The man who always knows how will always have a job. The man who also knows why will always be his boss.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
As an employee, the boss is always right. Like the customer, he is always right. Of course he may not be always right, but that is irrelevant. For survival at the workplace, he is always right, because no boss likes being wrong. Understand this and it will make your work life more heaven than hell.
For instance, after a discussion with your boss, he comes up with a decision that you may not agree is the best option. You tell him he is wrong. Immediately, he turns defensive because the decision was his “baby”. It is human nature to do what they can to protect their baby. No one likes to be wrong, especially if they are the bosses.
You could have the best research in the world to prove that you are right, but at the workplace, the boss is king. Your research is largely irrelevant. He may listen but his decision remains. He will see you as stubborn and “blind” to a good decision.
If you keep pushing, the game may change. The boss may perceive you as being trying to upstage him. Bosses are funny animals. They don’t like to hear bad news, regardless of what they say.
This is the principle of self preservation. Others call it office survival. If you want to stay employed, do what is necessary to help your boss win. We do not advocate becoming a Yes! man but this is the real world. Bosses like people who are like themselves. And bosses love solutions much more than problems.
As long as you are an employee, the boss is always right. Since he is right, he wants to help you to be right too, by seeing things his way. Is there a way out?
Sure - play the game his way. Seek to understand his worldview and his style of working. Understand the way he make decisions and give him more opportunities to be right. Help him win more often and make him look good.
Suddenly, you are an ally. You become a trusted aide who can read his mind. What caused this change of attitude? Nothing, except your attitude.
Focus on what you can control and the world will change with you. Always do good work, even though it may seem under appreciated. Effort has its own rewards. You will be rewarded when you keep doing value adding work. Just make sure you are seen to be doing good work.
When you can do more than you are paid, soon you will be paid more than you do.