Boss or Leader – Which hat looks cooler on your head?

You can either be the Miranda Priestly that squeezes work out of everyone with her terror. Or you can be the Tony Stark to, not just one but, many Peter Parkers who will climb skyscrapers out of sheer love and respect for you and your values. Throw them your coat or make them live up to the suit. The choice- always- is yours. 

I am sharing a personal experience – picked from many lovely memories strewn across the far-off meadows (of my more than 2 decades of journey) in this metier. In any organisation there are many stages or hierarchies- and they are crucial to control the organisation’s operations. At each stage, there is a superior – entrusted with the responsibility to control a team down the line. Usually, we all call this superior as “Boss” – a default setting in each organisation or institution.

A ‘Boss’ dictates the things to the ‘down the line’ team & tries to get them to complete the assigned work. Many a times, a Boss’s statement has this vibe- I need this work get done by today or tomorrow. It’s rare to see if a ‘Boss’ guides you or elevates you. In most of the cases,the outcome happens due to fear factor or the struggle to save one’s job. In most of the cases,team members are seen to respect the ‘chair’ and not the Boss. 

Contrast that to a ‘Leader’. A ‘Leader’ always guides you, and helps you to achieve your task. A ‘Leader’ is always with the team, not on top of them. A ‘Leader’ will try to involve you. s/he will make a real effort to understand you personally. Here the outcomes happen organically- thanks to a friendly environment. They do not come out of force or fear. They are not half-baked or half-hearted. Leaders always try to talk & understand the personal & professional dimensions of each team member -as much as possible and genuinely. A true leader always extends the achievements into the team & takes responsibility of failures. A ‘Leader’ always protects his/her team & prepares the succession plan to elevate them. 

No wonder- in most of the cases, team members respect the leader whether he or she is in the chair or not. They do not respect the ‘chair’ but the person in it.

True leaders believe in developing people from scratch instead of bringing skilled people into his/her team. They always try to bring in fresh blood. Any relationship works on feelings. Feelings build relationships. They nurture strong team-building and relationship-based journeys. And if the ‘Leader’ knows you with human feelings then team-building & its output will be way more warm, nourishing, effective, accurate, sufficient etc. than what is seen in superficial equations or cold hierarchies.

I was talking about a personal incident. Well, recently, I walked in to my office on my birthday. It was heart-tugging and encouraging to see that not just my existing team but my former team members also came in and collectively wished me- like a hero. It was a gesture born out of sheer respect and love- not fear. That day I was reassured that I have not failed. I am seen as a ‘Leader’ and not as a ‘Boss’. I have – and will always- be that.

I highly recommend this to everyone in this space. “Don’t be proud of yourself, let people be proud of you.” 

That feeling is inimitable, precious and enduring. It can never come from being a ‘boss’. Never.

By Bhoopendra Solanki, Chief Information Officer, Sakra World Hospital