What Good Managers Aren’t
Really Good Bosses
In my sixteen years as an educator, and even in my teenage years and twenties before I became a professional in the full-time workforce, I have been exceptionally fortunate to have been led by some dynamic managers. I remember these leaders as humble, caring, trusting, fair, flexible, and motivational. I can count these occupational oddities on one hand — they were few, but they were fantastic.
I now refer to these leaders as Really Good Bosses. This is not a title I bestow upon people lightly. A Really Good Boss is a workplace rarity — it’s much easier to be a Mediocre Boss or even a Really Bad Boss. Standing out from the crowd, a Really Good Boss serves and supports while also maintaining realistic expectations of the job itself and the people who perform it. They are invested in the success of their employees, inside and out of work. They are accessible. They listen. They learn. They bend. They coach. They love.
Bill
The first Really Good Boss I had was Bill. He managed the drug store at which I worked when I was 16. Bill was a saint. We were a high maintenance staff of mostly teenagers that included an older woman named Barb, who fit right in with the under-20 crowd and used to remove her false teeth and gum the air to amuse us. None of us radiated professionalism, but we knew how to…
