Obviously, your relationship with your boss is critical to your success. This person is your mentor, your advocate and the person who encourages you to stretch your abilities. But according to HBR.org contributor Rebecca Knight, another person you can't ignore is your boss's boss. This person is involved in the bigger vision of the company's future and setting the course to get there. As part of this vision, this person sets expectations for your boss and has performance measures your boss must meet. And of course, this affects your job as well. The stronger your relationship, the more insight you'll have into your company's future.

How do you connect with this more senior leader and continue to be supportive to and transparent with your direct boss? Knight explored this topic in-depth in her recent article, "To Boost Your Career, Get to Know Your Boss's Boss." Promotional Consultant Today shares a summary of what she had to say.

Show enthusiasm. The most immediate way to get noticed is to show a high level of engagement in your organization. Be present and engaged in your role. Show an interest and ask questions. For example, if you hear your boss's boss give a presentation, ask a few questions at the end or follow up with a brief conversation afterwards. Also, utilize the leader's knowledge. Knight's article suggests, for example, to ask if he or she has a contact who would be a good resource for your project or assignment. Ask your manager for suggestions first, and then ask if your manager's boss might have more ideas.

Find a common bond. Try to find a personal connection with this leader, such as a common interest or hobby. That way, you are creating a bond that is not solely related to work. Perhaps you are both movie fans, cheer for the same sports team or enjoy traveling. Knight also points out that it is truly lonely at the top, so your efforts will probably be welcome. There's no harm in asking the leader to lunch or chatting with him or her for a few minutes about non-work topics. If the person is not receptive, consider the approach you might take in winning over a difficult customer.

Raise your profile. Just doing good work is not enough to get noticed, so it's important to make sure you get credit without excessively tooting your own horn. For example, pass on compliments you receive from customers and colleagues to your manager, who will probably send them to his boss, since your success reflects positively on him. Also, suggesting new ideas is always a great way to get noticed. Finally, consider volunteering for a cross-functional committee to get more visibility within the organization.

Remember who's No. 1. Finally, always be respectful of the hierarchy and pecking order. It's great to have a relationship with your boss's boss as long as you are respectful to your current boss. Knight cautions about prioritizing this relationship over the one you should be developing with your own manager. To ensure that you are respectful and appropriate, be transparent about all interactions with his or her boss. As Knight says, "no matter what organizations may say about having an open-door policy, there are norms" that you must respect.

Try these tips to elevate your exposure and take advantage of the value you receive from different levels of leadership.

Source: Rebecca Knight is a freelance journalist in Boston and a lecturer at Wesleyan University. Her work has been published in The New York Times, USA Today and The Financial Times.