I am currently enrolled in our Company’s Role Enhancement
Program. We are on our fifth month already. In a nutshell, we are learning
different management courses taught by different Professors and sometimes Executives
in our Company.
In one of our classes, the Professor asked, will you
always remember your Bosses? We responded probably not. But he replied back
with yes you will. The difference lies in whether they fall in the category of
good or bad boss. Well that make sense! We were then tasked to remember all the
Bosses we had and share with the class the bad and good character traits while
the Professor lists them on the board. It was one of the funniest sessions to
this date as the class would tease the person enumerating the bad qualities
saying oh this is your first job correct so you are pertaining to your current
Boss. Don’t worry, it will remain confidential. Ahahaha!
Now came a day when one of our young Directors, James
Vibar shared that where he is at right now is a result of good mentoring and
leadership. He had PowerPoint presentation where each slide had the name of his
Boss and the good traits he learned from each. It was just crazy because his
mentors were from all around the globe, different races – only one Filipino who
was his first ever Boss. He called them “my UN mentors”. After that I am inspired to remember some of
the Bosses I worked with and what I have learned from them, what are those good
traits that were impactful which I can use and model towards my peers. I am not sure though if James said those words
to his Bosses. But in my case, what I will share here, I’ve already told them.
Because recognizing them is the least that I can do and giving credit to where
it is due is not very hard for me. Besides, I don’t work for them now. Well
because I know the Pinoy culture, you can’t give praises to your current Boss
because they’ll call you kiss a**! Why the face!
Hope you can get something from here.
I’m starting off with an Indian Boss,
- Bhanu Viswanadha – I was an official part of his team for half a year but have worked with him for maybe a year or so. He is the supportive Boss. At first, I felt pressured because 92% of his team are based in the US. But that was just me overthinking. In meetings, he doesn’t talk all the time. He listens. And my favorite, he will not limit you. Maybe because he has reached that leadership maturity where he knows that his team’s accomplishments reflect back to him. Look at our meeting Agenda, it says so much about this person:
- Significant (AaHa) achievements – All
- Issues that other team members may help – All
- New areas/interest to work on – All
- Management updates – Bhanu
- Other points
- Talk by volunteered individual on the topic of interest
Only a secure Manager will include number three. I
remember him sending me, yes me only - materials similar to the program
materials I’ve mentioned earlier. His goal for his staff is to see them grow
and I am thankful. One time we were chatting about her daughter pursuing Law
and he was very proud. I guess indirectly he is telling me pursue your dreams –
hence I’m always asleep hahahaha!
Sharing you some of our Lync/Skype conversations.
This one is him believing me when I said the problem is
the User and not the tool lol –
When needed, he is there. Sometimes he does his own
research too –
Lastly, I think this was the longest time we talked almost
two hours due to a very urgent issue. He was very patient with me though. I was
much pressured because I am not comfortable sharing my screen when I
troubleshoot hahaha but it worked, thank God!
And up until his last email, clearly shows how supportive
he is. I’m just wondering about the phrase working together soon. Is he getting
me or something? Hahhaha. Why not!
- Glenn Higginbotham – I have worked for him and with him for almost two years. I think he lived in the States all his life but he looks like he has an Irish blood. I’m guessing based on his surname and profile when I saw him in person. Gwapo haha! After that I searched his LinkedIn profile and omg I see myself in him how he started as a Software Developer but became Project Manager first before managing PMO. You have no idea how inspired I was by merely stalking him!!
Glenn is the epitome of the “Good Boss”. He has his way
of making his staff do things for him willingly and more important – happily! Personally,
he made me stay willingly too. In my schooling now, it is said that those
traits are very essential for a Boss to have. He never said we are a team but
his actions do. He makes you feel you’re always part of something big and
significant. He knows how to recognize you whether it be small or big effort
and he gives it on time. What do you want a simple gift on Valentine’s Day or
yeah something more expensive but a week late? Okay something expensive lol
kidding, you know what my point is. Right timing makes it sincere. He makes you
aware of what is going on. He keeps everyone well informed. Don’t you just hate
those that will involve you only when things are messed up or has gotten worse?
That’s what I appreciate about him on our meetings. Even if something has just
started, he lets you know. Our Professor said we live in a generation where
information is easily acquired so when a staff learned something from different
source and not from the Boss, then that boss fairly gets a poor score, worse he
cannot get the buy-in and trust of the team in the future.
And as a validation of everything I say, here’s what his
other Staff in the US told me,
He was the best
manager I ever had and is such a smart, hardworking and knowledgeable guy!
Seriously, not one person (PMs included) ever had a bad thing to say about him,
ever! (And you know our PMs).
WOW!!!!
Last Thanksgiving Glenn was telling me they had a family
reunion held at their home like 26 of them and was a lot of work. But he really
has it, because even his family loves him too.
Glenn is very consistent in words and actions. He knows you by name (oh parang si God lang). He knows your capabilities and does not question them. In fact, he will let you face even the giants of the company because that's how much confidence he puts in his people. And when you mess up, worry not - he will defend you.
Guess to sum it all up, he’s the Boss that says I couldn’t
do it without my team. And honestly, in all work that we did together, I didn’t
ask for spotlight or something similar. My motivation was to lift him up
instead because he simply deserved it.
I have not shared this in any of my social media because
I thought I will be perceived arrogant but this time I’m posting it to say that
a Manager who uses smiley is not common but cool! Just joking. This is one of
the most heartfelt email from a Boss I have ever received. Very short and
heartfelt. And although I did not get promoted for this worse I didn’t get a raise lol it’s
okay because what’s important – someone believed in you, someone trusted you,
and someone is proud of you!
- Ed Scofield – I think he’s pure American with a slight influence from Manila using “kewl” instead of cool, “k” instead of okay and a lot of LOLs. And because I worked with him the longest, he is most loved by me. More than four years and all my peers in Manila can attest that I have nothing against this guy. You know when you work as Support, you can’t stop comparing the people you work with onshore like the common I hear from them is that she is pushy, he is weird, she is crazy, she is fake, she can’t be trusted, he doesn’t know what he talks about, she is selfish, she is credit-grabber, and so on. Oh no, we might lose work because of this hahaha. But with Ed as he’d say, nona problema. He’s very chill. No drama. We only focus on work. Okay we have a few inside jokes too. I like it when I make him laugh. I know he does, because when I was in the States, we would still use IM even we’re close to each other and then he’ll look at me and say “I know” laughing. He’s very technical that’s probably the reason we clicked together. We are both weird and we share the love for data!!!! We enjoy discovering stuff from our big databases. We are always curious. One time I think he told me I should work for CIA lol I’d love that. He is very understanding. He is not selfish at all. He is happy when I get what he teaches me. But even though he is way better than me, there are also times he consults me and asks for my inputs and that is just awesome. When he knows it’s your work, he’ll let you shine bright like a diamond lmao. He is my cheerleader Boss. How would you feel when your mentor says, I’m learning from you. Feels so good!
I hope we all learn from them. If given a chance to work
for them, I gladly will! I’ve missed them a great deal and they will remain
unforgotten. Hashtag blessed. Hashtag grateful.
Talking with some people, they said it’s ok to have awful Boss because you know what not to do when you’re there.
