You Can Only Grow As Far As Your Boss Decides

Is it true that the boss is always right?

What about a team of lions led by a sheep and one of sheep led by a lion? Which is the better team to be in? We shall answer these questions along the way. But first, a story of two bosses.

There was an organisation that had very empowered departmental heads. These managers worked as mini CEOs because they had the mandate to hire and fire, so long as they delivered on set objectives.

One boss was inward-looking and hardly ever complimented or credited team members for the good work that emanated from their efforts.

This boss understood the company culture like the back of his hands and was part of the team that developed and reviewed the company systems and processes, so he knew how to cover his tracks well at every turn. He was just as shrewd as he was full of himself and detested going on leave, for he loved his office kingdom so much.

The HR manager often filled in the leave form for him and forced him to sign it. And somehow, things would go wrong while he was away and they'd have to recall him to sort them. He knew how to twist things just before taking his 'forced' leave. Let us call this guy Mr. Q.

The other manager was Mr. X. He was the opposite of Mr. Q. The team loved him. He developed them and always fought for additional resources for them. They performed beyond expectations and the company did quite well.

But there was a problem. They say that a good manager is known in his absence. If the team works well, then, one is certified as a good manager. Whenever Mr. X went on leave, Mr. Q would be in charge of both teams and they performed poorly. And when Mr. Q was away, Mr. X would take charge and the teams did well. The CEO always challenged Mr. X to change his ways and become a better manager such that the results reflected well in his absence.

Clearly, the wrong man was taking credit for undoing the overall team's successes. And when salary reviews came, Mr. Q got better pay raises and bonuses, while good Mr. X had to make do with marginal adjustments.

But the whole team knew that it was Mr. X that kept the company's fire burning bright in a tough marketplace.

With time, one thing led to another and Mr. X found employment elsewhere. He diligently handed over to Mr. Q as they searched hard for a suitable replacement.

Soon enough, the CEO's one-sided philosophy returned bad results. The company's fortunes tumbled on account of Mr. Q's bad leadership. Several resignations followed and a good number of staffers joined Mr. X in the relatively new company. The board stepped in and the staff survey that ensued revealed the problem. But it came too little too late for any meaningful change.

Both the CEO and Mr. Q had to leave the company, and a new team of managers was hired to turn it around. It was two years before any meaningful results were noted.

Meanwhile, Mr. X was on a roll. He grew the company to heights way above what his old company had ever achieved and the chairman of his former company was heard wondering aloud: "if only we had known", but it was too late.

So, which of the two teams was led by a lion and which was led by a sheep? Remember that the flock were behind the lion and the pride behind the sheep.

In answering these questions we also answer the first one. Is the boss always right?

In our case, he was wrong because he saw the wrong things. He saw a sheep in the lion and a lion in the sheep. The guy who was working delivered results but the man with no results hid behind systems for long.

But what held true all along, is that Mr. X only grew as far as the boss allowed him. And to continue growing, he had to find another boss who wished for him to grow further.

The good bosses share a trait with good teachers. They always find satisfaction in their students outdoing them. But this is often easier said than done.

5%—10% of bosses will genuinely develop staff. In fact, most staffers benefit from company policies geared towards developing employees more than they do when managers are left to their own devices.

This means that it is quite possible to think that your boss is very good if you work in a structured environment. But something may give him away when he gets the leeway to do things his own way. Many bosses are organised because that is what assures them of continued employment but when their seniors eyes are taken off them, they lapse into personal culture and act out of tune with set culture. In such times, are they right? Again, they are wrong. But dare you point a finger at them and you will face the consequences.

But remember that all responsibility rests with the board. Management exercises delegated responsibility. Therefore, the board must never lapse in executing their duties. When bosses are frequently wrong, perhaps it's time to make changes at the board level.

When the boss is right, the right results are witnessed. And likewise when he is wrong.