There are two sides to the relationship you have with your boss. Your side and their side.

On their side of the relationship is their management style. Every manager has their own distinct way of managing people, which can vary from micromanager to hands-off, servant, collaborative, tyrant, experienced, and inexperienced manager. Across the breadth of your career, you’re likely to encounter many of these types.

At the other end of the boss-employee relationship is you. Everyone is different in how they like to be managed and what leadership style they respond to the best.

How well your boss’s management style matches how you like to be managed will impact your ability to succeed in your career.

Therefore, it is in your best interest to find a manager with a leadership style that enables you to perform at your best. To make that happen, you need to know what those qualities and behaviors are. This will enable you to recognize the best manager for you, so you can advance and be happy in your career.

How to find the right manager for you?

Here are three steps to finding the right manager for you:

1. Think back to any manager with whom you did NOT like working and create a list of all the things you didn’t like.
2. Think back to any manager for whom you enjoyed working and create a list of all the things you liked about working with them
3. In future interviews, ask about the management style of the person you’ll be working with, and keep your lists in mind while you evaluate the answers.

The secret to finding a job that you love is connecting with an organization whose culture aligns with your belief system, and a manager that has a leadership style that aligns with your preference.

If you could use more guidance about finding a job that you love, download my workbook: What is the right corporate culture for you?