You always remember the good ones. He or she excelled at their profession and had admirable people skills. They were approachable, and their enthusiasm was catching. Many days these intelligent people inspired you to be the best you could be.
The bad ones don’t wander too far from memory, either. Maybe they were inaccessible; he or she was good at barking orders, but was unwilling or unable to train.
And sure, there are those in between. The boss who dozed off now and then and “forgot” recent conversations but always had a good joke at the ready. This isn’t about the bosses “in between.” This is a reflection on what makes a boss better and a leader great.
In my personal experience the great ones stood out from the crowd because they earned my respect; they did not demand it. They made me feel I was a part of something bigger. They took the time to find and appreciate the unique talent I had to offer the organization, and they encouraged me to grow from there.
The boss/employee relationship can be quite ordinary. But those times when a boss/employee relationship evolves into a mentor/mentee relationship, it can be extraordinary and empowering. As you move along in your career—whether early days or later years—I think it’s important to remind ourselves of, and appreciate, the qualities of strong leaders we’ve had the good fortune to know along the way. It’s important, too, to try to emulate those qualities ourselves.
William Harvey shares what he considers to be top leadership qualities in "A Chief’s Resolutions for a Tough New Year". A good leader is usually a good boss. Some of his sage advice for managers: Listen to officers’ needs. What a concept—listen. But sometimes keeping your mouth shut can say so much: “I have yet to understand how a leader can tell you how to handle a neighborhood issue when they have never walked that street nor interacted with the residents there,” says Harvey. He also warns against micromanaging: Let them do their job, he says, and they will learn along the way. And finally, don’t forget to praise good work. “Your staff feeds off of praise, uplift them when you can.” Who knows, recognition and a kind word just may be the extra push someone needs to keep striving.
Like all valuable relationships in life that of boss and employee, sheriff and deputy, chief and officer, is a two-way street. The better the relationship, the more pleasant the ride.
