How to work with your manager more effectively

When I first got out from school and joined Facebook, I brought the way working with my PH.D. professor to work. I wrote notes, asked for specific expectation and did exactly my manager asked to do. It took me a long time to realize that is not the best way. After I understood how to work with managers better, I built better relationships, had larger impacts and grew faster than before.

I would like to share some of my learnings about how to work with managers more effectively. Each point is actually tied to one of our culture values perfectly.

• Be an owner: As you may know, your manager normally has a handful of priorities. You are the ultimate owner of your career path so you need to be an owner of your meetings with your manager. Make sure you always step into your 1:1s with agenda, topic and what you want to gain from it. If you skip one time, please consider communicating over emails or other channels. Scheduling extra 1:1s to discuss the topic you never get a chance to talk is a good idea.
• Big Bold Bets: Great ideas come from everyone, not just leaders. Your manager expects you to be innovative and creative. Proposing new ideas and jamming them with your manager shows your passion for the team/company growth, which builds a better relationship between you and your manager. These bets could be about new product, features, services, monitoring and even bug fixing. Do not afraid of pitching your early stage ideas.
• Be superpumped: Your manager wants to motivate the team and provide exciting opportunities to everyone. Being superpumped about the mission and projects will be appreciated by your manager. You won't always get ideal projects you want but still being superpumped about them will help the team, which is the same goal of your manager. Even more, being superpumped will help you to progress faster.
• Principled Confrontation: Have you ever told your manager that s/he could be wrong? It is not an easy but important job. Since you are more hands on, you know the details better. Collecting your manager thoughts and guidance does not mean you should only follow. Having an open communication with your data and logic politely won't make your manager upset. Your contribution to the discussion will build trust between you and your manager in the long run.
• Be yourself: You should respect your manager but you do not need to change yourself to fit his/her style. Being yourself means you learn from your manager while developing your own approaches. Your manager leaving late does not mean you have to do the same. You may come in early and handle the same amount of work. You may have strengths that your manager does not so be yourself will help you and your manager working better together as a team. 

After years, I believe that keeping a good communication and building trust with your manager is a better way. Hope my thoughts could help you along the way.