Think back to a time when you were a new, entry-level employee. The challenges you faced as you grew accustomed to your duties may have been daunting. Getting used to office culture and the working styles of your colleagues was likely a big adjustment. Your nerves and desire to perform well may have caused you stress, especially with added thoughts of how your new boss was going to respond to your contributions.
Now, imagine being the person responsible for setting the tone in the workplace for such an employee. Creating a productive, safe, and enjoyable atmosphere for your team, both new and old, would be a priority, in addition to meeting your own daily and long-term goals while also considering your company’s bottom line. Quite a lot to manage!
Having a fair, empathetic, and enterprising boss is something many wish for (and something others can easily take for granted). In an August 2010 article in McKinsey & Company’s McKinsey Quarterly, Robert I. Sutton points out that “bosses rarely account for more than 15 percent of the gap between good and bad organizational performance—although they often get more than 50 percent of the credit and blame.” In a position that so easily invites scrutiny, bosses can be scapegoats for dissatisfied workers and higher-ups. It is a tough position to be in, which makes having a good boss a true privilege.
While it’s a supervisor’s responsibility to lead well, it falls to employees to recognize just how hard their bosses work in order to truly appreciate a good boss’s positive impact in the workplace.
It’s of course important to keep these ideas and statistics in mind every day, but especially on Boss’s Day… both as an employee and as a boss! Working hard and bringing good energy into the workplace can make your boss’s job easier, in turn creating harmony among all of your teammates.
Consider doing something special for your supervisor/boss this Boss’s Day on October 16, right around the corner. You can organize to do something together as a team or individually. Whatever you decide, whether a card, surprise breakfast or lunch goodies, you can be assured that it will be appreciated! People like to be acknowledged for their contributions…and bosses are no different! Even the simplest hand-written card thanking your boss for the work he or she does can really lift your boss’s spirit and create lasting goodwill.
So…what ideas do you have to commemorate Boss’s Day? I’d love to hear so please write a comment in the space below!
