How your ‘cool’ boss is killing your career
Your chummy supervisor probably won’t be candid with you about your performance. Worse, he or she probably isn’t well regarded by the higher-ups, so any ‘influence’ in promoting you is minimal.
You know why? “Cool” parents are the ones who let their kids do things they shouldn’t be doing as kids.
It’s not my job as a parent to get my kids to like me; it’s my job to raise responsible adults who do better for their family and the world in general. That means we say “no” a lot.
“No, you can’t go to the movies at midnight. Yes, I’m aware the Browns allow this; they also allow their 17-year-old son’s girlfriend to sleep over, and the teenagers to drink .”
I would rather you shoot me in the head.
Being a boss is like being a parent
You know what’s funny? I don’t think my kids hate me. (Kids, please don’t comment on this post.) Kids like having boundaries. They don’t tell you they like this, but when they have boundaries, they act like better people. If you leave them without boundaries, you end up with Lord of the Flies.
I’m not saying that being a leader/boss/supervisor is like being a parent. OK, yes I am. It’s very much like being a parent.
Everyone wants to be the “cool” boss when they first start out in a managerial role. It’s very normal to think this and go down that path.
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