It was one sunny afternoon when I found out about the news that my boss was let go. She was the head of software development. I’ve been working with her for more than 6 years. I didn’t know what to do and feel. I was confused and anxious on what will happen to our wider team.
It’s really times of uncertainty (Hello 2020!). It took time before it sinks in. Our team have low turnover rate and have shared great bond over the years. Our culture is really good and we felt like we have a second family in the office. Thanks to our boss who set the high standards and culture! It was her who built our team from ground up. Our team wish to honor our boss and how we felt working with her. We gave her a send-off that she’ll never forget.
What transpired in the next few days are feelings, memories, moments that we openly shared with everyone and our lovely boss. Hearing the testimonials of the team, the impact my boss have in our own lives, In this moment, I’ve seen what a true leader is and proves what seems like invisible things we do everyday have ripple effects.
Here are the top 5 things I’ve learned from my ex-boss:
1. Be a leader that serves and cares
My boss strongly believes in the concept of servant leadership. Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve. She always thought and accepted that leadership is a thankless job. But when we said our farewells, she was surprised with the level of appreciation and acknowledgement from people who matters to her at work. There are days when she would randomly give gifts to birthdays. We celebrate birthdays in cafeteria. She knows our team well and concerned about our welfare. She reminds us to be kind since we don’t know what people are going through. Even in bad times, when there are critical issues and overtime, she was there until the last one leaves. In our farewells to our boss, It was at this moment when I saw the impact of serving people, helping them without expecting anything in return. It was at this moment when I saw that how you treat people is how they will treat you back. To be human, to serve and care. To be a role model that people can aspire to be. Yes, It can feel tiring sometimes and feel as if nothing is happening, but believe that the relationship we built will be there.
“Treat your people as you would want to be treated, it is that simple.”
2. Find your own leadership style
My boss leadership style is strict and kind. She aspires for excellence in what she does. She is open and approachable. If you need anything advice or what we need at work, we feel guided and supported. Now we can’t be lazy! She cascades to us what comes from management but also expects us to save this information or documents. She expects from us to guide our team members and push them to become their best selves. She is there as our mentor, giving us advice especially when we feel troubled with our team/next action steps. Life of being a leader is not easy, but having a mentor around, my boss helps makes this path easier. My boss and I don’t have the same leadership style, but definitely I can pick up what suits me naturally and add it to my style.
“A leader’s job is not to do the work for others, it’s to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done, and to succeed beyond what they thought possible.” — Simon Sinek
3. Build a network. Find a mentor or sponsor
Ever had this feeling cringing when you hear the word: networking. Truth to be told, I’m not fond of networking. I ask myself why do I have to network? My boss and my co-leads gave me a different light why we need it. Working at the office, having a vast network gives you an advantage.
- It’s easier to ask for favors because of the relationship you’ve built.
- You get to have an edge with office politics on what’s happening.
- You can help your colleagues in reaching out to the right person.
- You know who to seek advice for certain topics
- You get to meet more people outside your box and give you a different perspective.
A mentor is someone who can help you when you’ve tried different approach and you feel stuck. A mentor will be able to help you pull yourself together and what next steps to take.
A sponsor is someone who can vouch and say your name when in a big meeting. Someone who is high up in the ladder and believes in your capabilities.
How do you build your network? Help people achieve their goals or help solve their problem. Stay in touch.
“Networking that matters is helping people achieve their goals” — Seth Godin
4. Never forget your own personal development
It’s easy to get drowned in work. We have deliverables and commitments that must be met. My boss is very supportive in our personal growth. She ask us leads what we need for the team (eg: trainings) and sends us or team members to conferences to keep ourselves updated. Even to her last day, she thinks of our team on how we would get your own ducks in a row and focus on strengthening ourselves— skills and character-wise. That we are your own best advocate and to make sure that our achievements are visible. Even when it is hard, please continue upholding what’s right and fair and look after each other.
Our personal growth is our own responsibility. Make time for it. — Steph J.
5. Plan for the best, prepare for the worst
One of my boss strength is being a planner but flexible. She likes to document and keep notes on our discussions. She is a heavy user of mind map. It gives us a visual representation of our discussion and inputs during leads meeting. She created a map with all of the team faces so it’s easy for us to understand where we sit in the team. She created magnificent presentation to big bosses of where our team are, our achievements and highlights it. I’ve seen how she has evolved as a presenter. I remember she tells me to know the impact of what we are doing and its business value. Why we are doing it.
I remember when have major release, one of the things that she highlights is to create a step by step plan on how we are going to release and rollback plan. We have to simulate it together with involved parties (eg: Devops) so that we can anticipate potential problems and we know what to do on release day. When release day arrived, she joined our call. We encountered hiccup and advised what steps we can take.
She advises us to always document (eg: email/ticket) especially business decisions. To be vocal with our counterparts and what we need, our blockers, and help development team needs. It is how we cover our own butts. We can think that it’s okay not doing this because of the extra work involved, but when the time comes that you need it, you’ll be happy that you have a reference to pull.
Plan for the best. Prepare for the worst.
I’m really grateful that I had a chance to meet my boss, close enough to be part of the leadership team. All the lessons and nuggets I learned from her are truly valuable. I do believe that we meet people in our lives that help us grow and become better.. and I believe that my ex-boss is one of the leaders and mentor I truly appreciate and value. Thank you for being a part of my life.
