The Boss’s Job Is To Serve Their Team

Bossman, You Are At The Service Of Your Team!

Contrary to popular belief, you being a boss actually puts you at the service of your team. The only way you succeed is if they succeed. So, it is on you, the boss, to give them the tools to succeed. If this is not the case then you have a problem in terms of what you are doing as the leader of your team, company, or brand.

Remember, you work for me?

I have heard a variation of the following statement from “bosses” so many times, “hey, you work for me, so do the things I want you to do because I said so.” There are a lot of problems with this sort of language and the culture it informs, but the biggest issue is that it is not inspiring and even worse it is not supportive language. The truth is, a team of people are able to do far more than what one person is able to do. So, as a “boss”, you should mobilize your team to meet whatever metrics you want them to. How? By being at their service. You are there for them to succeed in what they are doing to inversely make you successful as a boss. Simple math here folks. Mobilize, develop, train, and support your team to do even bigger and better things than you can do alone. Then, release them to do these things again and again.

Positive Misfortune Of Development

There is a positive misfortune of this way of leading, that is: some people will outgrow your organization and you will lose great people. This, however, should be seen as success for a leader, not a failure or frustration. When I was first starting out as a trainer, I put so much effort and time into the people that I trained to painstakingly develop them into the best most qualified folks in the business. Now, there are multiple people who I have trained that have progressed so far in their career now that I can no longer monetarily afford to hire them on my own teams. This should be seen as victory as a leader because the things that you offered to these people added so much value to their lives that they now are worth more as employees than they were when you found them.

Be A Resource

The goal for any leader / trainer / manager should be to offer yourself and the resources you have to progress the people around you for the betterment of their lives. This not only benefits the people who are currently in your organization but also legitimizes your organization as a leader in your industry. Yes, it establishes your organization as a place where people can hone and develop skills that will not only help them today but also in the future. This way of leading and training actually attracts better and better candidates to your team because the people it attracts are those who want to grow, develop and work hard. What more could you ask for?

So, take a minute and think, am I at the service of the people I employ, lead, or manage? If not, that needs to change and you need to establish with your team that you are first and foremost on their team and want them to succeed on / with your team.

One Last Thing

I want to open up the conversation and offer myself to you to be at your service in whatever way I can be. If you need help with something on your team, please reach out! I would love to do whatever I can to offer myself to and for the betterment of your team.