What do you do if your very successful coworker who's well-liked by your boss offers you advice that's contrary to what your boss says?

Define “well-liked”? Are we talking about work appreciation or personality appreciation or up-front nepotism?

 

If your question is about how to cope with “friends politics” at work, which is unfortunately “epidemic” in nowadays workplaces, I can be quite decisive about this. I will follow the "chain of command" at work and do what the boss asks for, trusting in my own understanding and ability.

 

If this co-worker is a more experienced colleague with pure intentions, I may just gather feedback from our mutual chief-in-command to see whether his words match the truth.

 

However, your question rather implies that your co-worker wants to mislead you as a way of “competition”. How come otherwise that he is successful AND well-liked by his boss, but his advice contradicts with your boss’s assumed reason of liking him? It does not add up. I will label it as “fishy”, and go my own way.

Very funny question. "we kill him with stones" :D sorry it's just funny. 

Well, we evaluate the situation, if his opinion is better we suggest kindly to our boss what we considered as a better alternative and show pro and cons and if he dose not like it we dont have a choice but to follow him. 

    But just because somebody has succedded in something doesnt mean he is always right. I never put people who are successful to be an authority in my life. I always consider the point and take a2nd opinion.

I will not trust him!

Difference of views and opinions exist. We respect each one's views, advices and opinions but it does not mean that we share them. At the end of the day we follow the path that we believe is the best one. 

Listen to the advice of my colleague directors and advice 

I thought back and come out with a mixture of Nasihtin 

Or the best advice is to do the directors of the 

Departments natural wants and interests of working

Boss's right hand is not Boss. Well he may have some clue on boss's perceptions on many future engagements but not necessary we should follow him unless we bind to it. Be rational ,hear what your friend says and have open discussion with Boss on his directions and find out from him only that what if any thing happen against his wish without quoting your friend,the pet of your boss. We need both boss and dude.

First of all, you need to know that within the organisation, your primary aim is to promote the corporate goal at all levels. You need to independently analyse the two advises and determine which one best promotes the welfare of the organisation in the short and long term 

Unfortunately, the above question did not say what kind of advise, whether personal or work-related. I am therefore assuming that it is work related.

If after doing an independent analysis of both advises, you realise that your friend's advise will in the long term benefit the organisation, it is incumbent on you to go back to your boss and in a diplomatic way present to him the alternative view. 

 

Likewise, after analysing viv-a-vis the corporate good, it turns out that your Boss's advise is better, you need to let your friend understand and appreciate why you are going with your boss's advise.

 

Mind you, it is not an order, an advise can either be taken or rejected. You need to do an independent analysis and decide which of the two best promotes the welfare of the organisation without offending any of them.

 

 

First i MUST have open channled with my boss all the time , through many ways( Mails / Meeting / Setting in our break time ) i mean i have to be on call with my boss but that can be by your work and not your words , work is talking than words, Finally if you work hard and finish your tasks on2 basis (( Accurate and On time )) then no one can harm you , as i informed you in the above , work is talking than words.

In the end its about keeping your boss happy your appraiser happy. so..follow what boss says.

If it's related to my personnel life I won't take any opinion from both of them :D

But if related to our business, I will take my boss advice if I like.

Use this method: "Listen to all but do what is most suitable and justifiable". In such cases don't try to be a hero for a day and loser for ever. Be very carefull analyse the situation and moreover discuss it with your "boss".