Boss vs Leader…. And I call bullshit.
It’s time to dispel some popular internet myths.
I agree whole heartedly almost all companies need a good leader, but after that, most companies need good bosses.
The more mundane the task, the more you want an efficient, effective boss.
It’s great having a leader in a creative environment where the team (staff) need to be loved, they need to be encouraged to expand their horizons, they need to be trusted and respected first.
They need to be able to feel the company is their family, and they’re part of its success. They can pedestal the leader (boss) while the good leader deflects all the success back on to the team. Good leaders have pulled off what appears to be miracles. They elevated businesses and the staff around them to achieve great things.
So, what am I calling bullshit on?
I’ve done everything from stacked shelves to tree surgery. There isn’t anything inspiring about stacking shelves, and for that matter, there wasn’t that much inspiring about tree surgery. Neither job required a great leader.
They needed a boss.
The boss makes sure you get to work on time, every day.
The boss makes sure you do your fair share, every day.
The boss makes sure you have everything you need, every day.
The boss makes sure you get paid, every week.
Here’s the thing. If you do some sort of mundane work, or you’re working to pay the bills, you’re working (and lets be honest) because you don’t have a choice, and you don’t have many choices in the jobs you can do.
You need a good boss. A boss who keeps the work coming in and the pay packets flowing. You have to work for them, and they don’t much care if you’re feeling it today.
Inspiration is for your wellness retreat and your Pinterest board. It doesn’t cut it when you’re digging ditches or your factory assembly on a deadline.
I have a belief one of the largest contributors to the dissatisfaction of people in todays society is the unrealistic expectation people have when it comes to working. Too many people are trying to chase dreams and have opportunities to showcase their talents. And their dreams have no substance to create a viable business and their talents are only highly valued by themselves.
Good bosses make you graft.
Good leaders innovate and inspire.
If you’re a tech company I’m guessing you want a leader. But if the sewage pipe outside your building breaks and you’re required to walk across the shit which is stinking out your building. You’re going to want the company who turns up to fix it to have a boss who doesn’t care how the team are feeling, they care about getting the job done.