8 minute read
Seems to Me
Seems to me, a good boss makes his or her employees realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could. Your greatest accomplishment as a boss/leader may not be something you do but someone you raise or develop — an employee.
I don’t know that anyone really wants to be or makes it their life goal to be a “bad boss.” But sometimes I wonder because there are so many bad bosses and people in leadership positions in the work place.
County elected officials are put in a leadership position by the electorate in your county. They elected you to be a servant to them and a boss over a particular office and element of county government. Don’t mess it up with bad boss behaviors and complexity.
Bad boss behaviors lead to poor employee engagement and high turnover. When you have a boss/leader that treats you with respect and has your back, you are more likely to give your best and stay longer as an employee. But when you have a bad boss, you’re much more likely to be disengaged, suffer from anxiety and want to leave.
All of us in leadership positions probably want to be a good leader — a good boss — but too many times we exhibit bad boss behaviors. Here are some of the worst bad boss behaviors — complete deal breakers:
1. Micromanaging — This is a killer of creativity and innovation in the workplace. It promotes an environment of distrust as employees feel suffocated and confined. If you hire someone for a job, give them room to get it done. President Teddy Roosevelt said,
“The best executive (boss/leader) is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
2. Taking the credit for employees’ work or successes
— Bad bosses will do almost anything to look good, including taking credit for the employee’s work or ideas. Self-promotion is their top priority. It is demoralizing and demotivating to work hard to earn something only to have it unfairly taken away. Is that employee going to stay engaged? I doubt it. 3. Ignoring feedback; not listening — Some bosses don’t listen to employees or they only want positive feedback. They don’t admit mistakes. They take negative feedback personally and treat those poorly that give it. Onlooking employees learn not to say any-
thing. Employees know they are wasting their time and stop giving helpful feedback. Andy Stanley, a great leadership coach and orator, said, “Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing helpful to say.” 4. Not standing up for employees —
Ever get thrown under the bus? Bad bosses throw employees under the bus. If someone makes a mistake they turn into judge, jury and executioner. They are quick to point fingers and it leaves employees feeling like they are on crumbling sand — a precarious situation. 5. Flying off the handle when things go wrong —
Some bad bosses “lose their cool” when things don’t go like they want them to or think they should. These bosses/leaders have low emotional intelligence and employees know to stay away when they are upset. They insult employees or come off as disrespectful with the tone they use. They are the bosses that make employees cry. They rely on fear and intimidation. Employees have to walk on eggshells in the workplace and productivity is hindered. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, likes to be around this type of person, let alone work for one. 6. Displaying incompetence — These leaders view their position as one of entitlement rather than of responsibility. They fail to give clear direction or provide feedback. They may have reached this position based on “The Peter Principle,” which states the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. What does that mean?
It means that bosses/leaders rise to the level of their incompetence. That can happen so easily in the role of elected county official. You are hired by the masses and most of them have no idea the intricacies of what they are electing/hiring you for. And you may have not known the depth of what you were asking for. To use another Andy Stanley quote that is apropos, “Authority does not equal competency. Pass decisions down to those who can best handle them.”
A leader’s job is to facilitate a good working environment for the employees. Good bosses are comfortable and secure in who they are. Bad bosses are competing with their sub-
Eddie A. Jones County Consultant
ordinates — their employees. Bad bosses create toxic work environments, and toxic work environments drain employees emotionally, mentally, and physically. Employees in these circumstances become so disengaged to the point, they are only there for the paycheck until they quit.
Good bosses are fewer and farther between than they should be. Employees long for such bosses who will support, inspire, and help them grow — making their work experience a memorable experience. Bosses shape how people spend their days and whether they experience joy or despair, perform well or badly, or are healthy or sick. Unfortunately, there are hoards of mediocre and downright rotten bosses out there, and big gaps between the best and the worst. A leader leads by example.
And remember, “complexity is your enemy.” Richard Branson says, “Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to keep things simple.”
Simplicity is sometimes the most difficult thing to find in management — the boss/ leader. It is difficult working in an environment where complexity is the gold standard. It can even wear out the best employees and cause them to start planning their exit strategy.
As an elected county official — a boss — do you make things too complicated? Take inventory. Here are a few things that are signs of a boss who likes to make things complicated: • They waste employee’s time on multiple useless meetings. • They don’t delegate or empower employees because they prefer to micromanage. • They are inflexible and focus on the red tape. • They withhold information to ensure they are always the smartest person in the room. • They don’t train, mentor or coach employees for fear they may surpass them or they may see things are simpler than they make it out to be. And in the case of an elected county official they may withhold the training or mentoring for fear that an employee will run against them in the next election.
A good boss and leader has two main priorities: (1) Remove all unnecessary obstacles from your employees’ path so they have a greater chance for success; and (2) Make available as much support as possible to increase your office or depart-
ment’s chances for success. That support comes in the form of time, resources, and effort. Every other priority should support those two priorities. Just because you are the elected official doesn’t make you the one with all the good ideas. County elected officials should not be afraid to ask their employees for feedback and suggestions. Engage your employees. You will end up being grateful for the feedback, constructive criticism, and the efforts of your employees to make improvements going forward. And give them credit for good ideas. Harry S. Truman said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Years ago, when I was an elected official I served with an elected official that insisted upon good ideas being his … at least that was my conclusion from his actions. I would take an idea or thought to him about some county issue, function If you’re an Arkansas county official — a boss — ask yourself: When I look back at how I have or service and it was never met with acceptance. There was always something wrong with treated followers, peers, employees, will I have earned my idea. I took these ideas to him because he the right to be proud of myself? Or will I be ashamed was the chief executive officer of the county. of myself and embarrassed by how I have trampled on Almost every time without exception, others’ dignity day after day? within a few weeks or two or three months he would come to my office to present an idea — my earlier idea verbatim. But now it was his idea so it was a good idea. I never said, “Hey, that’s my idea.” I would simply agree that it was a great idea and would encourage him to pursue it. It didn’t matter to me who got credit. It was something good for our county government operation and needed to happen regardless of whose idea it was. If you’re an Arkansas county official — a boss — ask yourself: When I look back at how I have treated followers, peers, employees, will I have earned the right to be proud of myself? Or will I be ashamed of myself and embarrassed by how I have trampled on others’ dignity day after day? Leadership and being a boss is simple but we make it complicated. It’s the simple things people remember — the simple gesture, the kind word, the much-needed support. Simplicity comes from putting people first. If you want loyal employees, stop making things so complicated. Seems to me, nothing so conclusively proves a person’s ability to lead others as what he or she does from day to day to lead himself or herself. Good boss, bad boss, good leader or bad leader — which one are you? Take care of your employees and they will take care of you and your county office. It’s as simple as that.
