Trigger Question #178:
We love to use words like good and nice because… come on, admit it, because we are lazy. We use vague words and expect the listener or the reader to do the work of picking an appropriate meaning. Then we feel nice because we assume it’s all good.
But it’s not because good and nice are vague, and so we feel vaguely dissatisfied with our communication. Especially when we need to agree on specifics or definitions.
For example, I think it is safe to assume we like a good boss and we like a nice boss. But what is a good boss? Is it a boss who is good (nice) to employees? Or one who gets good (nice) results? And yet, we think we will recognize a good (nice) boss when we have one.
What then is a bad boss? A boss who is bad (not nice) to employees? Or one who gets bad (not nice) results? And yet, I assume we can all recognize a bad boss when we suffer under one.
But what about a good boss who gets bad results? Are we okay with the bad results because at least the boss is good? What about a bad boss who gets good results? Do we reject the good results because the boss is bad?
Obviously, in an ideal world, a good boss will deliver good results. And a bad boss who delivers bad results will be gone. But the workplace is never ideal. So we must clarify the meaning of good, at least as it applies to bosses. Here’s how we should go about it.
A boss gets results through people. (So does a manager, but for this exercise I prefer the clout that goes with boss.) Thus, the concept of good or bad (or nice, not nice) applies to how the boss treats the people who must create the results.
We know from experience that a boss who treats people badly will ultimately chase capable people away. Over time, with fewer capable people and with the remaining people less capable of doing the work, results that were once good will become bad.
We also believe that a good boss who treats people nicely will hang on to capable people. But treating people nicely does not guarantee good results! Good results happen when we push people hard to use their specific capabilities, not when nice bosses are free and easy with bland boosts of positivity and cheesy pizzas of encouragement. Nice bosses seldom push employees hard enough.
The thing is, it is not about good or bad. It is about demands. Demanding bosses get results. But there’s a catch. Demands can be good or bad, constructive or destructive, encouraging or discouraging, respectful or plain rude.
So, forget about being a good or a bad boss. Be a demanding boss. But at least be nice about it.
Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.
. . .
Quote of the Moment:
“Some bosses are so bad, they are actually good at it.” The Chief Nonsense Officer.
. . .