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“Good Boss, Bad Boss — How to be the Best and Learn from the Worst” by Robert Sutton, Business Plus, $23.99.
You can easily identify some bad bosses — the ones that micromanage, don’t listen and ascribe to the “don’t worry about the mules, just load the wagon” school of management. Their common denominator: Using hierarchical power to command and control. Their staffs don’t respect or trust them.
But there are other bad bosses. Sutton draws a distinction between smart and wise bosses. The smart ones can be just as bad to work for as the micromanaging control freaks. Why? The smart boss believes he/she is the smartest one in the room. Doing so demeans the intelligence of their staff. They “defend and stick to the current course of action”; their opinions become fact. While giving help and answering questions, they employ a paternalistic “you kids don’t know, but I do” attitude. They love to hear themselves talk (lecture?). Sutton sums up the (not so) smart boss: “All transmission, no reception.”
On the flipside you’ll find wise bosses who are “devoted to knowing what they don’t know.” They take action based upon the information available, but “have strong opinions weakly held” — so they can quickly correct course based upon new information. They ask thought-provoking questions and spark “collective imagination” with “Yes, and…” when responding to ideas and suggestions. This process also encourages “disruptive questions” asking why things were done a certain way accompanied by a recommendation of alternatives.
The wise boss knows mistakes will be made and addresses them with “forgive and remember” to create a teachable moment — not only for the individuals, but the staff. By sharing ‘oops’ knowledge without placing blame, the wise boss alerts the team to certain danger signs.
Part of the bad versus good boss debate relates to the personalities of the staff. I worked for one VP at Ford who was the poster child for command and control. The staff that needed to be directed and micromanaged loved the guy. The rest of us tolerated the situation and searched for paths out of the department.
“Developing Personal Leadership: Maximizing Your Success” by Rex Houze, PCG Business, $19.95.
Houze has been showing people how to discover the leader within for over 30 years. Thousands (including me) have attended his “Making a Difference” presentations and come away with new perspectives and action plans.
The book shows readers that they have to lead themselves before they can lead others. There are four intertwined aspects of personal leadership: positive attitude, self-motivation, goal-directed and effective communications. Of these, positive attitude is the most important because “if you think you can, you can; if you think you can’t, you can’t.”
Here are some highlights:
The echo effect: “Life gives you back everything you say or do. It reflects our actions.” The way you talk to yourself (i.e. those little conversations you have between your ears every day) determines your attitude. When you’re upside down, you can focus on the downside — or look for the upside. Focusing on the downside keeps you in the pity party, victim’s valley. Searching for the upside stirs actions that create change.
Visualize success: Think like a landscaper who sees a lush garden not a vacant lot. Before putting a shovel in the ground, that landscaper knows what the vacant lot will look like after planting flowers, tree and shrubs. Keep your actions and goals visible. Place reminders of what you must do and the finished product in places you will see them regularly.
I’ve found that reading my to-do list aloud every morning gets me thinking about what must be done. Similarly, recapping my day aloud before I go to sleep lets me see my accomplishments and next steps.
Is your vacant lot shovel-ready?
Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer.
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The Hartford Business Journal 2025 Charity Event Guide is the annual resource publication highlighting the top charity events in 2025.
Hartford Business Journal provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the area’s business community. Get the news and information you need from the award-winning writers at HBJ. Don’t miss out - subscribe today.
Delivering vital marketplace content and context to senior decision-makers throughout Connecticut ...
All Year Long!
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