What's Your Boss Style?

Yeah, maybe you didn’t get the memo on this one. It might have gotten lost in one of those TPS reports. But yeah… you are a maaaajor micromanager. You thrive on knowing all of the details and making sure you have everything covered. Your team will get every little task finished and there will never be an error. You know that, because you’ve checked everything - twice - yourself.

Don’t worry, micromanagers aren’t all bad. In fact, there are some very useful skills that micromanagers bring to the table. Your attention to detail is impeccable and you give your employees lots of direction. You run a tight ship where work gets done on time and with high levels of quality. If someone has a question, you’ll get them an answer!

That said, there are some pitfalls that you may want to begin adjusting for. Your style can be disempowering and demotivating for many employees. When you hover over everything, there’s no room for your team to grow, thrive, or innovate. It almost seems like a waste to have them around if you’re going to do all of the work. Plus, aren’t you just exhausted?

The good news is that the first step is awareness. Try taking all of that energy (aka anxiety) and put it into trusting your team. What if you let out a little bit of the rope? What if you let them make a mistake? They are ready to take on more and will appreciate if you share the responsibility and give them the space to run. They will make mistakes, but remember that those mistakes will lead to better work and outcomes down the road. You are making an investment in your team and in yourself.

Want more tips and ideas for dressing up your boss style? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.

You are the opposite of any micromanager. You have total faith in your people… or you don’t care. It’s hard to tell sometimes. You’re not really around and you don’t get involved when you are.

For some employees, you are the ideal vision of a boss. You let your team have tons of freedom and flexibility to do what they want. For those who are self starters and know what to do - or how to figure it out - this works really well. They have lots of room to run and learn on their own. It’s basically like they are the boss.

For those who might be newer to the workforce or just lack the same level of initiative, this style can be challenging. Your limited direction and mentorship leaves more questions than excitement; these people can often be left wondering where they stand or what exactly to do. Even for the self-starters, they like to have someone who can acknowledge their good work and give mentorship on where they need to grow.

In many ways you are well positioned to be an awesome boss. So many people have trouble trusting the people who work for them, and it’s clear that that is not your issue. Now it’s time to just turn up the engagement.

Want more tips and ideas for dressing up your boss style? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.

Easy there! You may be killing it results wise, but let’s face it, you’re just kind of a dick. You treat your people like dog shit, to put in nicely. You’re focused on winning and well, yourself, at the expense of everything and everyone around you. And maybe it seems like it’s working, but it won’t last. If you don’t make some serious changes, you’ll be leaving a legacy of asshole and a lot of destruction in your wake.

Ok, that was harsh, but I figured you could handle it. You do have some redeeming qualities which are worth acknowledging. You are aggressive. Not always constructively, but you know how to go after something and get it done. Chances are, people will remember you for a long time. You don’t forget someone that challenges you and pushes you to your limits. And sometimes beyond. Your team will likely learn a lot from you, both good and bad.

But while you are busy #winning, your people are not. They are overworked and underappreciated. If you want them to stay, you’re going to have to pay way above the going rate, and even then, they probably won’t do their best work for you. And are you really happy going through life like this?

Want to learn more about how you can up your boss game? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.

Damn, you are tough. You are a boss that pushes people to their limits. But you know those limits and know not to exceed them. Usually. You demand the best and people work hard for you. You also know how to reward and acknowledge good work. You are no walk in the park, and you are the type of boss that people talk about for years to come.

You are awesome at setting a vision and goals for your team, and then letting them find the answers. You don’t tell them what to do or how to do it, and at the same time, you’re there to support them if they need guidance and deserve it. You motivate them to work hard by letting them in on the bigger picture and maintaining high levels of transparency. The team appreciates your candid feedback, even though it can be hard to swallow at times. Your people know that if they put forth their best selves, you will acknowledge them and reward them.

You’re an awesome boss - congrats! - and of course, you have room to grow. Your candidness is a gift, and at time it can be a little much. Be aware of how you come across. Also, make sure you don’t miss the small guy, the one who is playing defense but maybe not championing the big wins. Don’t forget to invest in the people who are less visible or who maybe haven’t hit their stride yet. And since you’ve really mastered this leadership thing, make sure you find people who you can take under your wing so that they can do this for others on your team and beyond.

Want more tips and ideas for dressing up your boss style? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.

You work hard for the money. Seriously. When do you sleep? Or eat? Or exercise? You are always working. You love work. You live work.

And in some ways it’s great. You are passionate about what you do, which is good since you do it all of the time. It can be really inspiring for the people who work for you to see that you’re devoted and love your job. Plus, they know that they can always get in touch with you if they need anything. Any time. Day or night.

But it can also be upsetting and intimidating. Your 3am emails make your team feel like they should be up at that hour responding. And quite honestly, they want more from their lives. Plus, you’re a little boring. Work is all you think about and talk about; sometimes your team just wants to grab a beer with you and talk about something other than the job.

So what can you do? It’s really hard to scale back when you’re so addicted to what you do. And isn’t passion a good thing? For sure! And so is finding some balance. Start by asking yourself what you’re not doing as a result of your work schedule. What are you missing out on and what would make your life more fulfilling? This doesn’t mean cut back to 9-5; it does mean, make some more time!

Want more tips and ideas for dressing up your boss style? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.

Ah, you are the world’s greatest boss, aren’t you? And don’t you love how everyone loves you? In the words of your fearless leader, Michael Scott, “Would I rather be loved or feared? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” Sound familiar? You are the cool boss; the one who gets it and is constantly on your employee's side.

And they do really love you. They know you have their backs and they can really trust you. You are such a good guy/gal. You are their best friend. The boss they talk about all the time. I mean, who wouldn’t want to grab a beer with you?

Yes… and, you’re displaying a bit of what Kim Scott defines as “ruinous empathy.” Ruinous empathy is when you’re trying to be too nice and it actually backfires, both for you and your team. Your niceness - often in an effort to spare the other person’s feelings - actually erodes trust. People need good, hard, constructive feedback. And sometimes it’s not all candy and roses. They need you to sack up and tell them what they don’t really want to hear.

Ok, so how can you change your ways? Start by recognizing that being the boss isn’t about being liked. You can and will be liked, but that’s not what it’s about. Then start focusing on how you can deliver feedback and information in a way that’s less buddy-buddy and more professionally candid.

Want more tips and ideas for dressing up your boss style? Sign up here: https://www.yourlaunchproject.com/boss-style.