Thursday, December 22, 2011

Un-bossing a bossy boss

Be open and honest…



How often do you go to work and feel like a loser? Especially after a mandatory pep rally build me up buttercup quarterly meetings geared toward inspiring you to give more!



“We’re going to be great in 2012! We have the best team on earth!”

Three seconds in front of the company bathroom mirror and the scent of vomit filters through your nose because that speech failed to represent the feelings you’re having on the inside.



Art Williams is a brave man for exposing the hidden depths of a Corporate American front. Treat people “good” is a quality to live by. Until you get to work. Then the rules change because according to Art office managers are trained to believe management means treating people in a way they would never want to be treated themselves.



You don’t even have to close your eyes to see the face of the Grinch that stole your Christmas. That mug is fixed to your memory banks like a computer burns an image onto a compact disc. Now try and erase it…



Forget about the idea of fighting back. Total waste of your good energy. I’m shocked Ellen hasn’t tackled the subject of bullies at the workplace.



Overbearing, micromanaging, constantly dumping stuff on your path bosses used to be just like you. Then it happened, an opportunity to lead. Managers become who managed them. Or…the abused becomes the abuser. Ouch!



Art Williams clearly and boldly prints very loudly in his book Pushing Up People: Treat people good.



How do you do that? Do you know how much pressure is on managers?



This is why Art claims managers lead by fear and intimidation. It’s natural to believe that being tough is being a leader.



His solution? Leaders add the human factor to all aspects of their business.



Let me put it a different way. I love my stepfather Joe. I hated him while growing up. He was the meanest, most unfair and harshest with his words person this side of any Star Wars galaxy. And yet when you see him with the grandchildren the tiny tykes wearing teen shoes come back with words like, “Um I’m thinking you were the problem. He’s a far out, nifty cool absolutely the best in the whole wide world guy.”



This isn’t my way of saying, “Have you thought about giving your boss grandkids?”



Art Williams has a different plan: take the word boss out of bossing people around.



Let’s take a good look at a manager’s world. Although I manage the production department of five radio stations I’ve been accused of not being a great leader. Not because I boss but because my way of leading is believing. I believe in my producers and the styles and textures they were gifted with. To shape them like Frank Lloyd Wright carved out his student architects doesn’t offer my vision of how a commercial break should sound any depth.



Treating them with honest respect while trusting their visions of creative flow is looked upon as being flighty.



According to Art such leadership is a sign of weakness. Corporate decision makers are crafted by way of thinking that being too nice gives reason for employees to take advantage. You have to be tough to win people’s respect.



Insert scent of vomit here…



Wait…Arts response is so much better! A caring concerned leader is often welcome in the ranks of getter done. Be firm while making touch decisions without losing strength through an avenue called commitment.



Be committed to your team. See everyone as an individual not a nameless face.



That’s so Disney! Toss in the Charlotte Symphony and let’s call it a Christmas play!



Here’s my challenge. It’s the very invitation I give to everyone that steps within two inches of this Muppet filled radio station production room with a hand painted display of the Beatles in the corner.



You aren’t a real manager until you take your skills as a leader to a school that teaches what your company makes for the world. If you aren’t letting someone steal your art the failure is you not the employee.



I never say no to a school of Broadcasting. Being with a budding imagination teaches patience, the importance of locating personal value in what you offer as a business and even more powerful it prepares the future for quality because when your leadership is on public display fine tuned is communication.



Did you happen to take note of the Bose speakers connected to my soapbox? You gotta look good when standing on top of the mountain. As far as you see it only seems like it all belongs to you. Real leaders step off the path and help guide the thirsty to water.



That’s pretty fricken flighty isn’t it? Sure glad I’m not employed by the toilet paper people. My stuff might actually come with a fresh pair of undies.



arroecollins@clearchannel.com

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