Like most people, I’ve had good bosses and bad bosses.
The difference is profound. A bad boss ruins even the best job. A good boss makes a less-than-perfect job better.
We all know this, right? Because we’ve all had bosses.
And, golly, can bad bosses be bad in so many ways.
They expect more of us than of themselves. They communicate badly or not at all. They fail to explain. They shrink from deciding. They bad-mouth us to their bosses and to our peers. They enjoy invoking their authority. The worst of them bully us with threats and callous rudeness.
Good bosses? They push and teach while building our confidence. They say what and explain why so we see the grander context of our individual tasks. They say the difficult things without being unkind. They mentor and coach and inspire. They cheer when we move on.
I’ve had good bosses. I appreciated them even when they occasionally irritated me.
I’ve had fewer bad bosses, although they were doozies. I seldom appreciated them – even when they (very) occasionally weren’t irritating me.
I need more than two hands to count the crapola bosses I’ve had: abusive, petty, predatory, vindictive, unfair, dumbfucks.
Haha. But not funny haha,
And you, my friend, top the “good boss” chart. I watched you do magical things.
Oh, golly. Thank you, Linda. You were my role model and mentor.