--- title: How to Impress Your Boss: 4 Secrets From JCrew's Jenna Lyons description: The employees who stand out to her have a few things in common. canonical: https://time.com/4190491/jenna-lyons-impress-your-boss/ author: Jenna Lyons article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-03T05:19:43.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T09:01:44.826Z og:title: Jenna Lyons’ Secrets to Impressing Your Boss og:description: The employees who stand out to her have a few things in common og:url: https://time.com/4190491/jenna-lyons-impress-your-boss/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1bf5b6f8961ede15/69887bdce20a875ea5a8f56a/jenna-lyons-portrait-motto.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3830 og:image:height: 2154 og:image:alt: Jenna-Lyons-portrait-motto og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Jenna Lyons’ Secrets to Impressing Your Boss twitter:description: The employees who stand out to her have a few things in common twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1bf5b6f8961ede15/69887bdce20a875ea5a8f56a/jenna-lyons-portrait-motto.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Jenna Lyons’ Secrets to Impressing Your Boss > Sponsored content. 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It covers the reporting, scoops and conversations shaping AI and the decisions facing leaders. #### Where can I get reported AI news rather than commentary? In the Loop is TIME's AI newsletter, built on original reporting and access to the people building and governing AI. It publishes Tuesdays and Fridays and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes TIME's In the Loop? Harry Booth, a tech reporter at TIME, writes In the Loop. #### Is In the Loop free? Yes. In the Loop is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Jenna Lyons](https://time.com/author/jenna-lyons/) ## Jenna Lyons Feb 3, 2016 5:19 AM UTC  Courtesy of J.Crew by [Jenna Lyons](https://time.com/author/jenna-lyons/) ## Jenna Lyons Feb 3, 2016 5:19 AM UTC In my 20-plus years as a manager, I’ve found that the employees who make the best impression on me and stand out share a few similar traits. **1\. They’re passionate about what they do**It’s impossible to be successful when the work you do doesn’t move you. Nothing gets you through a bad day—a tough business climate, a coworker you don’t get along with or a particularly hard project—than being excited about the big stuff. If you’re passionate about the work itself, the outside noise is easier to combat. A bad day is just a bad day because tomorrow is a new one and a chance to do what you love. It is also much harder—_not impossible_, but much harder—to be great at something you don’t enjoy. When you feel passionately about what you’re doing, you work harder; you’re more excited, more curious, probably more engaged and most likely just better at your job. **2\. They hold themselves to consistently high standards**This is important in every job, from an entry-level assistant to the most senior executive. Never settle by compromising out of convenience or laziness—or because it’s “not your job.” If something’s not done good enough or if you know it could be better, help make that happen. Don’t wait for someone else to point it out. **3\. They have an opinion**Don’t be afraid to speak up. I find it impossible to understand where a person stands if they don’t join the conversation. Opinions aren’t reserved for those in the corner office. Find your voice, and make sure to balance your input; you should be contributing roughly equal parts complimentary support of others with thoughtful, constructive criticism. And _never_ be afraid to pitch an idea; we all have good ones, and we all have bad ones. **4\. They stay calm**Unless you’re truly saving lives, leave your frustration at the door. The most successful people I see are the ones who make themselves easy to approach: Levelheaded and unbiased. In short, stay calm. _Jenna Lyons is the president and executive creative director of J.Crew Group, Inc. She oversees the design of men’s, women’s and Crewcuts, as well as the creative direction of the catalog, store design and_ [_JCrew.com_](https://www.jcrew.com/)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4190491/jenna-lyons-impress-your-boss/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4190491/jenna-lyons-impress-your-boss/"},"headline":"Jenna Lyons’ Secrets to Impressing Your Boss","datePublished":"2016-02-03T05:19:43.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T09:01:44.826Z","description":"Jenna Lyons is the President and Executive Creative Director of J.Crew Group, Inc. 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