Together With

Good morning.  I have had the privilege to work for some pretty awesome bosses throughout my career. 

I have also worked for some great leaders and visionaries that I wouldn't consider great bosses.

But why?

After a lot of thought and reflection, I've uncovered what separates the two, in my opinion.

Let's dive in.

Elevate your performance 

Having good bosses has been instrumental in my career.  My current boss, for example, is fantastic.

But what makes him a good boss?  And what traits does he share with other bosses that I consider great?

Here is what I've come up with from unwrapping these two questions.

They're consistent with their decision-making.

My current boss, let's call him John, well because his name is John, is as consistent as they get.  He knows skilled nursing and senior living operations inside and out and operates within a set of beliefs and frameworks he has created and tested throughout his career.

He's so consistent that from about 12 months into his being my boss, I could hear his voice when I was confronted with a challenge or a decision.

In almost every scenario I still encounter today, I hear him in my head working through that decision, and I know how he would handle it within his framework.

That's consistency.

It's like having him with me at all times.  All because he's consistent with his frameworks and how he makes decisions.

We don't always handle decisions the same way, and that's ok.  But it's always beneficial to know where my decision-making differs from his.

Now compare this with other bosses who I've experienced.  Some have been world-class visionaries and charismatic and brilliant leaders.

But I could never predict their next move making it nearly impossible to align my team's goals with theirs.  When I thought we were about to turn left, they would go right.

I spent too much energy trying to figure out how they would react to my decisions which took energy away from making the best decisions.

They create a safe space.

What we do for a career is exhausting.  Most days, it feels like we're trying to run a marathon up a mountain.  

The best bosses create a safe and confidential relationship where you can let your guard down at the appropriate times and speak freely and openly.

They've put in the time to build a personal relationship with you.

They listen intently to honest feedback but don't hold it against you.

And when the time is right, they bring you back in focus and challenge you to find a solution.

The opposite of this is a boss who is always on and never shows vulnerability and casts that same expectation on you.

They provide real-time, unfiltered, actionable feedback.

I don't do well with mixed messaging in feedback.  Just tell me where I screwed up so I can keep it from happening again.

Don't sandwich it with compliments.  No sugar-coating is needed.

In addition, a great boss can offer actionable feedback on where you're missing the mark before it's too late.  

Visionary leaders often operate at a different level and lack the process or operational insight to provide feedback that can change results.  Sure, they'll tell you straight up, but often it's after you failed to get the results.  By that time, the ship has sailed.

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Together With HealthDrive

HealthDrive has over 30 years of experience as the leading provider of on-site healthcare services in long-term care. With nearly 500 medical and dental professionals and one million patient encounters per year, HealthDrive is fulfilling its mission "to elevate health outcomes and improve the quality of life." HealthDrive offers a variety of Dental, Podiatry, Optometry, Audiology, and Mental Health services within their markets. Innovative technology, administrative and regulatory support, as well as reliability, are just a few of the things that drive HealthDrive's commitment and continued success.

Not only is HealthDrive a partner of NHA Stand-Up, but they're also a partner I have utilized in the communities I support for years. Their model, ability to execute consistently, and reliability are spectacular. If you're interested in learning more, visit their website here and reach out to Rachel Wells at rwells@healthdrive.com.

Grab your coffee and make it a great day.  We appreciate you and your dedication to your team and residents. -Thank you!