--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The desire to please your boss is a good…" description: "\"The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it could mutate into a weakness. One of the first challenges of getting promoted into management is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg" --- # The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it… ![“The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it could mutate into a weakness. One of the first challenges of getting promoted into management is negotiating the tension between the desire to please the person who promoted you while still remaining true to yourself. The tension is normal…” quote by Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg) > “The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it could mutate into a weakness. One of the first challenges of getting promoted into management is negotiating the tension between the desire to please the person who promoted you while still remaining true to yourself. The tension is normal, and the fact that you feel it is probably indicative of why you were promoted.” [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing the urge to please a superior with personal integrity can become a vulnerability if not managed. **In simple terms:** Pleasing your boss can become a weakness. Key Takeaway Maintain authenticity while meeting expectations. Themes leadership integrity career growth Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type advice professional When to use this quote - performance reviews - team meetings - career planning Key Concepts ethical decision‑making power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay true to yourself? - What boundaries protect your authenticity? A Different Perspective Risk of losing self‑identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-boss-4601007/) [Getting Promoted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-promoted-755385/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Person Promoted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-promoted-4601008/) [Promoted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promoted/) [Promoted Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promoted-management-4601006/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [True to yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-to-yourself/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [At Wolves I just had all the experiences - disappointment and then obviously getting promoted and stuff like that, but then taking it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-doherty/at-wolves-i-just-had-all-the-experiences-disappointment-and-then/) [Matt Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-doherty/) > [Somehow in the public sector, if you start in the mailroom and spend your life getting promoted, it's unseemly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/somehow-in-the-public-sector-if-you-start-in-the-mailroom-and-spend/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I had a great time getting promoted twice in two years, but I never forget how special it is to be playing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lallana/i-had-a-great-time-getting-promoted-twice-in-two-years-but-i-never/) [Adam Lallana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lallana/) > [At the end of the day, you can decide whether you want to be an employee with a great attendance record, getting promoted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-blank/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-can-decide-whether-you-want-to-be-an/) [Steve Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-blank/) > [Research shows that women at that mid level tend to get promoted based on performance, and men tend to get promoted based on potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-brooke/research-shows-that-women-at-that-mid-level-tend-to-get-promoted/) [Beth Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-brooke/) > [Any efforts or opportunity to expand the civil bonds and rights to anyone that wants to build a stable, happy household should be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-murkowski/any-efforts-or-opportunity-to-expand-the-civil-bonds-and-rights-to/) [Lisa Murkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-murkowski/) > [When I was at the 'Philadelphia Inquirer,' I was promoted nine times in my first 13 years. I ultimately went from general assignment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/when-i-was-at-the-philadelphia-inquirer-i-was-promoted-nine-times-in/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [England has a long history of supporting alternative medicine - maybe it's because they don't have such a strong pharmaceutical industry in England, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dasha-zhukova/england-has-a-long-history-of-supporting-alternative-medicine-maybe/) [Dasha Zhukova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dasha-zhukova/) > [Don't make your journey through life harder by placing rules on yourself like, 'I can't get married till I get promoted to your dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika-brzezinski/don-t-make-your-journey-through-life-harder-by-placing-rules-on/) [Mika Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika-brzezinski/) > [I had just been promoted to the first rugby team. It was a perfect, wonderful coming of age. My brother was already in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/i-had-just-been-promoted-to-the-first-rugby-team-it-was-a-perfect/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [One day we are a hero, another day we are a zero. Without me, Cardiff would have gone bust. Because of my investment, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-tan/one-day-we-are-a-hero-another-day-we-are-a-zero-without-me-cardiff/) [Vincent Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-tan/) > [I think it's great for the women to show that they are women and be feminine. And that's something that I've always promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-leslie/i-think-it-s-great-for-the-women-to-show-that-they-are-women-and-be/) [Lisa Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-leslie/) > [I've been promoted to middle management. I never thought I'd sink so low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gould/i-ve-been-promoted-to-middle-management-i-never-thought-i-d-sink-so/) [Tim Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gould/) > [“Yippee. I’ve been promoted from fire lighter to delivery boy. I’ll write a letter home to Mother. She’ll be so pleased.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/yippee-i-ve-been-promoted-from-fire-lighter-to-delivery-boy-i-ll/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [Research promoted by NARA within a major coalition of Federal and private sector research partners has at last demonstrated that an Electronic Records Archives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-weinstein/research-promoted-by-nara-within-a-major-coalition-of-federal-and/) [Allen Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-weinstein/) ## More by Chip Espinoza > [I think the best value to leaders is understanding the generations for the purpose of integrating a younger workforce and transferring knowledge from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/i-think-the-best-value-to-leaders-is-understanding-the-generations/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [We should always be learning or we will cease to be able to change or adapt. I think the best work on leadership today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/we-should-always-be-learning-or-we-will-cease-to-be-able-to-change-or/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [In general, workers under 35 highly value Millennials' ability to relate, be helpful, be