Don’t Scream “I’m the Boss!”

“I’m the boss”  — The Lonely Island

Congratulations, you’ve been promoted! Years of hard work, long hours, side of desk projects, politicking, etc. has led to you getting a new title, a new salary, and perhaps even a new team. You’re on fire. You feel great. You want to run around with your new boss title saying boss things. Please don’t. Seriously. Both your co-workers and your team will thank you.

We’ve all experienced it, a new boss comes in to “fix everything” and ends up leaving a path of destruction. In one of our past lives, a group of new management joined and told us they would show us “the right way to do things”. They laughed at the teams’ current approaches. They brought in their people. They made changes. Then under their guidance, the group that had been pushing updates live every two weeks shifted to not going live for six months at a time. Spoiler alert: None of those leaders are with the company anymore.

Unfortunately, this story is all too common. A huge stumbling block is people are unaware that the skills which got them promoted aren’t enough to keep the position¹. This is actually a good thing, as it leads to growth. Part of growing is making mistakes and learning from them. As a leader, take responsibility and don’t pass the buck². For instance, don’t blame others or use hollow excuses. Empower your teams and create an inclusive culture³. Feedback goes both ways. Building a strong team has its foundation in encouraging and supporting new ideas. Even bad ideas can lead to a good one.

The most powerful thing you can ask as a leader is: “How do I make my team members’ lives easier—physically, cognitively, and emotionally?”⁴. Strive to be a servant leader. Make the tough decisions. Empower your team. Fight the urge to micro-manage and stomp on ideas. Be the person you would want to follow. No one wants a boss who is a jerk.

Action: Reflect on your leadership style. Get feedback. How can you improve?

Note: Not a leader? How can you use this info to be a better teammate or individual contributor?

Further Reading:

1. The Skills That Got You A Promotion Won’t Let You Keep It
2. How to Be a Good Boss in Trying Times
3. After 10 Years of Research, Google Defines What Makes a Good Boss
4. The boss factor: Making the world a better place through workplace relationships