"John Doe's office...can I take a message?"

Do you ever feel like you're just getting through the day...one second at a time? Today was one of those days. It actually went quite smoothly until one little phone call...and a flashback of a time when I worked for someone who didn't quite understand the meaning of leadership. Well you might ask, "Don't bosses go through some kind of leadership training...like, where they learn to be good bosses?" Hardly!! If you're fortunate enough to have a great boss, count your blessings. I've worked for several over the years, and I can honestly say that some got it, and some just don't. Leadership and management are two distinct things. Management is getting people to do their job...period. It's watching from the office window in a factory and waiting for someone to slip up...oh, and the occasional "great job", despite the crap that you make your employees put up with on a day-to-day basis, i.e. your bad attitude, temper, mood swings, dictatorial approaches to increase productivity. Leadership is entirely different. A true leader empowers people to do their job's the most effective and exciting way they can. The bottom line gets taken care of, and there's never any doubt that the "boss" is actually one of the hardest workers in the joint...if not the hardest working. See, far too often, people buy into a false understanding of delegation. Real delegation is dividing up tasks and responsibilities to people who are skilled and gifted to complete the task, even better than what the boss could do. It's a matter of maximizing productivity by harnessing the creative juices of each person...all the while, making them feel valuable and appreciated. Delegation is NOT dumping your work on someone else, just because you can...then sitting around reading the newspaper, drinking a cup of coffee and pretending to work...subordinates see right through that crap. And pretty soon, there's resentment...and people can't stand working for you anymore. What do I prefer? To cherish people...respect them...work on my own attitude problems so that they NEVER see it. In most cases, the hardworking people that we delegate to are making much less than we do...so there should never be a question as to who is working hardest...lead by example. Then your people will respect you...and guess what...they'll love to help....and actually crave it....I know, it's crazy, huh?? OK, well I guess I don't know all that much really....just what I learned in 11 years of experience as a leader...