If you are leadership material, nothing is more exhilarating than being the boss.
In my previous article I focused on how, for many, being a boss is too hard. On the contrary, some people realize their full potential in a leadership position. This is how Martine, a manager of a large business, runs a group of one hundred and fifty people. All manner of individuals and work profiles are under her responsibility such as managers, team leaders, professionals, and employees.
She admits that sometimes it is difficult, but, when assessed, there are many positive elements such as feeling at the centre of planning and decision-making, advancing the organization, and the feeling of leaving her mark. She treats the business as her own and is not only motivated by power and material wealth, but also by a deep need to engage.
She draws the necessary energy from this motivation to lead and manage her teams. She takes an interest in her employees by listening to and bonding with them which is necessary in her eyes to gain their support.
The joy of being a boss comes from the satisfaction of seeing a team grow, contribute to the collective success, and achieve objectives—as much as the paycheck and exercising power. Bosses renowned for their leadership qualities often share the same motivators.
The freedom to decide, you are the ship’s captain and you decide the course and destination. Planning is your department, and it is up to you to communicate it to your teams so they can share your vision. The choice to act is yours; you are the master of your own destiny, the successes and failures. Almost nobody can push a bad plan on you. You play to win and have the courage to take risks.
The advantage of choosing your colleagues, it is incidentally in your capacity to surround yourself with renowned managers. If there is a benefit, it is being able to choose your coworkers. That leaves a lot of people to recruit.
Financial interest, being a boss is very demanding, but the financial compensation is well worth the pain. Remuneration is also a motivator and source of satisfaction. The long hours and worry is worth more and merits a higher salary.
The pleasure of sharing your knowledge, entry to a management position often implies an extensive accumulation of experience and knowledge. I have heard administrators, who quickly climbed the ranks, say many times: “I reached a point where I can give back the knowledge I gained” At a certain stage in life, giving back and sharing knowledge is very gratifying.
Pride from achieving goals together, we can build more together than alone. A business success does not rest solely on one person, but on everyone’s contribution—thanks to perseverance—and the collective will to succeed that makes a business stand out. If bosses sometimes feel alone, many acknowledge that their team supports them as much as they support their team.
To doubting managers, Martine responds: “People made to manage are driven by willpower and an irresistible need to build and get things moving. That is what moves them forward and it is not learned, but is an integral part of their personality.” If you are leadership material, you will know that you are made to be a boss, despite yourself, because it makes you happy.