Have you been surreptitiously eyeing the corner office at your workplace, and its brilliant view, potted plants and best of all, the power that goes with it? No need to feel guilty, a little ambition never hurt anybody. After all, that’s where we all want to reach at some point in life, sooner or later. But the closer you get to it, the more apprehensive you get. Because it’s one thing to be good at your work and another thing entirely to be a good boss. Scary though that sounds, it’s not an impossible feat, if you keep certain factors in mind. It’s still a tightrope walk, but these pointers make it doable. Read on to find out more about them.
Trust in Your Abilities: Many high achievers tend to set very high standards for themselves. As a result, even when the work they turn in is far higher in standards than that of the average person, they tend to feel inadequate. If you want to be a good boss, it’s time to gain confidence in your own abilities. Because if you have no confidence in yourself, how will the team confidently follow your lead?
Grab every opportunity: If you think an opportunity is worth pursuing, grab hold of it with both your hands. Don’t be afraid of a fight, whether it be pitching for a higher salary or dealing with rogue colleagues. Your ability to spot opportunities and stick to your guns despite the heat you face plays a big role in how quickly you rise to the top. See to it that you do so.
Embrace the hate: Hate is an important part of your life when you reach the upper echelons. There will be people, possibly your peers who may hate you for reaching the top before them or reaching their coveted place. You need to work on ignoring them and not let it affect your job. Similarly, being the boss lady is not a popular position. A strict male boss would be called a task master, but a female boss may be called a bitch lady. Don’t worry yourself thin trying to win a popularity contest. You have a job to do first and if it means that you sometimes come down hard upon people, so be it.
Never stop learning: You may have been all the rage when you were young, fresh faced and chock full of new ideas. You were probably enthusiastic about every new thing you came across. Ten years later, hubris may probably set in. You may feel, that as a veteran in the field, you have nothing new to learn. Wrong! Even bosses never stop learning. Apart from the fact that you need to keep up with the times, every field of work is constantly evolving – new concepts, new methods, new technology. So never turn down the opportunity to learn something new, even if it’s from a subordinate. After all a boss who doesn’t keep up with time, gets left behind.
Redefine yourself: As a boss lady, you have some quick emotional growing up to do. Bid goodbye to that happy-go-lucky kid that you were when you first began working. Although many of us do evolve over years, it’s a different kind of growing up when you become the boss lady. Apart from the power, you now bear the burden of responsibility and any decisions that you make impacts the company too. Absorb the strength of that image and know that you are no longer just a kid playing a grown up. You can change the world now, truly.
Keep Emotions Controlled: As a newbie you probably burst into tears when your boss first gave you a severe scold. Every time you wanted to crib, you had this whole work gang from your team, listening to what you say. But it’s lonely at the top, not to mention tough. You can no longer give in to your emotions if you boss gives you dressing down, which will probably happen fairly often, in this position. Earlier, when you had a bad day at home, you probably went easy at work, because of your mood. Not anymore, because as boss lady you have to be accessible at all times and be sensible and in control of the situation. Go outside to a secluded place if you need to vent.
Embrace the Fear: You may be the boss, but this would still be a new job, a new profile that you are unfamiliar with. Mistakes are bound to happen. Since you are constantly under scrutiny by bosses and subordinates, anything foolish that you do draws attention. But, stop feeling conscious about it. Being a boss lady means knowing that taking risks and looking stupid is an essential part of the learning process. Don’t overthink this, just go for it.
By Vasundara R
