Make me laugh, clown.

Amy - 2004-04-17 05:56:24
Having had 30 or more jobs, and hence bosses, over the past 20 years, I can tell you what qualities in a boss always inspired me to do my best work: Don�t micromanage. Give each person as much responsibility and independence as you possibly can to get their work done without seeming to peer over their shoulder constantly. Keep in mind that just because someone does something differently than you would do it, doesn�t necessarily mean it�s the �wrong� way. Pick your battles. Have as few rules as possible, but be consistent about enforcing the ones that matter. When you have to lay down the law, be firm and very clear about your expectations. Be polite. Saying �Would you please� is much nicer than �I need you to� or heaven forbid, �You need to�. Show sincere appreciation, and give sincere compliments whenever you can. If you can make each person feel like they are one of your best and most trusted workers, they will often rise to the level of your expectations. Of course, there are always a few who will abuse your trust, so keep your eyes open and nip any real problems in the bud. Hey... I'm starting to turn into your mother here so I'll stop now before you zone out. Good luck on your new position. :)
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Amy - 2004-04-17 06:35:06
Since it is six in the morning and I am bored, I will tell you about the worst bosses I ever had, even though I know you would never do any of this kind of stupid, evil shit. My personal bosses from hell list includes: 1. A guy who didn�t make any effort to get to know me or deal with me personally the entire year I worked there, but simply took the word of his evil, psychotic assistant that I sucked as an employee and eventually fired me. His loss... I am a damn good employee, and his assistant is batshit insane. 2. A woman boss who was jealous of my budding friendship with her friend/employee and trumped up a bullshit reason to fire me. Again, their loss. I busted ass on that job, and the �big boss� loved me. The bitch fired me on his day off. 3. A guy who thought �administrative assistant� meant �personal lackey�. He called me constantly at home with elaborate requests, for example wanting me to help him find an apartment and pick out furniture... on my own time, unpaid. He also had the hots for me and made no attempt to hide the fact that he considered me potential �third wife� material. I called him at home once at his request, and heard someone in the background make a joke about me carrying his child and he snickered and said �not yet.� Apparently he had been talking about me to his family and they all were excited that �Butchy� had a new girlfriend. The man was 20 years older than me, clicked his dentures habitually and referred to his mom as �Mother.� Not as in �my mother� but as in �I have to take Mother to the doctor�. He was clueless, totally inappropriate and utterly creepy, but I desperately needed the job, and for the first time it became crystal clear to me exactly what is so terrible about sexual harassment. I agonized and cried over the situation until mercifully the company closed down two weeks after I was hired. I�ve never been so glad to be let go in my life. Thank you for letting me vent. Your comments section may now return to its regular programming.
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purple chai - 2004-04-17 07:21:29
We have student aides who work with us in the high school library, and what I learned came from one of them, a long time ago. I asked him to do something and he said something like "You know, I'll do whatever you tell me to do. But it wouldn't hurt to say please." Wow. He was a kid and here was I, the grown-up, and he was right. So since then I always say please and thank you and ask peopole to do things instead of telling them. It's a little thing, but I think it's a good thing.
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purple chai - 2004-04-17 11:49:53
DisneyWorld may be an acquired taste but it's my favorite place in the world. (I'm not kidding.) I've written about it a few times in the diary; I love it there -- no thinking required -- but the Hubs hates it above all else. Needless to say, when I go, he does not.
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