You can't always work for someone who is better than you in every way. In fact, many managers hire people to fill in for their own weaknesses. But that may mean that you are working for someone who thinks completely differently than yourself. There will be times when your boss does or says things that make you wonder if you can still respect him or her. Don't fall into that trap unless it affects your integrity or the issues are legal issues.
You should always strive to impress the heck out of your boss. I'm not talking about kissing ass or complimenting your boss. I'm referring to doing your job in a way that makes your boss feel as though you add a great deal of value. Listen carefully to feedback, criticism and suggestions. If something is important to your boss, you should take it seriously. Don't be a blackhole for delegated tasks or recommendations - in other words, do not ignore things that your boss is asking you to take care of.
Keep track of the work you are doing, keep track of deadlines, measure your success and then learn from each project. Get to a point where your boss can pass something over to you and trust that it will get done exactly the way he/she expects it. Then, exceed his/her expectations.
Be sensitive to how your boss is feeling about you. Most people are hesitatant about giving negative feedback. So, if your boss is even mildly unhappy with something, take it seriously and fix it asap!
