Survey Says: How Do You Feel About YOUR Boss?
OK, so Bosses Day is not a “real” holiday (it was yesterday). But odds are if you have a boss, you will at least feel obliged to acknowledge the day in some way. This week, we’re curious about your relationship with your boss
The majority of this week’s respondents were wildly enthusiastic about their current leadership. In fact, nearly 54% said their current boss was “the best” they had ever had, while roughly 15% said their current boss was “not yet the best, but has potential.”
The sentiments of the former were best expressed by a reader who noted , “ Don’t pinch me. If it’s a dream I don’t want to wake up. I vote “A” for not only my boss but for the entire organization. I’ve been working for 34 years and have worked for 5 different organizations so I have some perspective. I’ve asked my peers what they like most about our boss and we all agree that he listens, supports, and most of all has a way of making all of us feel like our efforts are crucially important to the organization’s success….I like it here and I say my prayers every night that we won’t be downsizing. It seems too good to be true. I changed my mind, pinch me, I don’t want to miss a minute of this.”
Another gushed, “ My boss is, by far, the best boss I have ever had. She is brilliant (graduated at the top of her class, speaks 3 languages fluently, knows something about every subject – and she’s always right), she’s humble, she’s compassionate, she’s energetic, she’s not afraid to address the hard issues, she rewards hard work, she has a good sense of humor and she inspires me. She sounds too good to be true, but she is.”
As for those in the “potential” category, there was the reader who said, ” “(b) but, with an employee like me – the potential is grand!”
Some 7% described their current boss as “fair to middling”, while nearly 5% said their boss was “better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick”, such as the reader who noted, “ (d) better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. But just barely. The poke in the eye loses out only because of the permanent damage it can cause.”
Of course, that left nearly one-in-five that said a poke in the eye would be better than their current boss, such as the one who said, “ This son of a yak is worse than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick in a rattlesnake pit. He has the insight of Dilbert’s Pointy Haired boss, and the compassion of a scorpion. And them’s his good points.”
However, most bosses are human. As one reader wisely noted, “ Most of the time he’s been a really nice guy, but there were occasions when I’ve thought I may have to hang garlic over my door to ward off evil. We all have our days.”
But as colorful as the extremes were, this week’s Editor’s Choice was from the reader who had a “special” reporting relationship, “ My boss is the best I ever had. Have worked for him for 20 years. Am clawing and scraping my way to the top of the corporate ladder by sleeping with him. (He’s my husband of 41 years.)”
Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey! You can check out more VERBATIMS (including a poem) at
Don't pinch me. If it's a dream I don't want to wake up. I vote "A" for not only my boss but for the entire organization. I've been working for 34 years and have worked for 5 different organizations so I have some perspective. I've asked my peers what they like most about our boss and we all agree that he listens, supports, and most of all has a way of making all of us feel like our efforts are crucially important to the organization's success. The management team is a similar group of intelligent and dedicated individuals who do an excellent job of instilling pride, professionalism and motivation. I like it here and I say my prayers every night that we won't be downsizing. It seems too good to be true. I changed my mind, pinch me, I don't want to miss a minute of this.
Funny you should ask this question, as I never acknowledged boss's day with my previous manager. This year, I wouldn't have done it either except for a resourceful coworker who got a Boss's Day card two weeks ago and sent it around for all of us to sign. I gladly did it as I really like my new boss. This boss is (b). My last boss made you think he was D, but the thing was, he was the one who would poke you in the eye and then ask you what you had done to cause him to want to poke you in the eye....He loved to make people feel guilty for all the sins of the world!
a) would have to be my answer, since I'm the owner and effectively my own boss, and have treated myself pretty darn well. Of course, I'm also married...should I give my wife flowers on Bosses Day or would it be safer to wait until Sweetest Day?
(a) The absolute best I ever had and I've been in the job market many years.
My boss is, by far, the best boss I have ever had. She is brilliant (graduated at the top of her class, speaks 3 languages fluently, knows something about every subject - and she's always right), she's humble, she's compassionate, she's energetic, she's not afraid to address the hard issues, she rewards hard work, she has a good sense of humor and she inspires me.
She sounds too good to be true, but she is.
I've had the opposite end of the spectrum, so I'm very grateful for my boss now.
I'm happy to say "a" - the best! I've worked for him for 8 years, and he is a big reason I took the job, and why I haven't moved on to "bigger and better" things. I just hope he doesn't retire too soon . . .
E- This son of a yak is worse than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick in a rattlesnake pit. He has the insight of Dilbert's Pointy Haired boss, and the compassion of a scorpion. And them's his good points.
