Which kind of leader are you working with?

A great leader knows that she can’t be an expert in every aspect of the business. So she surrounds herself with talented people. She looks not only for a good track record and expertise but people that will make a good fit with the company’s culture and values. People who can work independently, people who thrive without constant supervision, and whom the leader can trust to make sound decisions on their own.

Then there is the leader with a boss mindset. He thinks he knows better. He believes himself to be the smartest person in whatever room he happens to be in. He expects things to be done like he would have done them, down to specific details. He feels the need to closely supervise his team’s work. He doesn’t trust his team’s judgment and then is surprised when he discovers that engagement is low.

Most valuable professionals can’t work for long under a boss-minded leader. They end up leaving the organization or becoming a source of constant conflict for a boss who doesn’t like different points of view.

Which kind of leader are you working with?