The Contented Cow Blog

Building Workplaces That Work

If one is to believe the folks at Wikipedia, Boss’s Day, celebrated each October 16, is the idea of Patricia Bays Haroski, a State Farm Insurance Company employee who wanted to honor her boss  father.

To be sure, the occasion draws a bit of derisive fire from those who see it as little more than a boon to the folks at Hallmark Cards, or the tool of shameless sycophants. But it needn’t be that way. If nothing else, us manager types should use the day as an annual reminder of the fact that, truth be known, our people need leaders more than bosses, and that for most of us, our leadership skills are, well… a work in progress.

LatinBiz magazine is publishing this month a piece, (Six Ways to Become an Employer of Choice), written largely by my partner, Richard, which does a nice job of spelling out a half-dozen things each of us can do to further our progress on the leadership front. I encourage you to check it, and the rest of the magazine out online (4th Quarter, ‘07 issue). Pay particular attention to the headers entitled, “Show Employees the Fruits of Their Labor” and “Sit On the Footlocker.”

And, to be sure, the people who know us as “boss” would likely appreciate our heeding the good advice of former U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt, who said, “The best leader is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

Whether you are the leader of one, or many, make it a great day!

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