.

- Most importantly, be willing to accept the fact that you are the one who may need to change.

What if you can’t get it to work? Keep in mind; unless you want to start looking for a new job, you are the one who needs to change.