Friday's Boss From Hell   Heaven

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Mean boss, incompetent boss, sexist boss, drunk boss, crazy boss, penis boss? Time to brag and share!

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Okay, here you go...
 
My favorite Boss From Heaven was a woman who managed the Gateway Call
Center that I worked in.  She had several methods of management that
always made people feel understood, valued, and appreciated.
 
For example, her door was always open.  Whenever you'd enter her office,
she come from around her desk to greet you and speak with you from a
round table with nothing on it.  Very "clean slate" kind of approach to
every conversation.  She never once spoke to me from behind that desk.
I never felt that she ever told me what to do, either.  Always a
collaborative effort.
 
Also, she always began every coaching conversation with an exact example
of something that you'd done that she appreciated or found positive.
She'd begin this portion of your talk with "You know what I noticed
about you...?"  Or "You know what I love about you..."  Or "You did
something really great that I'd like to touch on before we get into this
other part of the conversation."   And, it was always very specific.
Very exact information.  Very genuine, and not contrived.
 
The boss part always seems to be a team effort with her, also.  She'd
begin difficult conversations with, "Okay, we have something that might
be uncomfortable to talk about, and I'm going to need your help with
it.  I know that it's never easy to hear constructive criticism.
However, you should know that I am here to help, that we're in this
together, in that I'm willing to provide whatever's needed to help us
meet this concern head-on."  Did you hear all the "we's" and "helps,"
and "us's," etc. in that?  Again, simple but powerful.
 
She also smiled a lot, no matter what.  She asked us to take turns
beginning the meetings.  She took time to get to know people as people;
their personal interests, etc.  She encouraged group activities outside
of work, and would even get the company to help fund these things.  Amazing.
 
Finally, she often said goodbye, goodnight, and thank you as you left
the building.  Imagine that?  Thanking you for the work that you'd
done!  Amazing!  Simple!  Free!  Something you'd carry with you until
the next time you had to show up.
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