You've been on your A-game all year—communicating regularly with your manager, offering updates, and backing up their ideas with enthusiasm. Sounds like you've got that glowing performance review and potential raise locked in, right?
Not necessarily.
Sometimes, the very things you believe are helping your image at work may be doing the opposite. Despite good intentions, certain behaviors can come across as inefficient, overbearing, or even insincere. To ensure you're not unintentionally sabotaging your success, here are three common "best practices" employees lean on—ones your boss might actually wish you'd reconsider.
Over-Explaining Mistakes
When something goes wrong, it's natural to want to explain why. Maybe your co-workers slowed you down, the marketing team was unresponsive, or you lacked the resources to hit your deadline. Laying out every detail might feel like a responsible way to account for the hiccup.
What Your Boss Really Thinks:
No matter how legitimate the reasons, excessive explanations often come off as excuses. Managers know problems arise—that's part of the job. What they value more than a detailed breakdown is accountability and forward motion.
A better approach? Own the mistake briefly and shift the focus to your solution. For example:
"I missed the deadline this week, and I take responsibility. I'm setting daily checkpoints moving forward to make sure it doesn't happen again."
It's this kind of proactive mindset that earns lasting respect.
Sharing Every Single Update
Working on a major project or dealing with a key client? You might feel compelled to keep your boss in the loop every step of the way—emails, check-ins, quick chats—to prove you're engaged and committed.
What Your Boss Really Thinks:
While staying communicative is important, constant updates can feel like micromanagement in reverse. A manager's time is limited, and they're relying on you to make informed decisions and work independently where possible.
Instead of interrupting with every small development, consolidate your updates. Schedule a regular weekly check-in or send a brief summary email. Use your discretion to raise only urgent issues in real-time, and seek support from other internal resources when appropriate.
Agreeing Just to Keep the Peace
When your boss presents an idea that doesn't seem realistic, it can be tempting to nod along rather than risk disagreement. After all, no one wants to be seen as confrontational or uncooperative.
What Your Boss Really Thinks:
Most leaders don't want yes-men—they want collaborators. They count on your firsthand experience to help refine strategies and identify blind spots. If something doesn't add up or you have a better solution, speak up—respectfully.
Challenging ideas (constructively) shows you care about more than just staying in line—it shows you're invested in what's best for the team and company.
Final Takeaway
Every manager is different, but most value ownership, independence, and honest contribution over surface-level enthusiasm. If you want to stand out for the right reasons, focus on solving problems, thinking critically, and being a true team player—not just playing it safe
