SURVEY SAYS: Do You Want Your Boss's Job?

Having said that, as anyone who is, or has been, a boss can attest – theirs is not always an enviable position.   This week I asked readers if they would like to have their boss’s job.

Suffice it to say that most of this week’s respondents have NO interest in taking the boss’s job.   A plurality ( 35.6% ) went so far as to say “never in a million years,” while another 27.6% simply said “no.”   Or, as one reader noted colorfully, “Response would be the same when asked do I want to have a frontal lobotomy: “No thank you.”   

That isn’t to say that they necessarily thought their boss was doing a good job, of course.   Roughly 7% said they didn’t want the job, but would like their boss to find another position – and nearly 5% who said they would want the job also said that “we’d both be better off” if they occupied the boss’s desk.  

Nearly 14% said they’d like to be in the boss’s position eventually, while 9% simply said “yes” – just 2.3% weren’t sure.

Running the Gamut

The comments this week – like the bosses, no doubt – ran the gamut; from something just short of adoration to something just short of insubordination.   Here’s a sampling:

I am the president and owner of my business. The beauty is I am the best boss I have ever had. I am also the toughest boss I have ever had (on myself). There are certainly days which I wish I could trade places with someone and let them face the responsibilities and headaches but, most of the time I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world (except maybe retired billionaire).

I have a great boss. She walks through fire daily so that her team doesn’t have too.

No – But my wife wouldn’t give up the spot anyway!

Let’s see I actively pursue budget on a monthly basis, I handle all personal, & personnel issues within my group and his group. I handle all problems with outside clients AND I keep him informed of everything I’ve done so he looks good with his boss…. Gee I think I already have his job

I happen to have a boss that is a skilled manager. I know that I am lucky because some of my prior bosses have been from the 9th level of hell.

I am fortunate to work for an employer that encourages and practices ‘straight talk’, so if I have something important to say, I say it with impunity.

There were, of course, some things that hadn’t yet been said:

Having your “trusted” best friend as your business partner is bad for this business – I’m watching her rob you blind!

I spend more time tracking what I do, than doing what I do…get real!

You need to step up and give this unit some direction. You also need to start listening to your team about pain points, and the suggestions we have made to solve for those pain points.

Things are getting better!

Could you please read email messages beyond the first sentence?

I don’t need a five minute voicemail (literally) to let me know your kid is sick and you’ll be working from home. I end up listening to the entire message thinking there might be some direction or tid bit of information that I might actually need.

Stop believing everything your other direct report tells you….The job didn’t turn out to be exactly what you promised it would be…so how about a raise????

“Better” Communication?

And there were a number of calls for better communication:

Stop by and talk to me sometime.

If you had been more available to discuss my questions and concerns on a regular basis, some problems could have been avoided and I could have done things the way you wanted (but did not communicate) the first time.

Your employees would like to hear from or see you occasionally when you didn’t have a complaint!

I know you’re my boss, and our personalities are completely opposite, and you don’t like me like that, but I really want to sleep with you.

And just some great comments:

Great job! (Just in case this gets back to her somehow)

I want that raise that I’ve been promised for the last year and a half! (I’ve asked frequently, and been told, “we’re working on it.” Yeah, and I’m working on my resume!

But this week’s Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who noted, “I was sending him a card for bosses day. now that you have terrified me with your question, I’m putting a check in it.”

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

Thinking that there might be a correlation between the number of reports and their effectiveness as a boss, we asked readers how many people reported to their boss:

• 37.9% - two to five reports
• 31.6% -  six to nine reports
• 19.0% - ten to fifteen reports
• 7.4%  -  > fifteen reports
• 4.2% - < two reports

NO -I already have enough responsibility and stress.   But it's relevant to know that he is the CEO, and I am neither interested nor qualified to take that position.   I will stick with HR.

No. Never, not in a million years. I can't figure out why she wanted it.

Only if it was the only way I could stay employed.

Ordinarily, I would like to have my bosses' job, which is HR Director, but there are days...