If you have a boss, you're probably looking for ways to impress him. Your boss has the most direct influence over your work life, and as far as your ability to advance, his power over your career is second only to your own. And, deep down, your boss isn't that different from anyone else: he loves good news and he loves when things are going well. That's why telling your boss the right things will put a smile on his face every time. Notice that everything on our list is work related -- don't be that guy and resort to brown-nosing or “Gee boss, that's a nice tie.†That's beneath you. Keep it about the work and read on for 10 ways to keep your boss smiling throughout the work week.
No.10 - "It's already been arranged."
No.9 - "Good news."
This one's a no-brainer. When something good happens, bring your boss in on the good feelings. Work is about getting work done, but that doesn't mean you can't take pride and satisfaction when something works out well. Your boss has plenty of bad news headed his way on a regular basis, so you stick out like a sore thumb when you're the bearer of good news. Being a source of pleasure for your boss is never a bad thing.
No.8 - "No problem."
No.7 - "It's being taken care of."
Sooner or later, you're going to screw up. It hurts, but it happens. When you drop the ball on something, you should do two things: tell your boss and tell your boss what you're doing about it. Sure, your boss isn't going to be happy that a mistake was made (who likes problems in their area?), but he will be a lot less happy if he doesn't hear about it from you, and then gets blindsided by it when the situation blows up. So fess up to the error, it shows that you're big enough to be responsible for your actions. But always, always have a plan for getting things back on track. Let your boss know that you're correcting the error -- it shows that you're paying enough attention to realize you messed up, and you care enough to not settle for mediocrity.
No.6 - "With regard to X, I've figure out we can do A, B or C. What do you think?"
No.5 - "I figured out what to do about X."
Not every problem is simple enough to be solvable in a few minutes, and that's OK, but you should keep thinking about the problem, and try to find out a way to solve the situation (or at least move it forward). If you come up with a solution or at least a next step, share it with your boss. The more you get promoted, the larger and more complex the problems will get, and the harder it will be to find a “perfect†solution too. So, show that you're able to plan ahead and solve the bigger problems.
No.4 - "Consider it done."
No.3 - "I'll see to it personally."
No.2 - "I found a way to get it done cheaper."
No.1 - "Let me run an idea by you."
Having employees who are taking the initiative means the boss can focus on the tasks on his plate; he doesn't have to worry that you're just sitting around waiting for direction. Your boss will appreciate you trying to come up with ideas, but he wouldn't appreciate you launching those ideas without getting his opinion. As the one responsible for what comes out of the department, he wants to know that everybody is rowing in the same direction. So come up with some good ideas, use your noodle and make sure your boss gets the benefit from your brainstorm.