I’ve decided, at my next job interview, I’m going to turn the tables and interview my potential boss. I don’t mean to come across sounding cocky, but I believe it’s just as important for me to know the management style of my prospective boss as it is for she/he to know what I am going to contribute to the job.
Over the years, I have had a variety of bosses. I was contemplating their different management styles after class last week.
My first boss, at Baskin Robbins was more on the lassie faire side of the management scale. In fact, at only fifteen-years-old, I was running the store. I managed inventory, created work schedules, filled store orders and counted the drawer after every shift. I loved my job, the freedom the responsibility, until I got robbed at knife-point. That sorta turned me off of my dream of managing my own Baskin Robbins franchise someday.
My next boss, at Sutherland’s Lumber Yard was more of a authoritarian dictator. One night when I was closing, I had left my credit card receipts at the front counter, so I left my drawer in the back office and ran out to get the receipts. The store was closed, and no one but my manager and two other clerks were in the back office. When I got back to my drawer all the bills were gone. I freaked. I was only gone for thirty seconds. My manager suddenly appeared and asked what was wrong, I told him, shaking all the while, and he pulled the bills out from a bag and set them on the desk. He told me he wanted to teach me a lesson about leaving my drawer unguarded. Sheesh. I left the job soon after the incident. I couldn’t leave with the threat of that sort of panic attack.
After taking a few classes at KU, I decided to take a break from school and took a full-time job in Kansas City as an inside sales representative for a computer and electronics store called Elek Tek. Some of you might remember the store on 95th and Quiveria in Overland Park. I was so excited to have my first “real” job with a “real” salary. I can barely remember my boss at Elek Tek, I relied more on the other sales reps for training and advice. I latched on to one older rep who had worked with computers since before I was born. I was like a sponge trying to soak up as much as I could about computers, and he patiently answered all my questions. I made some good friends and learned a lot at Elek Tek.
I’ve worked other jobs since then, several actually, and all of my bosses have had different approaches to management.
My current boss, has been the best (for my personality and work ethics) so far. He manages people – err – he manages emotions. That’s what he’s always telling me. He’s really good at what he does, but sometimes I feel like he knows me too well. Can’t I have a bad day once in awhile? Let me sit in silence and brood. I’ll come around soon enough. 
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