If you’ve ever had a boss who treated you and your fellow employees like a disposable commodity, you know how frustrating it feels. But there are two sides to every coin–how do you think of your boss? As a partner and trusted colleague? A mentor and role model? Or just the person who notices when you’re late for work?
Here are some things your boss needs you to know:
1. I am human and I make mistakes. I get things wrong the same as anybody. Please give me the same understanding that you’d like me to give you when you blunder.
2. I need patience from you. I may not have been given a huge amount of training before I was given this title. I’m responsible for things I’m still learning about myself, and some of it’s happening by trial and error. (On the up side, I’m a believer in on-the-job learning.)
3. I’m interested. Your interests are important, but please remember that I also have to juggle the concerns and feelings of a bunch of other people, including people outside the team.
4. I’m always under pressure. I am almost always under enormous pressure that you hardly ever see. I will greatly appreciate anything you can do to make my job easier and any patience you can extend.
5. I need honest communication. If I do something dumb or ineffective, I need you to communicate with me. Talk to me directly; don’t hint or talk behind my back. Be honest with your communication, because that’s the way we learn from each other.
6. I need to see you doing, not just dreaming. if you are constantly telling me about your ideas and dreams and visions but you are not doing anything to implement any of them, it’s hard to take you seriously. I’ll do my part, but you have to do yours.
7. I value questions more than answers. If you don’t know something, ask. Don’t take the risk of trying to fake your way through things. Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers. I value curiosity, because if you ask the right questions the right answers will always present themselves.
8. We need to be a team and support each other. Your title and position aren’t as important as your abilities and ideas. I believe we are always a team, working together as a community; whether you’re a leader or a follower we need to support each other, collaborate, and act like a team.
9. I don’t like surprises. if something is going wrong, tell me. I don’t want to be surprised. Don’t be reluctant to bring me bad news–tell it as soon as you know. Don’t wait to share things I need to know.
10. Mutual respect is important. I may not be able to force you to respect me, but I can refuse to be disrespected. I will give respect and I will expect respect back. Respect is the foundation of relationships.
11. I don’t believe in cutting corners and or doing things unethically. if you ever feel pressured by our targets and our time frame to cut corners, don’t. If you ever feel the pressure to make things right by doing the wrong thing, don’t. Let your conscience be your guide and do what is right even if it’s hard.
12. I believe loyalty is a two -way street. The only people I owe my loyalty to are those who never give me cause to question theirs.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.