open-minded, and be understanding. Employees over 35 appreciated their energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/in-general-workers-under-35-highly-value-millennials-ability-to/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [Dignity is different from respect in that it is not based on how people perform, what they can do for us, or their likability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/dignity-is-different-from-respect-in-that-it-is-not-based-on-how/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [I am concerned that Millennials are stressed out. They have a higher suicide rate than other generations at their same age. They have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/i-am-concerned-that-millennials-are-stressed-out-they-have-a-higher/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones wrote a great piece in Harvard Business Review titled "Managing Authenticity." In it, they argue that establishing authenticity as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/rob-goffee-and-gareth-jones-wrote-a-great-piece-in-harvard-business/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [The people who care about us the most are the ones who are most likely to hold us back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/the-people-who-care-about-us-the-most-are-the-ones-who-are-most/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [As a professor, millennials intrigued me. I see them as engagement ready - plug-n-play if you will. They want to contribute in the classroom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/as-a-professor-millennials-intrigued-me-i-see-them-as-engagement/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [Millennials want to find meaning in their work, and they want to make a difference. They want to be listened to. They want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/millennials-want-to-find-meaning-in-their-work-and-they-want-to-make/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [We have to be emotionally intelligent. It also means that what works one day may not work the next or what works for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/we-have-to-be-emotionally-intelligent-it-also-means-that-what-works/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [Immaturity is the inability to act in your own long-term best interest or consistent with your deepest values. As aforementioned, self-awareness is critical to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/immaturity-is-the-inability-to-act-in-your-own-long-term-best/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [Friedman suggests self-differentiation is about knowing where you end and others begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/friedman-suggests-self-differentiation-is-about-knowing-where-you-end/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [People who lack self-regulation are often invasive of others. They can be perceived as being controlling, antagonistic, or even subversive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/people-who-lack-self-regulation-are-often-invasive-of-others-they-can/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [It was a natural progression for me to write about Millenials transitioning into management but I found myself getting emotional as I wrote. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/it-was-a-natural-progression-for-me-to-write-about-millenials/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [I have worked with countless organizations that exhaust energy adapting to the weaknesses of the leader. I had a leader announce to his/her team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/i-have-worked-with-countless-organizations-that-exhaust-energy/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) [Explore all 27 Chip Espinoza quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) ## More Boss quotes > [ME AND SUMMER GUNNA BE MOVING IN TOGETHER HELL YA ITS GUNNA BE BOSS!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/me-and-summer-gunna-be-moving-in-together-hell-ya-its-gunna-be-boss/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/) [Stephen Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henning/) > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [It is reassuring for people to feel they have a boss, someone who knows the answers and has charted the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/it-is-reassuring-for-people-to-feel-they-have-a-boss-someone-who/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [I don't have a boss or PR person, so I'm accountable to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/i-don-t-have-a-boss-or-pr-person-so-i-m-accountable-to-no-one/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [ I remember Robin \[Williams\] walked up to me after the last take and said, "Thanks boss! We nailed it!" That will probably be one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/i-remember-robin-williams-walked-up-to-me-after-the-last-take-and/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Your manager is your boss and tells you what to do, what to wear and who to be, so our relationship changed. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/your-manager-is-your-boss-and-tells-you-what-to-do-what-to-wear-and/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [I can't say it was challenging for me to shake the image of Frasier. I've been fortunate to have had a very interesting career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-can-t-say-it-was-challenging-for-me-to-shake-the-image-of-frasier-i/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Take lack of candor. ... I'm not talking about boldface lying, but a tendency to withhold information. That behavior is far more common, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/take-lack-of-candor-i-m-not-talking-about-boldface-lying-but-a/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“Pizza as a reward at work, gotta love it. Personally, I'd rather have that than a raise. Give me a pizza, boss, and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/pizza-as-a-reward-at-work-gotta-love-it-personally-i-d-rather-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Let me spell it out: with the psychotic boss, nothing you do is ever quite right. They set traps, asking you to do things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-me-spell-it-out-with-the-psychotic-boss-nothing-you-do-is-ever/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Browse all 1,833 Boss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it could mutate into a weakness. One of the first challenges of getting promoted into management is negotiating the tension between the desire to please the person who promoted you while still remaining true to yourself. The tension is normal, and the fact that you feel it is probably indicative of why you were promoted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chip Espinoza" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good-thing-but-it-could-mutate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boss" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good-thing-but-it-could-mutate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/chip-espinoza-22801_boss_the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good_2163513.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The desire to please your boss is a good thing, but it could mutate into a weakness. One of the first…” — Chip Espinoza", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chip Espinoza", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The desire to please your boss...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good-thing-but-it-could-mutate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/the-desire-to-please-your-boss-is-a-good-thing-but-it-could-mutate/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```