Last month, we talked about the effect of how bosses manage (or don't manage) their personal and positional power. This month, I am starting with a story that makes the power goof point better than any academic claptrap. A few years ago, I journeyed to the West Coast to conduct a three-day class on Functional Boss Behaviors for a medium-size fire department. We were going to have the same class for three consecutive days-one for each shift. The chief picked me up at the airport, and we had a very pleasant dinner together. He described the status and details within the organization. He said that he had recently made a number of promotions and he thought it would be productive to have an outside person (me) help balance their inside/outside perspective. His city was very prosperous and well-managed, and his department was well-staffed and well-equipped. He was intelligent and well-spoken, and he had been promoted up through the ranks. He had been the chief for a couple of years, was well-educated (BS and MPA), and was very proud of the organization.
展开▼
