The Greatest Boss in the World

All of us are familiar with the expression, “Behind every great man is a great woman” . . . well the same holds true for company leaders. Behind every great boss are great employees. Those employees who innately exude energy and passion every day are often consequently those who work for the greatest boss in the world. Their attitudes affect both their efforts and perspective.

We all want to work for the greatest boss in the world . . . but where do we start? Whether you are new or have been on the job for 20 years, you need to draw from a couple of your core qualities in order to contribute to your “boss’ success.” What qualities? Passion, energy, and attitude! It is imperative that you work each day with the same passion and energy that got you your job in the first place.

What would it would be like if every employee in your organization, at every level, walked in tomorrow morning as if it were their first day on the job? I’m talking about people showing up ready to impress someone, ready to make a difference – with the passion and energy it takes to make something good happen. You would notice the difference right away. There would be excitement! Nobody would schlep in, plop down into their chair with a heavy sigh and begin the drudgery. It would be like the excitement you used to feel on the first day of school when you thought to yourself, “I’m going to make all A’s this year!” Everyone would be trying to make a good impression and looking for the opportunity to make their mark and stand out.

While this sounds simple, it’s not. This market downturn has impacted the way that many people think and perform. Have you noticed this in your place of work? Like baseball players who run into hitting slumps, we all hit periods which test our resolve. We are independently responsible for getting ourselves out of those slumps. Those of us that find the passion to fuel our search for the next hot streak make it through the tough times. Anyone that lets negative thoughts take over misses out and loses their spot on the team or their job because their attitude impacts the team as a whole. We all draw in either positive or negative energy through our choices as individuals. While being a cheerleader isn’t a requirement, being a doomsdayer is deadly and sure to provide the lumber for caskets to carry out the fallen.

Right now your boss either thinks you are an asset to the company and are going to be a mainstay, that you are in a funk and hopefully will get out of it, or that you are done and will need replaced as soon as they have headcount approval. Where do you stand? If you have made it this far in the recession, you can give yourself a pat on the back. Your employer has seen enough value in your contribution to keep you on in a tough economy, and that’s a good sign. However, recovery is on the way, and when it speeds up, there will be rampant change. Employers are continually evaluating their teams to see who will carry them best into the recovery. You must show up with first day excitement, passion, and energy to be seen as one of the people that are going to be a keeper.

The reality is that unemployment is now at 7- 10 percent nationwide. There are top-tier people who would wait in line for your job. If you are one of those in a slump, you can change your present status in the minds of the people around you, leadership and peers, in a matter of a few weeks. If you want to stay where you are, then you need to seize the opportunity that you have right in front of you and make it happen. What personal job goals have stayed in your head waiting for an outlet? Go for it! What is stopping you? I can guarantee you that your employer wants to see that fire come out. I can guarantee you that your employer needs that fire to come out.

The real question is: What is holding you back? One of my favorite favorite scenes in the movie The Bucket List takes place in Egypt. Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) and Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) are terminal cancer patients who are working through a list of items they would like to complete before they “kick the bucket.” Inspired by the Egyptian grandeur around them, they begin to talk about “the afterlife.” Carter tells Edward that the Egyptians believed that when your soul gets to the entrance of heaven, the gods would ask you two questions: 1. Have you found joy in your life? 2. Have you brought joy to others? Your work life could be dismal from this point forward, or joyful. It is up to you. Make the environment yours, make the success yours, and make a difference. Now is the time for you to take the responsibility to be the best employee in the world, and soon, you will have the best boss in the world.

Don Crawford is President and CEO of Delta Dallas. Reach him at 972-788-2300 or dcrawford@deltadallas.com.