Five Easy Steps to Avoid Being the Nightmare Boss
by Mark Arnold
Those that have seen the cult hit movie Office Space will readily recall the character of Bill Lumbergh, a mid-level manager at the fictional company Initech. Famous for patrolling the cubicle farm with his matching tie and suspenders and ever-present coffee mug, Lumbergh struck fear into the hearts of his hapless office minions.
The best humor, it is often said, is funny because it contains elements of truth at its core. So is the case with Lumbergh, management and all office landscapes. When managing employees, credit union executives would do well to review the following five steps to help them avoid becoming the dreaded nightmare boss.
(1) Make sure you have the right people in the right position. Not everyone can be successful at everything. Put people where they can produce, thrive and be happy and watch the productivity roll in.
(2) Be yourself. Sure, you may be the boss and with that comes a certain level of decorum. But there’s nothing that says you can’t be yourself with your employees. Most savvy staffers, especially younger ones, can spot a poser from a mile off and it immediately puts them on guard about your sincerity and motives.