Although I never sent the below letter to my boss I believe that over the years we have established its points which has led to a good working relationship. If and when I work for someone else I may send it to him or her to establish the ground-rules for our relationship sooner than otherwise possible. A good relationship with the boss can be critical for a career as well as making work more enjoyable.

Dear boss,

1. Set direction and overall objectives but not day to day tasks. Please trust me to do what is necessary on a day to day basis to meet the objectives. I also understand or agree that if it seems I may miss a deadline or not competently complete an objective, you will ask about day to day tasks.
2. If I think your idea or request does not make sense or worse, I will attempt to convey my concerns and if you still want the task done, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and do my best to complete the task. I understand you have more insight into the larger picture and may know things that you cannot say that fully justify the request.
3. I understand you have a boss who may change priorities but please try to limit the amount of projects we start and stop. If you have an idea for a project, thoroughly think it through or let's discuss it before it becomes an objective I am graded upon.
4. Take away my obstacles. From time to time I will be stuck and ask for help. I trust you will do what you can to help. The help needed may take the form of calling a peer at your level and asking him or her to provide resources or for a project of ours to be reconsidered at a higher priority. I also expect you to shield me from things as best you can.
5. I won't hold back potentially bad news from you. Surprises may be good for birthday parties but they are not good for bad news at work. Surprising you goes against knowing what to expect from me so I will speak up at appropriate times to let you know that potential bad news is out there. If it is news that you will definitely know about sooner or later anyway, I will tell you at my first opportunity. I will not try to cover things up or spin them improperly.
6. Give me feedback. Is no news good news? If I spend a considerable amount of time on something, or do work that is seen by many, please let me know what you thought of it. By being my boss I take for granted you know more about the company and what works and does not so I will appreciate hearing if I flopped, exceeded expectations or could make some improvements.
7. I know every company goes through changes such as downsizing, mergers and acquisitions, coming and going of executives or just going from good times to bad. Please dispel any rumors you can or give your candid opinions. Please advise what you can and advise a date when you expect all will be known.
8. Help to create an organization or company culture where I can try different things. Some people do not mind working on pretty much the same thing year after year but I am not one of those. Please look to rotate me to different departments, expose me to different people and give me a chance to succeed or fail but mostly a chance to learn new things. Try to give me ever more meaningful tasks or projects to work on.
9. If someone tells you I screwed up please come to me first before agreeing with my accuser. Stick up for me and give me the benefit of the doubt. If you can do this I will be inspired to work harder for you.
10. I will do what I can to make you look good. I know you have to report to your boss on how things are going and what your team is up to. I'll do what I can to have you prepared and knowledgeable.
11. Don't talk down to me. Even if I sound like a blithering idiot, please take the time to show me the error of my ways. If this cannot be done right away please let me know we'll have to discuss later. I will try hard not to be defensive and to honestly accept and learn from constructive criticism.
12. If expectations are not being met, let's forthrightly discuss what was expected, what happened and what will need to improve.
13. I trust if you mess up, you will not unjustly blame me.
14. I promise to give direct answers to direct questions without muddying the situation in an effort to buy myself time or make myself look better.
15. It is one thing if my starting salary is lower than others in similar positions, but it is another if I prove myself competent over one, two or at most three years and am still making considerably less than others producing the same level of quantity and quality of work.
16. I promise to think. You will not have to tell me to do everything I need to do. As I learn what is expected of me, I will do things without your asking.
17. Teach me something, anything.

Perhaps by following the above you too could establish a good working relationship with your boss. Sure some bosses are harder to work for than others, but I do not think a good relationship can exist without having some of the above established and the more that are established the better off the relationship will be.