In this "Best of HBR 1980" article, John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter maintain that both managers and bosses need to take responsibility for making their relationship work for the sake of the company and the work.
A lot of what is written in this article is basic common sense. Be empathetic. Make an effort to understand each other's working styles: strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly over communicate about all of the above.
This article, originally written in 1980, when hierarchical office environments were the norm, is a fine reminder of practical techniques that can maintain transparency between managers' and bosses to create a harmonious and even pleasurable work environment where the company is the winner.
