A thought by John C. Maxwell from his
book, How to Lead When Your Boss Can't (or Won't) (p. 50). HarperCollins
Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to
buy the book.)
And that’s not what we want, is it?
John says, “The first natural reaction
most people have when working for a bad boss is often to withdraw from him or
her and build relational barriers. It comes from the urge to protect
themselves. You need to fight that urge… If you allow yourself to develop
contempt for the person, you’re hurting both of you.
“Instead, build a relational bridge.
Try to get to know him or her. Find common ground. Build a solid professional
relationship… Your boss’s inability to lead doesn’t mean you have to make him
or her your enemy.”
John goes on, “Everybody has
strengths—even an ineffective leader. Strive to find them in the person you
work for. Maybe it won’t be easy. Maybe her strengths aren’t qualities you
value or admire. That doesn’t matter. Is your boss kind, creative, detail-oriented, outgoing, able to focus, able to dream? Look long and hard to find
positive traits. Search for skills. Ask about background, education, and past
experiences. Anything and everything. And then think about how those positives
could benefit the team or the organization.”
He continues, “The pathway to success
in your career lies in maximizing your strengths. That is also true for your
boss. Once you have discerned what these strengths are and how those
characteristics can be an asset to the organization, look for ways to help your
boss leverage them.
“I know what you’re probably thinking:
I don’t want to. Why
should I help my bad boss? But what’s the
alternative? If you don’t do your best and help your boss do the same, are you
really helping your organization? Are you earning your way? Are you making
things better or worse for everyone around you? Your own negative feelings are
not as important. If you want to get unstuck from your current situation, you
need to take the high road and help your boss.
“Wise leaders not only leverage their
strengths, but they also staff their weaknesses. They empower people who work
with you to fill in your talent gaps.”
John then says, “You may not be
working for a wise leader, but you can still play that same gap-filling role
with your boss. I’m sure you already have a mental list of your boss’s
weaknesses. However, you must be very careful in the way you approach this
subject. Don’t point out weaknesses. And don’t assume your boss is aware of his
weaknesses. Be tactful. For example, you might ask where your boss would like
more help. If he asks for help in an area of weakness, then offer to fill that
role, and then carry the ball in that area. Or help someone else to fill in
this gap. The idea is to free him up to do what he does best. Let him know you
want to do that for him. That’s beneficial for everyone on the team.”
John gives some very practical advice
here, doesn’t he?
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