Great Bosses, Greater Impact: Leadership Lessons that Stick

It’s no great secret that an employee’s job satisfaction often rests on the relationship with their boss. A study by the American Psychological Association found that 75% of Americans say their “boss is the most stressful part of their workday.” But the opposite can also be true. We’ve all worked for that one boss whose voice we hear in the back of our minds when we’re trying to solve a problem, inspire someone, or create something new.

I entered the workforce three days before my 16th birthday. There was a drugstore on the corner by my house desperate enough to take someone without experience. The interview was brief; they needed me to start that day, and my new boss told me he’d pay me in cash. Within the first week, he offered my first bit of job-related feedback—that I needed to wear makeup and flirt with male customers to keep them in the store buying scratch-offs. I went home that day and never returned, making that the only job I’ve ever ghosted or quit without warning, notice or a paycheck. While I was only there three days, I learned a valuable lesson: if an employer is desperate to hire you, there might be a good reason.

Following this experience, I worked multiple retail jobs throughout high school and college, arguably dedicating more hours to work than academics. Over the years, the lessons imparted by both good and not-so-good bosses have often surpassed anything I could have learned in a book.

Take Carla, a supervisor I worked with briefly during college. She introduced me as her “colleague” in every setting, rather than by my title or, worse, as her “direct report.” This gesture resonated with me so profoundly that I adopted the same practice when I transitioned into a managerial role. Sherry Quam Taylor of QuamTaylor LLC shared a similar experience: “My first boss did that too when I was just 22 and he was probably 50! I still remember the feeling to this day.”

Then there was Ed, my first boss after college, who hired me for a marketing role despite my lack of experience in the field. During the interview, he remarked, “I can teach you everything you need to know about marketing. Those skills can be taught. Creativity cannot.” From him, I learned that with the right guidance, almost any skill can be acquired. His investment in my development instilled in me the value of nurturing talent and seeking opportunities to uplift others, often yielding unexpected rewards.

Jessica Burke, CAE, IOM, from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, shared her experience with a CEO whose leadership philosophy was “no surprises.” Her CEO never wanted to be caught off guard about an issue but also sought to stay involved in the work. “That obviously meant if you were having trouble with something, or something went wrong, you had to loop her in,” Jessica explains. “For junior staff, she might be really directive or offer concrete actions she wanted you to take. But as you built trust with her, the question was just ‘so how can I help you right now?’ That meant she trusted you to deploy her where you needed her, whether it was to listen to your plan, to connect you with someone who could help, or to talk to a volunteer that maybe needed a special touch. But it also meant if something was going really well, to tell her that too, so she could help you build on your momentum. She was great about shouting out staff wins in front of leadership, but also about making sure you submitted your work for awards and recognition.”

Another important leadership trait is recognizing and attributing ideas to their rightful sources. Laura Graham from Results Direct emphasizes, “They recognize good ideas and attribute them to the source, i.e., they don’t take solo credit for your work/ideas (especially in internal situations) and are able to leave their ego at the door. For someone whose love language is words of affirmation, I have spotted my fair share of bad bosses (and colleagues) when this scenario does not play out respectfully. It’s one of my top red flags.”

In association management, where teams are often small and salary budgets even smaller, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and growth is crucial. Such an environment not only aids in filling positions but also ensures competitiveness in the marketplace.

At the end of the day, great bosses don’t just make the workday better—they make careers better. They empower, support, and elevate their teams, shaping future leaders along the way. So, who’s that one boss whose voice still echoes in your head? And more importantly—if you’re in a leadership role, are you becoming that person for someone else?