Before you start going left to right, top to bottom with your eyes (I could have just said: reading), allow me to preface: your boss, be it another person or yourself, owes you the outmost respect, that is your right from others and yourself. With that being said, let’s dig in!
I have been plagued with bad bosses throughout my professional career, in fact my third article ever for bazaar (love you guys) was titled “HORRIBLE BOSSES: A CATALYST FOR SUCCESS”.
As I sat here facing the endless whiteness of my empty word document, I thought why not revisit an old piece I wrote and see if it stood the test of time. In the following lines, I will quote passages from the previous article and George today (GT) will argue with George 3 years ago (G3YA) on the merit or lack off in his statements.
G3YA: “We’ve all had, or have, bosses. Some are great, some are just plain…expired”
GT: This, today has become more of an underlining standard, sadly. Day after day, I am witnessing people leaving great jobs on the sole premise that their manager is horrible. Managers keep forgetting that one of the most valuable assets is a human who feels invested in the business. Pressure them the wrong way and you will successfully create a robotic responder rather than a growth initiator.
G3YA: “I am not employee material. No, this does not mean I have no professional integrity or discipline […]”
GT: I am worse now. The idea of me operating under somebody’s umbrella shakes me to my core. I can collaborate, I can assist, I can invest time in somebody’s project but I still need to maintain my mental freedom. I still need to know that I can get up, pack my laptop, drive my car to a restaurant by the beach, sit there and work without needing to ask or justify. My professional integrity and self-imposed discipline have become stronger and harsher respectively. Being on my own does not mean an on-going vacation. I see it as a great way to be very comfortable so I can work longer hours without feeling that “I have to”.
G3YA: “I used the fact that I had a horrible boss for my advantage.”
GT: great job lad and many thanks!
G3YA: “It made me anxious to find out what I really want to do in my life and devise the plan that will lead me there in a short time.”
GT: Yes and no! Yes, for the well employed anxiety and no for the naive thinking that it will happen shortly. 3 years in, I am still finding my voice in my new profession and in my journey in business. I am constantly trimming, adapting, growing and overcoming. I can proudly and happily say I am still very far from my target.
G3YA: “[…]but, I also knew that my gut never lies and that my gut told me that I was just fed up.”
GT: Your gut was, is and will always be right one way or another.
G3YA: “I quit my job and ventured into my own thing with a lot of planning and a lot more of foolishness.”
GT: this surprisingly shifted. I plan way less and do way more foolish things. I have learned that I only grow when I follow my curiosity, and lady curiosity does not plan. She just shows up, so either you follow, or you stay behind.
All in all, I feel G3YA had set me up with a great initial starting point. However, today, I am very aware that I am my worst boss. Not worst in terms of treatment, but worst in expectations. I hold myself accountable to the highest degree, I believe my down time should be also productive in one way or another and vacation days should be where I think the most about what’s my next curious project.
I have indeed adopted a mental state where I live in constant fear that tomorrow, I will be angry with myself from yesterday for the things I did or did not do, and that drives me beyond any other motivation on this earth.
Yeah, I hate horrible bosses, but this one gets paid by me and I can shut him down whenever I want.
P.S: if George from 3 years later (GF3YL) revisits this one too, please don’t burst my bubble.
George Tarabay is a marketing expert Filmmaker/ Comedian/Podcaster. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, SoundCloud @GeorgeTarabay. Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash.
