A Great Boss Is Hard To Find, Difficult To Leave, And Impossible To Forget.

There are few things worse in a professional career than when your manager takes credit for your work. Early in my career, I had a manager who would ask me every Friday what I accomplished during the week and promptly head into the executive review to announce my work as their own. It left me angry, unmotivated and seeking opportunities elsewhere. It was toxic to the entire organization, but I'm glad it happened to me. Some lessons are best learned on what NOT to do.

Management styles are as different as our hairstyles. We develop our style from previous work history and great managers continue to adapt/change to serve their team. As with any skill, management is one that you must be committed to with the understanding that it's ever-evolving. You can always be better.

A Bad Boss...

• Takes Credit For Employees' Work. Don't do it. Ever. Your role as a Manager is to put your team in a position to make the play. When they deliver, they get all the credit, every single time.
• Doesn't Have Their Employees Back. You represent your team through good times and bad. If you will not stand up for your employees, who will?
• Micromanages - You manage people, not robots. Provide them with the tools and skills to succeed. It's up to them to deliver. Micromanaging will not be the deciding factor on if a team member succeeds or doesn't. It will be the reason they quit.
• Picks Favorites - It's easy to funnel attention to your best performing team member or the one that shares the same hobbies as you. You manage a team and each member deserves the same focus and opportunity to grow.

A Bad Boss leads to a toxic workplace delivering poor results and unsatisfied team members collecting a paycheck until they quit.

A Good Boss....

• Inspires Their Team- You provide the vision & game plan. You and your team execute the plan. Providing the "Why" in an encouraging way makes a difference.
• Admits When They Are Wrong - You will not be right 100% of the time. It's ok to show humility when you make a mistake. Your team will appreciate your honesty and be more likely to own their own mistakes.
• Is Consistent - Be a trusted leader of your team. You need to be the same leader during the ups and downs. Be you, every single time.
• Shows Empathy- Sincerely care about your team. Care about their family, their kids, and their lives. Care about their success, even if that success leads to opportunities outside of your organization.

A Good Boss leaves you engaged, motivated, and successful. It's the best perk any company could provide.

YNT Action Item

"You do not have to be a manager to be a leader, but you must be a leader if you want to be a good manager."

MANAGERS - Which of the above attributes are you needing improvement on? Write it down on your desk and commit to improving it TODAY.

TEAM MEMBERS - Do you work for a "Bad Boss?"

Before your quit, talk to them. Some managers have never had someone brave enough to bring this up to them. Sure there will be those that don't care, but the majority of managers want to be a "Good Boss" and you may be the first person to challenge them to be better. (Feel free to send them this article. I'll take the blame for it)

I appreciate you all! Y Not Today -Kevin

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