Looking back over the years, it is so easy to see why you were my favorite boss. But at the time, I didn’t have enough life experience to know just how special you were. Please accept this letter as my way of honoring you for the positive impact you made on my life.
These are the things that I remember:
- Working For You Was Fun – I looked forward to coming to work. We worked hard, but we also laughed and enjoyed the day.
- You Gave Me A Big Job – This was an opportunity to show you my best work. You told me you were excited to have me on your team and you seemed sincere. It was probably a risk to put me in that role, but you never acted concerned about that.
- Your Approach To Me Was Always As A Coach – You explained expectations, you patiently answered my questions, and you were available if I needed help. You also encouraged all of us to work together, help one another, and be a true team.
- You Were Genuinely Interested In My Ideas – You listened to them and encouraged me to pursue them to see if they panned out. If they were bad ideas, you let me figure that out myself.
- You Gave Me Praise When I Succeeded – When I did something really well, you were quick to tell me so. Your words were encouraging and they built my confidence. You said thank you often.
- You Gave Me Opportunities To Grwp & Develop – You did this by sending me to classes, introducing me to other talented people, and giving me caring, honest feedback. You asked me what I wanted to do in the future and you figured out how to help me get to that goal.
- I Never Had To Ask For A Raise or Recognition – You were always ahead of that question and did the right thing.
- You Asked Me About My Life – You cared to know my life outside of work and then you remembered the things that are important to me and checked in to see how things were going.
- You Were Patient & Understanding – When I went through difficult times you were patient and understanding.
- You Were A Role Model – You mentored me in the skills and the values of a great leader and the more I observed you, the more I aspired to be like you.
There were many other bosses in my life that did not do these things. Turns out, you were one of a kind. Thank you kindly, for the good years.
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You have inspired me to do the same for a boss who paved the way to my first VP role. I saw many of the things that I experienced listed in your letter to your favorite boss.
Spot on letter to all the great bosses out there! I am fortunate to have a boss like the one describe in your letter and 4 years on working for him, I still spring out of bed every morning. This letter also reminds everyone that being caring and concern about their people is really the way to get the most out of them.
Thank you to my colleague through whom this tribute popped up on my LinkedIn account. I had such a boss who past away a year ago next month. He was the kind of leader that, when going through rough or uncertain times, as long as he was around you knew things would be alright. His care for each of his employees was not exercised out of a “How to…” book, or by self-serving motives, but came straight from the heart – which is what sets apart truly great leaders. Now I, and the many priviledged colleagues who worked for him, have the duty to carry on what we’ve learned from him. And so, his leadership continues even in his passing. I miss him sorely. Rest in peace my boss, and my friend, Preston.
Dear Dean, Thank you for sharing the lovely tribute to your favorite boss. Great leaders focus on elevating the people entrusted to their care. They aim to make a difference in your life. You will be paying it forward when you do the same for the people that work for you. Preston will be smiling! Cheryl Bachelder