I must say that I have the best boss I have ever had the pleasure of working with. The company I work for is very family oriented and is almost like my extended family. My boss is the most caring person I have ever known. He does not tell you what to do, he leads you, and he sets an example that you want to live up to in your career. He is an amazing man and I feel very privileged to work for him.
I must say my boss is an A+. He is definitely the best boss I have had in my 20 year career.
I'd have to say "B". He's not the best boss I've ever had, but he's right up there with those I respect the most and like working for. I do have one question though. If there is a bosses day, why isn't there an employee's day? We have secretary's day but that's just something the bosses made up because they felt guilty that the person that works for them making $25,000 a year is buying the person a gift who's making $70,000 a year.
I'll go with "A - best I've ever had", with a minor caveat. I've been very lucky in that nearly all of my bosses have been great. They know their business, are good people and run a tight ship. Although my current boss is more attuned to personal trust than retirement trust, he is the strongest I've seen on encouraging and coordinating professional training.
(b) but, with an employee like me - the potential is grand! 🙂
c) but only the "middlin" half. We are probably the best example of fallacy in the concept of synergistic relationships.
Definitely (a) the best I've ever had! My boss praises frequently, is kind, considerate and thoughtful. He is the type to send money for dinner when a friend and I go on a trip! He not only knows my kids' names, but everything about them. He never makes me choose between family and work. He never forgets birthdays, Secretary's Day, or Christmas. He is the best!
(d) Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. But just barely. The poke in the eye loses out only because of the permanent damage it can cause.
I am in a new job with a former boss....I am a woman and my boss is a woman...we are also very good friends.
My boss is strong, creative and willful, but at the same time, fair, generous and a great listener!
We had worked together at very large corporation (about 10,000 people) for about 8 years. Then, about 1 month ago, I joined her here at a much smaller company (about 12 people). It's a tight team, and we all work very well together!
We are having the best boss's day - all our boss's are off, but it's raining! My direct boss is between b & c.
I recently moved to (b) but hopefully my opinion is not colored too rosily by recently moving to him from (g) the poke in the eye with a sharp stick knocked me off the roof into a vat of turpentine after having caught my lip on a rusty nail halfway down. We didn't get along very well.
My boss was laid off last week in a workforce reduction...so I currently have no one to acknowledge!
In response to your bosses' day question: Oh would that I had "a" boss! Unfortunately, I am overrun with bosses. I work for a law firm with numerous partners who all consider themselves "bosses" which makes it extremely difficult to do my job. They run the gamut from best to worst so I'm not planning on acknowledging the day to any of them lest I create more problems.
I will definitely go with a big A. Being in HR it would be easy to develop a touch of cynicism, but he has helped me keep a level head with humor and a really strange outlook on life! God bless the weird!
Last October I received a call from my father that my mother "wasn't doing well" following hip replacement surgery. I was on a plane that afternoon. We learned the next day that my mother had terminal cancer. She died three weeks later. My manager was incredible throughout. I was gone from the office for the entire month of October. She made it very clear to me that "family came first." When I asked her about my company's bereavement policy, she told me "take as much time as you need." I would have to say that she is the best boss I have ever had.
Bosses Day response: He gets a definite (E). I think he's the one that should be bringing us in treats today for having to put up with him.
(a) best I've ever had for two reasons: 1) like Ms. Haroski...he is my dad (thanks to her I have to show appreciation on his birthday AND bosses day...anyone consider changing bosses day to March 2nd?) 2) only real boss I ever had!
Very hard to say, so much is done under the cloak of secrecy, and no we are not part of government intelligence, just an insecure bunch. It will also depend on if you mean the bosses actions or words or the dreaded match of the two. Now that I've had a little fun with it I'll have to say (c), not outstanding but not unfair either. Can do much better with speaking out for our departments abilities so our perspective isn't left out of so many major company decisions and can do better at supporting his supervisors with their staff's.
But as my staff's strength grows we have found avenues to be heard without overt acts of disloyalty. We prefer to be more involved in the building rather than the clean up due to unintended consequences from uninformed decisions. Most offences I believe are the result of just being a little worn down over the years. There is something to be said about term limits because of humans' natural tendency for complacence through sameness. The difficult part of a term limit with a small company is that usually would mean move out of the firm. Still the best economic system and government the world has produced yet.
Happily, I'm at "B" and since I'm exactly one month at my new position, which means there is good potential here. I've done a 180-degree shift in company cultures--from highly scrutinized/micro-managed to a hands-off style that is sometimes confusing but generally refreshing.
