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The effective boss: not necessarily a hothead
By Justin Farmer
WFAA-TV
Is quiet the new loud?
From this year's Super Bowl coaches to the leaders of top companies, the understated, smiling boss has apparently taken over for the crushing commander.
Does your boss resemble legendary Texas Tech basketball coach (and hothead) Bob Knight? If so, he or she is apparently among a dying breed of "command-and-control" leaders.
"When you get to Generation X and now Generation Y, that's not how we want to be treated, and frankly they have less tolerance for it," said Mel Fugate of the SMU Cox School of Business.
You don't have to look far to find proof. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, often voted among the best companies to work for, has bosses who highlight the virtues of listening.
"They're here every meeting and offering up lots of good information," said Southwest revenue management employee Autumn Bogado. "You feel their sincerity."
Southwest's chief operating officer Mike Van de Ven explained that screaming and claiming to have all the right answers isn't the way to connect with workers. "We do that by really listening to them and getting their input," he said.
And while it seems so simple, a recent Columbia University study estimates that 90 percent of American workers feel bullied by their bosses.
A Gallup Poll found that half of all workers would fire their current bosses. Quality workers will change jobs if they can to find a better boss.
"It's a genuine trend," Fugate said. "It's something that has grown over years, and it's continuing to grow and catch genuine momentum."
Look no further than the head coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy. You'll never see him screaming at his team. His quarterback dedicated the world championship win to his coach.
So the next time your boss loses his/her head and starts spewing orders, take a small bit of pleasure in knowing that person may soon find company with the dodo bird: extinct.
Watch the video on the WFAA Web site.
WFAA-TV
Is quiet the new loud?From this year's Super Bowl coaches to the leaders of top companies, the understated, smiling boss has apparently taken over for the crushing commander.
Does your boss resemble legendary Texas Tech basketball coach (and hothead) Bob Knight? If so, he or she is apparently among a dying breed of "command-and-control" leaders.
"When you get to Generation X and now Generation Y, that's not how we want to be treated, and frankly they have less tolerance for it," said Mel Fugate of the SMU Cox School of Business.
You don't have to look far to find proof. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, often voted among the best companies to work for, has bosses who highlight the virtues of listening.
"They're here every meeting and offering up lots of good information," said Southwest revenue management employee Autumn Bogado. "You feel their sincerity."
Southwest's chief operating officer Mike Van de Ven explained that screaming and claiming to have all the right answers isn't the way to connect with workers. "We do that by really listening to them and getting their input," he said.
And while it seems so simple, a recent Columbia University study estimates that 90 percent of American workers feel bullied by their bosses.
A Gallup Poll found that half of all workers would fire their current bosses. Quality workers will change jobs if they can to find a better boss.
"It's a genuine trend," Fugate said. "It's something that has grown over years, and it's continuing to grow and catch genuine momentum."
Look no further than the head coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy. You'll never see him screaming at his team. His quarterback dedicated the world championship win to his coach.
So the next time your boss loses his/her head and starts spewing orders, take a small bit of pleasure in knowing that person may soon find company with the dodo bird: extinct.
Watch the video on the WFAA Web site.
I couldn't agree with you more. The sad thing is that many people in executive and leadership positions are finding out the hard way. When they live in a world of denial and refuse to acknowledge that their employees have good, valid suggestions, it is sometimes too late.