As an HR manager, in large organizations, you may have a matrixed reporting relationship. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it means that you have two bosses. You report directly on a "hard-line basis" to Human Resources and on a "dotted-line basis" to a business leader.

If your company operates like mine at Pepsi, the dotted-line boss (who is also your primary client) will exert influence your performance appraisal, annual increase and career advancement in HR, so it's important that you not discount this relationship - but instead manage it well.

To that end, here are 4 sure-fire strategies for successfully managing your dotted line boss:

1 -- Sit down and clarify your performance goals, standards, and expectations and seek feedback from your dotted-line boss regularly. In fast moving organizations like Pepsi where priorities change rapidly, it's easy for HR's priorities to change -- or operate at cross-purposes -- with the business priorities. So checking in frequently to make sure you're both on the same page works well and is welcomed.

2--Look for ways to make the dotted-line boss look good. Get him out of jams, step up and prevent him from making serious errors. Look for ways to help this boss avoid doing things he or she doesn't like to do.

3--When presenting bad news, try to bundle it with good news also...but be careful to avoid letting problems drag for extended periods of time waiting on good news to happen. HR issues, like garbage, smell when they fester for long periods of time.

4--Often you might find yourself "caught in the middle" where HR's priorities conflict with those of line management. In these situations, if you must say "no" to a request from your dotted-line boss explain why and work hard at identifying options and alternatives for addressing his or her issue. Make sure as you decline the request, that you do it with tact and that it is a battle you can win. If you anticipate resistance, rehearse the conversation in advance.

Most large organizations operate in a matrix. If you're in one, it's critical to your career as an HR manager that you take charge of building a partnership with your dotted-line boss. Waiting for this boss to reach out to you only creates success in waiting, not in building successful partnership. Take charge.