In business, if it's not your birthday, surprises are usually a bad thing.  Also, a coworker of mine use to say that bad news doesn’t get better with time. 

These two thoughts ring very true in the business arena. 

When there is an issue within your department, the worst thing you can do is not tell your boss.  This may sound counter-intuitive, but it is the best possible course of action for the following reasons . . .