How to Be a Boss People Love Working for
I remember once in the Marines I was speaking to a man named Joe Dowdy, a “full-bird” Colonel, who was about to lead over 7,000 men and women into battle. This is about as close to having God-like powers as any man can have but he was talking to me like a beloved teacher may speak to one of his favorite students.
I wasn’t his favorite Marine, of course — we all were. This extreme down-to-earth humility made him one of the most well-loved officers in the Marine Corps. A “Marine’s Marine.”
Think of the bosses, teachers, coaches, or leaders you’ve loved the most. What was it about them that made you feel this way?
In most cases, it was how they made you feel. Motivated. Challenged. Listened to. Trusted. A better version of you because of who they are.
I’ve practiced and studied leadership for 25 years in military, corporate, and volunteer settings.
Here some ways to be a boss people love working for — a leader people love to follow.
1. Practice Extreme Humility
Arrogance is the evil twin of confidence. It looks like confidence on the exterior, but on the inside it is filled with insecurity contained by condescension.
