Work · Guide

How to work better with your boss

Friction with a boss often comes from different working styles, not bad intentions. Once you see how your boss tends to work, it gets easier to give them what they need, and to ask for what you need.

By Daniel Yeo and Simyee Lim · 6 min read · Updated 22 Oct 2026

Your boss is a colleague too, just with more say over your work

Bosses carry pressures you may not see. Before you try to change how they work, ask a simpler question: what does this person need from me to trust my work? The answer is often different for each type.

What helps with each type of boss

Start with the type that sounds most like your boss. It's a guide for you, not a label for them.

Type 1 · The Reformer

Energised by: Clear standards and work done properly.
May: May notice what is wrong first, before what went right.
What helps: Agree what “done well” looks like before you start, and check the details before you hand in. When you raise a problem, bring facts and a suggested fix.

Type 2 · The Giver

Energised by: Helping people do well, in a warm team.
May: May offer care and help instead of clear expectations.
What helps: Ask directly what they expect from you, and say thank you when they help. Raise a concern privately and warmly.

Type 3 · The Achiever

Energised by: Clear targets and progress people can see.
May: May focus mostly on progress and results.
What helps: Share progress early, with numbers where you can. Link any problem to the goal: “This is slowing us down on X. Here's what would help.”

Type 4 · The Individualist

Energised by: Work with meaning, and room to be creative.
May: Values meaning and feeling, and may leave expectations a little vague.
What helps: Ask what the result must be, and by when. When something isn't working, say so honestly and personally.

Type 5 · The Observer

Energised by: Time to think, and problems worth solving.
May: May think things through before speaking, and reply less.
What helps: Send your questions in writing, with time to read before you meet. Don't expect an answer on the spot; agree when they'll come back to you.

Type 6 · The Loyalist

Energised by: A team they can trust and a clear plan.
May: May think about risk first and double-check a lot.
What helps: Flag risks early and keep your promises. Bring a plan B with every concern.

Type 7 · The Enthusiast

Energised by: New projects, variety and fresh ideas.
May: May have many ideas and move fast.
What helps: Bring energy and options, then help turn the best idea into clear next steps and a finish date.

Type 8 · The Challenger

Energised by: Real responsibility and straight talk.
May: Is direct and moves fast, and the pressure may feel bigger to others than they think.
What helps: Be straight, own your work and share bad news early. Say it once, clearly.

Type 9 · The Peacemaker

Energised by: A calm team and a steady rhythm.
May: May prefer to avoid conflict, and hard messages can wait.
What helps: Ask for clear priorities and decisions. Raise problems early, one to one, at a calm moment.

When your styles are different

Sometimes you are simply different: one fast, one careful; one direct, one gentle. Neither is wrong. Name the difference and agree how you'll work together: “You like quick answers. I think best with an hour. Can I come back to you by 3pm?”

See you and your boss side by side

Take the free work test to see your own style. Then pick your boss's type on the X-Map for Work. It shows ten everyday moments, like making decisions, giving feedback and working under pressure, and what you can try in each.

Start with your own style.

Take the free work test and see how you work best, what drains you, and one line to share with the people you work with.

Take the free test Open the X-Map for Work

Questions people ask

How do I deal with a difficult boss?

Start by looking at what they need and what you need, rather than who is difficult. Much of the friction at work comes from two different working styles. Talk about one situation at a time and agree one small change.

What if I don't know my boss's type?

Read the nine descriptions above and pick the one that sounds closest. You can try two on the X-Map and see which fits better. Never tell someone their type: it's a guide for you, not a label for them.

Should my boss take the test too?

If they're open to it, yes. Some companies use it with whole teams. That's what our sister site Business Enneagram Asia does for companies.