My Boss' Day Reflections

On the 16th of October it was International Bosses’ Day. It is a day when subordinates appreciate their leaders. I did not know about the existence of such a day and so I went about my business as usual. Unknown to me, the team spent over a month planing this pleasant surprise. If you know me well, I am not great at being on the receiving end. They planned a “meeting with a client” just to get me out of the office for a few hours. On return, I got the shock of my life to realise the transformation that my office had gone through. I observed the carefully done decor and a table full of gifts that were precisely chosen as if they had gone into my mind or my house. In a matter of seconds, all staff members filled the office, surrounding me to tell me words of appreciation. What an emotional moment when I froze and shed tears. I am a man of many words but I totally failed to say anything at this point. I picked a lot of lessons from this experience.

Lessons and Observations

1. Know your boss - Similarly in business, know your customer. It took people who understood me enough to know what I needed without me telling them anything. It was a result of knowing my passion for cooking that they themed the gift sets around branded kitchenware. From an apron with my name, kitchen knives that are engraved and a cutting board as well. I was blown away.

2. Nothing Beats a good plan - Like I indicated earlier, it took a lot of planning ahead of the day. This planning over a period spanning over a month. If you want to do something that sticks, something memorable or admirable, take your time. In you planning, be detail oriented. Cross every T and dot every I. The plan was solid not only concerning what to buy but how the day was going to pan out. They ordered my favourite meal and juice. It was a WOW experience.

3. Teamwork is key - It was not the work of one person but that of everyone in the team. Everyone contributed financially and in terms of time and effort. One could tell that this was not the work of one individual.

4. Good begets good - When I listened intently to the words of each staff member, I could not help find a common thread about the fact that there was something good in what I was doing. I can not point out one specific thing but the feedback said “you do a lot of good”. I was challenged to do more.

5. Value all feedback - It is sometimes rare to get positive feedback on something good you are doing. Many of us want to give feedback only when it is negative. It is great to be celebrated while you live.

6. Sacrifice touches a heart - I could not help but notice the level of sacrifice, commitment and dedication that had gone into this gesture. To think that people would come together to find ways to impact me positively was overwhelming. When you see the great lengths that people go to bring joy it breeds inner peace.

7. You cant push mountains alone - every leader needs the necessary support to cover up for his or her limitedness. When you feel supported you feel hope welling up. Suddenly those things that seemed impossible turn into possibilities. This experience gave me a sense of connectedness, support and dedication. These actions said to me “Rab, we stand with you”. I am elated. I am excited about what the next chapter provides.

Big thank you to my team for making my day memorable.