I am blessed to work for a woman who understands the balance that women in the workforce with families often find challenging. When my kids are sick, or have a championship soccer game at 4 p.m. on a workday, she supports my desire to be there for my children. I get one shot at raising them and sharing their lives and anyone who is raising children understands how quickly time passes. I am thankful that she is truly supportive.
Please enjoy my not quite rhyming attempt at humor....
Mondays - A poke in the eye would look better than what I see on this first business day each week.
Tuesday - On this day we can forego the poke for a swift kick in the **ts....because in either case I cannot speak.
Wednesday - Fair to Middling is an apt description for this day....for it is in the middle of the week....and life could not be less fair.
Thursday - Is not quite the best day of exposure to my boss, but it has potential, as long as it passes with no mental loss.
Friday - The best of them all....my suffering is at an end...for the next two days my psyche I will mend.
Survey response: (b) not yet the best, but has potential. After only a month or so of being his direct report, who can really say?
Having recently changed departments, (e) is the only one that applies to my direct manager. Actually, a root canal may be preferable. On a better note, my senior manager (my boss's boss) is still one of the best I have ever had.
(a) The best I have had. He has a wealth of knowledge about the entire company and its product lines. He still is able to keep up with much of the changes in the benefits field, while asking for my input as new issues arise. He does a great job recognizing individuals strengths and weaknesses, while not spending too much time on the weaknesses. He mostly works with our strengths to help the company as much as possible.
I vote for "a" - my boss is the best. Besides being a great listener, she's smart, kind, fair, and just a lot of fun to work with.
I will have to decline to answer, as you never know who may be watching.
A! Definitely A!!!!
My boss reminds me of the old TV show "Father Knows Best". Enough said?
I am very fortunate to have a boss that: 1) is smart; 2) leaves me alone to do my job; and 3) listens to my suggestions and generally implements them. As for me, I try to do what my Mom taught me and treat my employees as I would want to be treated.
On the "Boss Survey" ... I have two.... bosses, that is. One (and the more senior of the two - the Chairman) is one of the best managers I've ever had the opportunity (and pleasure in this case) to work with in thirty+ years of working ......... and I've met all types. The other is about as close as you can get to a pure entrepreneurial spirit within a corporate setting ......... with all the good and bad that comes along with it (great vision about what products can be, how best to match the market needs in the most innovative fashion, how to best sell to prospective and current clients, offset by lack of patience and a belief ... based on a McKinsey article about CEOs ... that to be successful he has to be a demanding and unreasonable manager).
[Luckily, because of my position and our relationship, I can tell him very directly when I think he's crossed the line and he accepts the feedback. But others will not, or feel that they cannot, do the same so it distorts the priority decisions and leads to "thrashing" within the organization.] His major saving grace is that he really believes, from the heart, in doing the best thing for the organization and our people. You have to respect that.
I'd say b--but he is still pretty new in the "boss" job.
My boss -- "best I ever had" --- and I've had a menagerie -- pigs, catty-like, bears, goats, etc. He helps HR retention in our company.
My boss is the best I have ever had! Every member of our team has told her that if she ever leaves, they will have to find replacements for the rest of us, too.
That is in contrast to a colleague's husband's boss. The husband had applied to transfer out of a languishing department to work with a supervisor he liked and respected. In a meeting, the super asked him about the request and he replied that about the only place he wouldn't want to go would be the 'x team'. (It turns out the 'x team' is where the supervisor exiles people that cross him) The 'x team' is where the supervisor came from. And while there, he 'managed' to drive it into the ground, as he is doing in his current assignment. To make a bad story worse, the husband heard through the grapevine that he is not going to get the transfer her requested, he is getting exiled to the 'x team'.
(e) Maybe a poke in the eye would feel better, after all.
My boss probably falls in the "c" area. She could be a "b" but I don't completely trust her and, like everyone else these days, ultimately she's going to be looking out for number 1 when the pavement hits the road. Of course, I'm assuming these responses are anonymous or we'll really see where she falls on the scale.
A month ago I would have told you e: A poke in the eye, but now the boss has retired.
That is a tough survey question. I have to say "all of the above", depending on what day it is, whether or not he just got a distribution check, whether or not his wife just got a distribution check, how busy he is, how many people complained today, whether his son won or lost his wresting match, is his secretary out today, etc, etc., etc... I always stick my head in the door and gauge the energy in the room. Sometimes I go right in, sometimes I back out and hide, and sometimes I just send an e-mail and wait for him to come to my office. Most of the time he's been a really nice guy, but there were occasions when I've thought I may have to hang garlic over my door to ward off evil. We all have our days.
My boss is the best I ever had. Have worked for him for 20 years. Am clawing and scraping my way to the top of the corporate ladder by sleeping with him. (He's my husband of 41 years.)