GOOD BOSS BAD BOSS: STARS AND ROTTEN APPLES

GOOD BOSS BAD BOSS

How to be the Best… and Learn from the Worst

ROBERT I SUTTON, PhD

SECTION II

WHAT THE BEST BOSSES DO

 

CHAPTER 4: STARS AND ROTTEN APPLES

Unfortunately, too many bosses have such blind faith in solo superstars and unbridled competition.  While stunning solo performances may occur, collaboration and cooperation evaporate, and so do collective innovation and performance.  The best bosses do more than charge up people, and recruit and breed energizers.  They eliminate the negative (bad apples).  Negative thoughts, feelings, and events produce larger and longer-lasting effects than positive ones.

OTHER SMART PEOPLE TRICKS

1.       Show Them The Love

Organizational life is filled with time-consuming and distracting routines.  Bosses need a few moments to make people feel appreciated; take time to listen, show appreciation, be empathic and unselfish.  Do not underestimate the power of showing a little love.  Spend less time on those endless routine chores and spend more time showing your people a little love.

2.       Assume The Best

Too many bosses forget the power of the human touch.  Studies has demonstrate that believing in some of your people can boost their performance.  Smart bosses can spark performance by expressing confidence (self-fulfilling prophecy).  It creates better results than doubting their ability.

3.       Cut Loose The Real Losers

The challenge for bosses is that they see what they believe (confirmation bias) that is selective thinking where one tends to notice and to look for what confirms one’s belief, and to ignore, not look for, or undervalue the relevance of what contradicts one’s beliefs.  Confirmation bias can cause bosses to make exclusively glowing judgment about people they have invested a lot of time and money in or who they simply find the likeable or admirable

4. Keep Teams Together

It takes time for people to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and develop effective shared ways of doing things.  A study of R&D found that teams got more and more productive during their first 4 years or so, but productivity finally started dropping if they did not bring in new members after about 5 years.

5.       Protect Yourself From The Energy Suckers

Share your passion and creativity for those people who will benefit from it and who leave you feeling charged up rather than drained.  Developing the fine art of indifference and emotional detachment is part of becoming a boss with grit.

6.       Take A Look in The Mirror

All bosses have limited power over who they lead.  Good bosses get more out of their people, and they attract and keep better people.

to be continued....