10 Things Your Boss Hates About You

A little chuckle arose when I read the list from 10 Things Your Boss Hates About You from Employee  Factor.

For me, I don't know about the verb Hate. ( I don't waste too much time with that emotion. If... I invest in it I save it for liars and chickenhawks. But I digress. )

I do tend to get impatient with each of the items on this list.

#1: Lateness isn't so much an issue; it's more a symptom arising from...

#2: Lack of initiative. A small company can't hide anyone's lack of initiative. I need to address that pretty quick.

#5: Disloyalty. That's something you come to expect as a leader. It happens. Alpha-personalities, issues at home being addressed in the office where it's safer and easier, people change, the company's needs change. It happens. As a leader though, you don't have the option to indulge in this. It's a short road to organizational meltdown when you betray your crew. So, the challenge is to organize a crew where this isn't an issue. We have; it's great, now.

#6: Lack of Passion. Yeah. At some point, it's an irritant. But I've learned it's also a sign of other issues: burnout, unclear priorities, issues outside the office, disconnect. Once those issues are addressed (Confidentially. See above point.) it's usually resolved with a renewed focus. And where it can't be resolved like that, it's resolved with helping us both realize it's time to part ways for a better opportunity, one where they'll find that renewed passion.

#9: Petty Lying. Ok. This goes to the top of my list. First because it's petty. I don't have time to waste with petty. Second, because it's lying. Lying's a sneaky form of disloyalty. It communicates a patronizing form of disrespect, like I'm too stupid to see what you're doing or it's not worth it to resist doing it or to hide it better when it's done. My thoughts are that if they're going to lie about something petty...they're not to be trusted on important things. And if you're going to lie, show us both some respect and make the effort to do a good lie. Show me that at least you cared enough to try and sell it to me.

Reading through the list, it's clear it's not about what bosses hate about you. Or you hate about bosses. It's 10 Things That Kill Relationships. That's what this list is all about: all the things one can do to kill a relationship based on trust, communication, patience, compassion, respect, integrity...boss or not, work or not, family or not.