Most of my bosses have been somewhere between awful and decent. Only a few have been really good.
To my surprise, my temporary / stealth gig in retail has found me working under the tutelage of one of the best bosses I've ever had. Thing is, the entire store hates her to the point there's an ongoing mutiny and people requesting transfers and that sort of stupid bullshit. But I really like her and, most importantly, I respect her. The feelings seem mutual. Anyway, after some thought, I realized why I have this opinion of her:
1) She's been doing this for 20+ years, but never pulls the seniority card and doesn't tolerate it from anyone else. There are things to get done, and that's as far as it goes. She's the first in line to help anyone, regardless of who they are or their time in the company. She'll change the toilet paper in the bathrooms or be out back with truck drivers throwing pallets around because that's what needs to get done. Where tasks rank in terms of social stratification means nothing to her.
This confirms my long-standing belief that the best leaders more closely resemble servants than dictators.
2) She's incredibly direct without being arrogant. She'll look you in the eye and tell you straight up what she thinks without all the bullshit fluff.
3) If she's wrong, she'll admit it without pretense. She doesn't blame shift or try to hide behind excuses. She'll tell you she's wrong, apologize and then make good on it. She's got solid character.
Who are the best bosses you've had? And what made them the best? If you're in a leadership role, what traits / beliefs do you hold?
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