Elaine Fortier

These are times of high stress and tough decisions, so it's a dead certainty that your boss is also feeling the pain. Increase your value significantly by helping your manager be successful in the eyes of those who matter the most - company leaders, customers, the board of directors - the key players in the power structure. If you can help your boss deliver immediate, tangible value, your own professional net worth is increased. 

Completely Understand Your Manager's Goals, Deliverables and Challenges.  Do that first, then figure out how to contribute concrete ideas and assistance. A former colleague of mine was a master at this. Without reservation, Ben openly and frequently stated his admiration for - and loyalty to - his manager who was a brilliant strategist, but was less than adept with spreadsheet reports and data analysis. So Ben found an opportunity to create a set of quantitative reports that showcased the department's accomplishments and ultimate contribution to the bottom line. Not only did he make his boss look good, but he indirectly tipped the scales in favor of keeping the department intact and not cutting the budget or the team size. Without realizing he was doing so, Ben preserved his job by solidifying his boss's success.

Talk Up Your Boss' Accomplishments and Value.  Praise is a good thing. Pick out the 2 or 3 things your boss has done exceedingly well and let others know. Casually mention these to those who matter and do it with grace. No fanfare required.  And no need to go overboard. In other words, don't manufacture accomplishments, don't rave about the same accomplishments to the same people more than once, and don't puff up results just so that you can make your boss look great. Although your boss can be sure that her managers know her accomplishments, when they come from the mouth of those who work for her, it lends much more substance.

Avoid Criticism. On the other hand, if your boss is floundering, this is not the time to criticize. Whether your manager is at the peak of her performance or has taken a momentary misstep, your job is to help her succeed. Any disagreements should take place behind closed doors, and never should you embarrass or fight with your boss in front of anyone. Even if all you can do is stand aside and send positive energy in your boss's direction while he or she is engaged in a Titanic-level disaster, then do so with grace.

Take a look at the other articles we have here on managing up. These all are important at a time when your manager needs to look as good as she can. Your loyalty may very well be rewarded.  And keep in mind the other rules during a downturn - make yourself indispensable, build an egoless personal brand, be politically savvy - don't bash the company - and with all of this in play, you may find yourself relatively safe if there's a next layoff.

(c) 2009 Elaine Fortier.  Elaine Fortier is the Director of Non-Technical Recruiting for Yahoo! She has been in leadership development for over 20 years.