If you're like me, there is never enough time to be the boss you want to be. Perhaps that's because we are usually evaluated based on our goals and accomplishments, rather than our relationships with staff. Yet at the end of the day, for me and likely many of you, it is this relationship that I most value and am motivated by. I am mindful to never forget that the accomplishments we achieve are more valuable and impactful than anything I may accomplish alone.
For those reasons, I was inspired last week when I read this article on the qualities that make great bosses unforgettable. These three qualities resonated with me the most:
They believe the unbelievable. I think job #1 of great leaders is to believe in their organizations and their potential for improvement. Not only have I had the good fortune of always working in organizations I believe in, but I don't think I can do my best work without that belief. Do you feel the same way? I believe in NBOA, its staff and its members, and I know that this unwavering faith has helped us achieve what many didn't think was possible. Believe in what you and your team can do.
They wear their emotions on their sleeve. A seminal moment for me came at my first NBOA Annual Meeting, when I introduced the staff. I got so choked up I could hardly speak, as I felt nothing but pride in each of them. Initially I was concerned that some might find this show of raw emotion unprofessional; in fact it became known as my "iceberg lettuce" moment, because at the time I blamed the iceberg lettuce from lunch for choking me up. Instead, many members and business partners approached me afterward to say they were touched to see how much I cared. I learned that my cover-up was a big mistake. Let your staff see your emotions.
They embrace a larger purpose. I try to instill in my staff the larger purpose of NBOA, which is to support world-class business operations at our member schools. Likewise, the mission of our member schools is to provide a world-class education. Is it possible that our purposes and missions sometimes get lost in our busy daily schedules? No doubt, so we must always stay mindful of that larger purpose.
We are all in the people business. I'm 100 percent confident that when we look back on our careers, we will not remember a single performance goal. We will, however, remember the people we worked with and served as leaders. For that reason and many others, we should all try to make our leadership roles remarkable and memorable—for ourselves and those around us.
Strive to be remarkable in the school year ahead!
