The Power of a Great Boss: what I’m learning working for someone I deeply respect

We’ve all got horror stories. But there are fairytales, too

When I like you, I don’t just want to get results for my own ego, but because I feel you deserve them, too. I don’t want to let you down. I don’t want to coast. I want to put 110% in to being the assistance or guidance you deserve. A great employer, someone you value, respect and admire, is absolutely invaluable to success.

We’ve all worked for conmen, crooks, bullies and tyrants. We can all tell you about the time our manager fabricated an entire incident to get a colleague fired, or that time a boss called you at 5am to yell about a spelling error. But I really hope you take the time to say when someone’s been good to you, too. When someone’s inspired you, taken the time to teach, listen to and train you, had your back when you’ve needed them and cut you some slack when you’ve needed that too.

I’m incredibly lucky to work for someone who doesn’t just value what I have to say, but makes time to actually feedback on how I’m doing, what I could do better, and what needs doing. When you feel like someone genuinely sees worth in you, you want to be worth your salary. You want to improve. You want to be as good as they think you are. That’s incredibly motivating. I’ve previously had employers who worked only through rampant fear and abuse: and only now am I seeing how limiting that can be, not only for you but for your development.

Now I have the time to think things through, openly criticize myself without it being a firing offence, and pursue the mistakes and wins I am trusted to do, I get results far more often and with far less work than before. I have a network and reach that I never had before. I’ve got a journalistic web between Australia and LA. I’d have never had the time or confidence to build myself up before, and the results in my work are not monthly, but weekly. I trust myself, and I trust myself enough to show weakness to my boss. I trust myself enough to say when I’ve got something wrong, when something hasn’t gone to plan, or when something needs to improve.

Because now, I know that the person I work for isn’t there to pull the trigger on that one action. I know they aren’t going to shout at me, bully me or fire me over being imperfect. Because I believe in myself, and they do too. I cannot even begin to tell you how rewarding it is to look forward to one to one phone-calls, to not fear negative updates and to know that you can trust your employer to respond rationally and fairly.

Good bosses exist. Don’t settle if you want to be your best, too.