In a position I once held, a manager informed me that my manager was my boss. That sounds pretty normal, right? It is very common that we address leaders in the organizations we work for as bosses. I, however, corrected her by informing her that my manager was just that. She was my manager because bosses were for slaves. You can imagine the shock I received from her. Now in no way was I trying to be rude or insubordinate.
I believe that many employees and managers go to work with the Boss/ Employee mindset instead of the Manager/ Employee mindset. There is a huge difference between the two. When we say the boss or bossman, that has a very negative tone to it. Bosses are known for being overbearing, one-sided, not open to feedback, and sometimes narcissistic. But a manager cares about what their team thinks, the feedback they have, and have a great line of open communication. Organizations with the boss mentality can suppress the creativity and growth of their employees. They can have a stifling environment and many great employees can be lost. With the manager mentality, employees are more open and willing to bring great ideas to the table. They are not intimidated by those in authority. They will give their all for the growth of the organization they work for. So today, I challenge you to get rid of the boss mentality in your organization. Empower your teams to reach their full potential and work together for your organizations can succeed. Remember, there’s a difference between a boss and a manger. The question is, which type of leader are you?