We often hear about bad bosses, but we think it’s important to talk about the good ones because we hope that by giving folks examples of how to be a good boss we can inspire future bosses to be better, to do better for their employees and all stakeholders.
Hayley Rodriguez
The best boss I’ve ever had was my first employer right out of grad school. Chris had been practicing acupuncture for many years and had a thriving business in Orange County. He took me out for coffee for my interview and it felt like I was chatting with an old friend. I was hired the following week. Being a newly licensed, Chris took me under his wing and taught me everything I needed to know to become a successful acupuncturist. It’s one thing to memorize books and case studies, it’s a whole other ballgame when it comes to real-life patients. He was kind, patient, an incredible mentor, and leader. Chris was fair and generous. He always treated us to lunch, made sure I received my weekly acupuncture treatments and even encouraged me to take vacations! What boss does that? He was the epitome of balance, knowing that in order to work well, you must rest just as well. I am forever grateful for his wisdom and the time I had working along side of him. Read more>>
Stefanie Thiele
As a freelance artist, 80% of the time, I am my own boss. And I have to say, I like my boss. I am kind, playful, funny, and I like to set myself challenges to improve my skills. I also encourage a life/work fusion, meaning I let myself work intuitively early in the morning or into the night, on weekdays or weekends, at the desk or in bed with my iPad. Paying attention to my physical condition and mental capacity and scheduling my tasks and workload throughout the month with it in mind allows me to be my most efficient self. Read more>>
Samara Ramos-Brown
The best boss I ever had was during my years in the corporate world. She was a great mentor. She shared knowledge and built everyone in her team up. She provided guidance without micro-managing. She fought for her team and I felt supported and trusted. Read more>>
Daryll Santos
Absolutely, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have two remarkable mentors in my life, Jose Gonzalez and Adel Jalili, who have significantly shaped my professional journey. I firmly believe that one of the greatest ‘cheat codes’ to life is having a mentor, and in my case, I was blessed to have two who were perfectly aligned with my aspirations. Read more>>
Jed Dearybury
The best boss that I ever had was the one who trusted me most. The one who believed in my ability to do the work, and let me do it. Specifically, she didn’t try to make me conform to her ideals, rather she let me discover my own path and build on the beliefs that I held dear. She allowed me to be myself and utilize the skills I was great at to accomplish my work goals instead of forcing me into a box she created for me. It was so liberating to be treated in such a professional, respected manner. Read more>>
MeLeah Robinson
The best boss I ever had was in 2018 I was working as a tv producer for a certain network and I worked with a boss that taught me that you have to sometimes encourage yourself. You want to be successful in life, don’t depend on others to help you reach your goals. She explained that work hard but also maintain a balance with work, family and self care Read more>>
Patricia Yanez
Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? We’d love to hear about the experience – tell us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team. Read more>>
Sean Berube
The best boss I’ve ever had was Kyle Sitkowski. He was my boss when I was on active duty orders with the Air Force and he was in charge off the investigations section. His leadership style was exemplary, fostering a fun and very productive section. Kyle really knew when it was time to work it was time to work but also knew when to give us time to unwind. If we had cameras going in the office full time we could’ve had a hit show like The Office. We were always pulling pranks on each other. Read more>>
Amber Minion
The best boss I ever had really taught me a thing or two about life. She stressed to me the imporatance of networking. I was going for a position where I thought I was a top-notch, creme of the top canidate, but unfortunately it didn’t fall into place. I didn’t get selected for the position. My boss had a conversation with me and suggested that I begin expanding my network and connections within the company. She made it clear that sometimes it’s not just about what you know, but who you know. Read more>>